ST Martin's clawed their way into second place with a home win over Brimfield after losing two earlier matches in a busy Tarmac Bowls League programme.

They were made to fight for the win by Brimfield and neither club was able to make a decisive break until the final ends were played.

After 17 ends, three of the four rinks were tied with Eileen Turner's Brimfield rink drawing with 13 shots after coming back from an 11-3 deficit.

But in the last four ends the St Martin's rinks skipped by John Gill and John Colley pulled away to win by six and four shots respectively. That was enough to see off a late burst from Richard Griffiths' Brimfield rink who picked up seven shots on the last four ends to record the day's highest winning score but failed to prevent a four-shot overall victory for the home club.

Earlier, St Martin's were well beaten at home by Hereford who won by 17 shots, although they did pick up bonus points for two winning rinks that were decided by small margins.

M Ricketts' rink for Hereford completely outplayed their St Martin's opposite numbers to win by 15 shots and led the visitors to their first league win of the season.

Hay won their opening match in a programme disrupted by bad weather when they beat St Martin's.

Leaders Kington were without a match and St Martin's now trail them by just one point, followed by Leominster a further six points behind in third place.

Results: Hereford 70 Weobley 85 (home rinks W1 D0 L3), St Martin's 64 Hereford 81 (W2 D0 L2), Castle Green 66 Kingsland 74 (W2 D0 L2), Hay 75 St Martin's 64 (W2 D0 L2), Leominster 83 Weobley 71 (W2 D1 L1), St Martin's 74 Brimfield 69 (W2 D0 L2).