LAST Saturday Abergavenny welcomed Abertillery to Avenue Road for an MBA game. On a very fast green each team won on two rinks but Abergavenny managed to edge ahead on aggregate and win the game by 89 shots to 81, gaining ten league points in the process.

The rinks of Matthew Vale and Anthony Moriarty were successful for Abergavenny. Right from the start Vale’s rink played very well. They never allowed their opponents into the game and quickly built an unassailable lead. The Abertillery rink managed to score shots on only five of the 20 ends in their defeat by 37 shots to eight. It was much the same story on Anthony Moriarty’s rink. They had built a lead of eleven shots by the mid point of the game. they then scored nine shots over four ends to consolidate their position and go on to win by 28 shots to 11.

Unfortunately the other two rinks could not achieve the same results as their colleagues. The rink of Jack Vale battled hard and was only five shots behind after 15 ends. The Abertillery rink then scored ten shots over the final five ends to win by 24 shots to 11. The rink of Gethin Hill was never allowed to get a foothold in their game and consequently lost by 38 shots to 13.

The men’s team has been involved in two games in the past week. The second of these was an EMBA game at local rivals Gilwern. They won on three of the four rinks to win the game by 65 shots to 57.

Bill Belli’s rink took control of their game from the fifth end. Their opponents could only register a win on six of the 18 ends and therefore were defeated by 20 shots to 10. Paul Beaumont’s rink was behind for the first 11 ends but then managed to wrest control of the game from the opposition, before going on to win by 13 shots to eight. John Whomersley’s rink was six shots behind after ten ends. They then turned the situation round to score fourteen shots, conceding only three, to win the game by 21 shots to 16. The game on the rink of Gethin Hill was close for the first nine ends. The Gilwern rink then forged ahead in the second half of the game to win by 23 shots to 11.

In the past week Abergavenny Ladies have played two games. The first of these was when they welcomed Caerleon to Avenue Road for a league game. Winning on two of the three rinks Abergavenny won the game by 45 shots to 39. Ceri Clark’s rink was in charge from the beginning and won by 21 shots to eight. Mary Evans’ rink managed to maintain a slender advantage to win by 15 shots to 13. Unfortunately, after a promising start, Judy Belli’s rink suffered defeat by 18 shots to nine.

The second game for Abergavenny Ladies was a friendly fixture at Croesyceiliog. They won on all three rinks for a comprehensive victory by 49 shots to 18. Rink scores were Judy Belli 19 – 4, Mary Evans 12 – 5 and Ceri Clark 18 - 9.

Next Saturday Abergavenny travel to Newbridge for an MBA game. On Sunday they will play a mixed team friendly fixture against Brecon at Avenue Road and Abergavenny Ladies will play a league game against Panteg House at Avenue Road.