ALL-GWENT squash doubles pairing Scott Fitzgerald and Dave Haley enjoyed a comfortable win over Trinidad & Tobago in their pool D match.

Fitzgerald, from Pontypool, and Haley, from Newport, beat Colin Ramasra and Kale Wilson 11-3, 11-6 at the Scotstoun Sports Campus today.

“It was comfortable enough,” said Fitzgerald.

“It’s one of those games where you cannot always be too comfortable or you can quickly lose a run of points. We fell behind early in the second game, but once we settled the ship we managed to get back in control.”

The Welsh pair went through an intense warm-up before the match and it paid off.

“We knew that we had to be the ones to dictate the pace, so we had to be the ones who came out fast and try and make them sort of panic a little bit,” he said.

“We had a tough one last night against the No.1 Scottish pairing, so it was nice to settle the score and come back early and get a win today.”

Haley said: “It is my first Commonwealth Games and it is nice to get a win under the belt.”

But can the 13th seeds win a surprise medal in Glasgow?

“Who knows? If we win tomorrow then it depends on us how far we can go,” said Haley. “We will just take it one match at a time now.

“It's been about 18 months now that we’ve played together. We are friends off the court as well and we play each other in singles, so we know each other's game and that does help.”

The Trinidad and Tobago team seemed to be more relaxed about things as an official guest sat behind the players before the start clutching a beer.

“We saw that too,” laughed Fitzgerald. “Yeah, we've seen that before because in a lot of the league games we play back home people are drinking while they are watching you!

“It's a social occasion. If it keeps them happy and keeps them coming back if they serve beer then why not?”

Two Gwent stars could be on for a medal in the lawn bowls women’s triples after today’s 14-13 victory over New Zealand.

Kelly Packwood of Pontypool and Newport-based Lisa Forey, along with Welshpool’s Kathy Pearce, are through to the semi-finals against England tomorrow at 12.45pm.

But defending men’s singles champion Robert Weale was beaten 21-11 by Australian Aron Sherriff.

And there was also a defeat for Ebbw Vale table tennis ace Charlotte Carey today as she lost a seventh set decider against Australia’s Zhenhua Dederko in the women’s singles second round.

The 18-year-old, who goes in the women’s doubles second round tomorrow, tweeted: “Can't describe the devastation right now... Amazing support from the crowd just gutted I couldn't turn it around in the 7th set.”

Also tomorrow is the return of the cycling with the men’s and women’s time trials.

Elinor Barker will be hoping for a third medal of the Games in the women’s race and Geraint Thomas is the main Welsh hope in the men’s.

Thomas, fresh from the Tour de France, is looking to enjoy himself in Glasgow.

Asked about noticing the city’s landmarks along the course he said: “I'll be trying to focus on the road – but if there are any nice-looking girls along the way that'll break up my effort a bit!

“These are meant to be the friendly games – and they have been just that,” he added.

“I came here to make friends along the way and I've done that.

“Hanging out with athletes from other countries, having coffee with the Rwandan guys – I've got (South African) Adrien Niyonshuti on Facebook now."