It's getting to the business end of the season for bowls competitions - with clubs still having plenty to play for.

After an outstanding week, finals and semi-finals beckon for both the ladies and men of Harpenden.

The team of Rachel Stephenson, Deidre Smith, Alison Lowe and Jenny McEvoy overcame Sawbridgeworth on an extra end to secure a 16-14 win in the County Senior Fours, moving them into the semis.

John Osborn reached the area final in the National Senior Singles, one win away from the Bowls England National Finals at Leamington Spa.

He also has a semi-final in the County Men's Pairs with Nick Muir.

Some of the club's ladies are closing in on national qualification too with Rachel Stephenson and Carol Glanfield contesting the semi-final in the County Ladies' Pairs.

Harpenden reached the area final in the Men's County Club Championship with a narrow three-point victory against Welwyn Garden City.

It’s now two wins in a row in for the men’s District League squad thanks to a 64-49 win over a traditionally strong North Mymms.

The ladies secured a good result against North Mymms too in their District League clash.

Both rinks played well with one winning 22-14 and the other narrowly losing 20-19.

One of the semi-finals in the Bob Vise Trophy will see Harpenden face St Albans.

Captained by Steve Maynard, Harpenden reached that stage by beating North Mymms on three of the four disciplines.

Saints meanwhile came through against Potters Bar despite losing the singles and the triples.

The pair of Andy Kay and Steve Wilson won by nine shots to almost completely wipe out the deficit of the two defeats while the rinks team came good winning their last end by the two shots that were needed.

One player who missed the Potters Bar fixture was Kevin Yiu who had been selected to play a County match for Hertfordshire against Bedfordshire at Royston.

The tightest of margins was an apt description of the outcome of the ladies' fixture against North Mymms.

The triples team of Sally Griffiths, Linda Burfield and Brenda Pitkin lost 16-15 in the preliminary round of the district competition.

Townsend welcomed two rinks from Hatfield in the County League and won on both for a 56-22 overall success.

The rink of Peter Waller, Roger Potter, Peter Armstrong and Alan Charran won 17-13 but the top rink honours went to Andy Scarborough, Les Perkins, Bob Lawrie and Peter Thomson who claimed a 29-9 success.

In the District Pairs, the Townsend duo of Anne-Marie Stuart-Reid and Sandra White found themselves 10-0 down against opposition from WGC.

But, in a classic tale of a game of two halves, and with the help of a series of long jacks, they came back to win 16-14.

Jane Dixon and Rena Williamson also progressed to the next round in the same competition with a convincing victory at Kings Langley, scoring 18 unanswered points to win 23-5.

A weekend friendly saw Bushey Met arrive at a sunny Waverley Road.

There was one shot in it at tea but Townsend pulled clear after the break, winning 70-55 with the top rink that of Mike Cowell, Anne-Marie Stuart-Reid and Fred Mulberry.