WEOBLEY Bowling Club have won the Hereford Times Cup for the first time.

But the village club had to show plenty of perseverance before beating St Martin’s in a rain-affected final which stretched over two weeks.

The match, at Hereford Bowling Club, proved to be the longest game since the competition first began, starting on Sunday, August 4 when rain caused the green to be waterlogged and forced the abandonment of play after about 10 ends with the score at Weobley 30 St Martin’s 23.

To avoid commitments for each of the finalists, the game got under way again last Sunday and the rink skipped by Weobley’s Mansel Havard re-started well, taking the first five ends to lead 16-7.

St Martin’s had been stuck on seven for eight ends but managed a two on the 15th end and went on to win the remaining ends for a 24-16 victory.

Going in the opposite direction was St Martin’s Doug Bott who led 16-13 on 13 ends but then lost the remaining five ends to finish 26-16 down to Weobley’s Mike Powell.

Before the rain, the St Martin’s rink skipped by Jim Knowles was 4-12 down and at the restart they lost a further four ends to be 20-6 down to Guy Sandford.

St Martin’s then won six of the remaining eight ends played to reduce the score to 16-23.

Overall, Weobley were leading by 21 shots on 15 ends but St Martin’s started to reduce the gap and with two ends to play there was only eight shots in the game.

Keith Caldicutt put further pressure on Weobley when he forced the jack back to give St Martin’s a possible five.

Sandford reduced it to one when he knocked one of his side’s wood forward and, when Jim Knowles just failed to get another wood in the count, it looked like another end would be required.

Sandford had different ideas and drew his last wood for the shot, making it impossible for St Martin’s to win the cup.

Weobley celebrated their first win of the cup with a large group of supporters.

Scores: Weobley (M Powell) 26 St Martin’s (D Bott) 16, Weobley (G Sandford) 23 St Martin’s (J Knowles) 16, Weobley (M Havard) 16 St Martin’s (L Anson) 24; Total: Weobley 67 St Martin’s 56.