Harpenden proved too strong for Welwyn Garden City and Rowley Lane in their latest ladies county league matches.

Facing Rowley Lane at home, it was a very tight contest with the hosts three shots up in the 19th end.

The last two ends were in the balance as the back end players had to rescue situations of five and four down with their last bowls. The Harpenden team featured Jean Dill, Lyn Roberts, Beryl Birch and Lesley Tutt and they won 16-11.

The match at Welwyn was also close. Playing Joan Hair, Kate Taylor, Becky Maynard, Sue Maynard, the match was neck and neck most of the way after trailing for the first seven ends. On the eighth they were tied at 7-7 and it was 8-8 after ten and 15-15 after 18 ends before Harpenden eventually prevailed 19-16. The team was Pauline Taylor, Val Thomson, Janet Hubball and Linda Newby.

In the first county league men’s match, Harpenden travelled to Welwyn Garden City and won on both rinks. The group of John Williams, Noel Roberts, David Brooks and Tom Muir won by 21 shots and the rink of Woodie Donoghue, Kevin Brazier, Tony Redford and Nick Muir were five-shot victors, giving Harpenden a winning margin of 26 overall.

In the third round of the national men's club two fours, Harpenden travelled to Garston. The rink of Donoghue, Brazier, Redford and Nick Muir were always behind. The team of Colin Driscoll, John Osborn, Brooks and Tom Muir led for a good part of the game but eventually lost by two shots. Garston won the match by 13 shots overall.

County pairs Tutt and Val Christiaans beat Thomson and Taylor, both Harpenden teams, by five shots (19-14) but lost the next round at Hatfield.

Beryl Driscoll and Cynthia Williams were beaten by a Radlett team after having an early lead. In the next round, the only pair through is Lucy Ratcliffe and Jennie Redford.

The first round of the ladies singles saw Tutt, Lucy Ratcliffe and Linda Brooks win their matches. Linda also won her district singles against Shirley Burrows. Birch and Christiaans won their first round matches in the unbadged singles.

In the district pairs, Ratcliffe and Birch won 23-16 against Tricia Gascoine and Pauline Gardiner but lost in the district triples at Rowley Lane.

The ladies had a good win in the district league against Batchwood, with the home team winning 25-16 and the away team 18-10.

The mixed friendly game against Baldock away was won by one point after they edged home 69-68.