BOWLERS from Woolhope and Ross-on-Wye went head-to-head with the best in the country at the National Club Championships recently.

The 16-club finals held in Torquay saw both teams compete in round robin groups.

Despite some satisfying victories neither team managed to qualify for the main knockout competition and both entered the plate competition.

After wins in the quarter finals the two teams met at the semi-final stage and, in a reversal of this season’s general fortunes, county league and cup winners Woolhope found their rivals in good form and Ross won all disciplines to progress to the plate final.

The final proved to be a tight affair against a Somerset club but, despite winning two of the four disciplines, Ross were squeezed out by a mere two shots overall in a thrilling finale.

The curtain came down on the short mat bowls season with the county association’s annual Presentation Evening held at the Larruperz Centre in Ross with awards given to the winners of the county’s various leagues and competitions.

A special Achievement Award was made to Ross’s Les Williams who has stepped down as secretary and captain of the Ross Short Mat team after a 25-year term during which he also served on the county committee for several years and represented club and county at all levels.

Competition winners were as follows: County Singles- Joe Loveys; County Pairs - Terry Darrington & Rita Hancock; County Triples- John Mills, Shirley & Becci Cox; County Fours- Dean Rudman, Mike Conway, Terry Griffiths & Rita Hancock; County Mixed Fours- Shirley & Becci Cox, Anthony & Dominic Rogers; Winter League Division 1 - Woolhope A; Winter League Division 2 -Gorsley Chapel;

Summer League- Woolhope 1; Bromyard Trophy Club Triples – Mike Conway, Terry Darrington & Rita Hancock; Macmillan Cancer Support Trophy-Linda Lewis, Luke Rawlings, Hazel & Tony Vitale; HSMBA Achievement Award- Les Williams; LEH Team of Ten Two Counties Trophy-Woolhope.