WESTLECOT ladies are through to the third round in the 2012/13 Yetton Trophy and are the only team from the club left standing in national indoor team championship competitions this season.

MidGlos have proved to be a nemesis for Westlecot this term, ousting the ladies over 60s side in a third-round Mason Trophy tie as well as knocking out the mixed junior team in the David Cornwell under 25 double rinks.

But on Thursday afternoon Westlecot ladies laid the bogey to rest as they produced a sterling performance to record a hard-fought eight shots win over their rivals in a second round national four-rink Inter-Club Championship match, running out 76-68 victors.

After five ends across the board Westlecot only led 20-19. They led 37-30 after 10 and stretched their advantage to 19 shots at 63-44 at 15.

However, they then had to withstand a MidGlos fightback. Their opponents cut the gap to 70-58 at 18 ends and finally lost 76-68 at 21.

Rink honours were shared at 2-2, but Westlecot’s ploy of keeping the away rinks tight and trying to make home advantage pay-off worked perfectly for them. At Westlecot Doris Woodley’s four led 14-2 at 10 ends and 19-7 at 15 and finally won by nine shots.

Jill Webb’s quartet were involved in a tight game throughout but were edged out by two shots. In Brockworth (Gloucester), Jenny Vowles’ rink stormed back from 10-6 down at ten ends to lead 18-10 at 15 and finally prevailed 22-18.

Alongside, Wendy Anderson’s four were tied at 10-10 at 10 ends but slipped two behind (12-14) at 15 and finally lost by three shots.

After taking the plaudits by eight shots over MidGlos, Westlecot now face another Gloucestershire side as they have been drawn against Cotswold (Stroud) in round three on Thursday December 13.

Cotswold defeated Fairford Ladies 81-75 in their second round encounter.

Neil Smith has once again qualified for the final stages and last 16 of the National Champion of Champions competition.

The Westlecot indoor player booked his place at Warner Leisure, Hayling Island, early next February with a comfortable 21-9 win last Friday at Solihull IBC.

Smith, the Area 10 champion, following a narrow 21-19 victory over Mark Atkins (Malvern Hills), thrashed Area 9 winner Craig Carter (Rugby Thornfield), in the inter-area showdown.

In a one-sided match, Smith, a world pairs and singles qualifier, carried far too much experience for 18-year-old Carter and raced into a 14-1 lead after nine ends.

Smith lost a single on the next, but then scooped a four to go 18-2 up and three shots away from victory.

Carter fought back and resorted to firing with some success, killing six ends, and managed to cut the gap to 20-9 after 17.

However, Smith closed out the match with a single on the 18th end to win the last 32 contest and book his place at Hayling Island. Smith will be looking to go one better in the final stages than in 2007 when he finished as runner-up to Nick Brett (City of Ely).

Also joining Smith at Hayling Island will be his Wiltshire outdoor team mate Graham Shadwell. The Trowbridge international plays indoors for Clarrie Dunbar (Frome) and recently won the section 29/30 inter-area final in Taunton.

Smith also collected a scalp in the Area 10 national singles last 16 when he totally outbowled former world singles quarter-finalist Steve Knight (Cotswold, Stroud), thrashing him 21-3.

Westlecot indoor team mate Ian Jefferies awaits Smith in the area 10 singles quarter finals after a comprehensive 21-8 victory over Matt Cuthbert (Cotswold).

A member’s play-off tournament will be held next Friday at Westlecot with two wildcard places into the annual Dexion-sponsored Westlecot Open that starts the next day available.

Eight players have entered the play-off tournament that commences at 6pm on Friday, December 7 and sees the Smith sisters Katy and Lucy pitched against each other in the first round.

Three women from Westlecot have been selected for the Wiltshire Ladies side to face Dorset in a second-round tie in the Atherley Trophy at Bournemouth on Sunday, December 9.

The vastly experienced and former national championship winner Wendy Anderson, Jenny Vowles and newcomer Jane Taylor are the only players from the Swindon indoor club named in the 24-strong team for the Inter-County Championship match. North Wilts (Chippenham) supply the biggest representation with 15 players, while the other six are from Five Rivers Club in Salisbury.

Wiltshire Ladies will be seeking an improvement on last year when they lost 129-120 away to Gloucestershire in the last 16.