The summer bowls season came to a close with plenty of late trophies to be won.
Townsend Bowls Club marked the end of the campaign with a traditional match between a select squad chosen by captain Clyde Martindill and the forces of the vice-captain, Ian Forster.
With two thirds of the club in attendance, and the weather set fair, it promised to be a memorable occasion.
By the half-time break honours were even and all departed to the clubhouse for tea and biscuits, and a very special presentation.
Each year the club captain delivers a brief summary of the season and presents the clubperson of the year trophy to that individual who, in his estimation, has done most by example or actions to help the club.
The skipper dwelt on the competitive successes, both at county and district level, which he described as "the best in 10 years".
He took the opportunity to both congratulate and thank all those involved for their efforts before presented the trophy to the club's greenkeeper, Robbie Ransted.
Martindill remarked on both Ransted's extraordinary level of dedication to delivering the "perfect green" and the success by which he had achieved that ambition, giving Townsend a playing surface to be proud of and one that had elicited the compliments of all who had played on it.
As the bar beckoned at the end of play the result was a narrow win for the captain but one performance in particular caught the eye, first year bowler Niranjan leading two more experienced colleagues in Jane Dixon and Roger Potter to a top rink success.
The closing day of St Albans Bowling Club's season was last Sunday at its Clarence Park home, when the final day's play was held for members followed by a meal and the award of trophies to the winners of the various club competitions that had progressed throughout the course of the season.
The club's competition finals' days were held over Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the previous week.
The headline winners were Andy Kay, who lifted the men's club championship by beating Adrian Poulter while Brenda Pitkin took both the challenge Cup and the title of ladies' club champion, prevailing against Maralyn Pomeroy in their final.
Saturday's play was curtailed due to torrential rain flooding the green, with the result that the Ladies' Pairs final had to be abandoned as a draw.
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