THE Smith family endured mixed fortunes in the first block of the annual Westlecot Indoor Club Championship finals staged at the Old Town club last weekend.

Neil Smith and his youngest daughter Katy, 18, retained their respective men’s and ladies’ singles titles but eldest daughter, Lucy, 19, failed to retain her Under 25 singles crown.

Neil was only drawing 3-3 with Dave Godwin after five ends in the men’s singles final but moved 11-5 ahead after nine and was 15-10 up at 17 and 19-12 ahead at 20 ends.

Godwin won the next two ends but a two on the 23rd sealed a 21-15 victory for Smith and the men’s crown once more.

In the ladies’ singles final Katy Smith made a rapid start and led Val Coles 8-0 after five ends, 12-5 at 11 and 18-6 after 18 ends.

Coles cut the gap slightly but a two on the 20th end sealed a 21-11 success for Smith.

Those victories ensured Neil and Katy again receive the right to represent Westlecot in the respective Area 10 national champion of champions competitions next season.

However, Lucy Smith failed to defend her Under 25 singles crown, losing to Mike Titcombe Junior on the deciding end of a tie breaker after they drew 1-1 in sets.

Titcombe stormed to a 14-0 win in set one after only six ends but Smith hit back in the second, sealing an 8-7 success on the ninth end.

All 11 Westlecot finals were due to be completed last weekend but the plan had to be shelved as essential maintenance work on the refurbished bowls hall and revamped clubhouse had to be carried out.

Two more club competition finals, the Over 60s pairs and mixed triples, did go ahead.

Val Coles and Linda Perfitt won the senior ladies pairs, beating Judy Hallard and Margaret Douthwaite 24-15.

They were 7-0 down after four ends but stormed back to lead 15-7 after nine and had moved 21-12 clear at 15 and finally won 24-15.

The mixed triples final saw the experienced trio of Denis Holborow, Dave Matthews and Rosemary Nichols race into a 13-1 lead over Gary Plant, Val and Jim Green after only seven ends.

Green’s team roared back to cut the gap to 13-12 after 12 ends but Nichols’ trio finally pulled away to win 22-13 after 18 ends.

The outstanding six finals will have to be re-arranged over the next fortnight before the indoor season closes.