The friendly nature of bowls was the name of the game for one club among another busy week of competition.
Harpenden hosted Essex side West Mersea in what turned out to be a fun-filled afternoon of sport and humour.
Good weather blessed the clash too, which was played on six rinks with mixed teams of three.
This was West Mersea’s third match in their four match summer tour of Hertfordshire.
A spokesman for Harpenden said: "After a lot of jokes, good humour and good play, the result wasn't important but the overall impression was of two sets of 18 players enjoying themselves and having a good time.
"To finish their visit, West Mersea uniquely sang a farewell song, signalling that was the hour they were leaving."
In competitive action, Harpenden's men have secured a place in the area final of the National Top Club thanks to a convincing 4-1 semi-final win against Bushey.
John Osborn got the first point on the board for Harpenden with an 18-11 win in the two-bowl singles while Joe Festa added a 21-5 victory in the four bowl singles.
Trevor Tharby and Nick Muir won the pairs 24-11 to to secure the win, with Harpenden’s four of Brian Moores, Roy Polley, David Brooks and Steve Maynard leading 19-8.
They will play Buntingford in the final on a neutral green.
Townsend went to Harpenden for a District League match and returned with a maximum 80 points, winning on all three rinks and overall.
It was all straight-forward though.
Robbie Ransted, Les Perkins, Andy Scarborough and Peter Thomson were never in the lead by more than two shots before stretching to a 17-14 win.
Peter Waller, Derek Connelly, Roger Potter and Peter Armstrong led from the first end and were never bettered, winning 16-12, while Ian Forster, Bob Padget, Gordon Williamson and Alan Charran dropped a six on one end before securing a 23-18 win.
They also had the visit of Welwyn Garden City to Waverley Road for another three-rink, District League match.
They won overall and claimed another 20 points for one rink, before taking 10 points for a 15-15 draw.
The one winning rink was Waller, Potter, Bob Lawrie and Armstrong.
Townsend also welcomed a team from Pavillion, based in Oxhey, on the occasion of their golden anniversary of their foundation.
The home team’s hospitality didn't stretch to the performance on the green though, winning on three of the four rinks and by 81-50 overall.
Top rink honours went to Jon Hamer, playing his first game for the club, along with Sandra White and Alan Charran, who won by a very impressive 31-4.
A club spokesman said: "Mention must also be made of John Connelly, playing in his second game, who was part of a winning trio, comprising Andy Scarborough and marked also by a dynamic performance by Richard Morgan.
"Two down with one end to go, Richard ended up with his three woods not only forming a perfect triangle beside the jack but also winning the match by one shot, 15-14."
The weather shone brighter than the fortunes on the green for St Albans in their weekend fixtures.
They did take the opportunity to blood some new bowlers, all of whom bowled creditably and will have benefited from the experience, but they found the opposition in both games tough.
Sunday's home fixture against Berkhamsted was lost on all four rinks.
They did win one of the four rinks a day earlier though at home to Tring but lost 69-48 overall.
The winning rink came with a 19-10 success for Sally Griffiths, Annie Cheuk and Chris Palmer.
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