BOWLS: Westlecot still struggling (From Swindon Advertiser)

BOWLS: Westlecot still struggling

7:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Sport

WESTLECOT men have found life extremely tough in the much stronger East Region of the Wessex League this season.

In recent years they have won the competition and been near certainties to finish in the top two and book a place in the last 16 and end of season play-offs.

But as they have already lost two of their five group matches to date this campaign, hopes of maintaining that record are in doubt.

They will need to overcome West Berks on Sunday in their outstanding league fixture that was postponed last November to kick-start their season, especially after a surprise narrow three shots loss last week to Banbury.

It would appear that anything other than a win over West Berks (Newbury) tomorrow would leave them needing to win their last two games against Carterton and Oxford & District and hope to obtain a wildcard into the play-offs.

• IAN Jefferies and Kevin Embling have reached the Area 10 final in the men’s national pairs championship.

They booked their place in the pairs area final with a comfortable 22-15 semi-final victory over the Cotswold (Stroud) duo of Neil Chandler and Dave Howes.

Apart from the first end where they dropped a single the Westlecot pairing led from start to finish.

Thanks to big counts of five and four they led 13-3 after only seven ends and had extended that to 19-10 at 15.

Their opponents, last season’s area pairs winners, rallied slightly but Embling and Jefferies held firm for a 22-15 success.

They will now face the father and son partnership of Mark and Ryan Atkins (Malvern Hills) in the area pairs final on a neutral green towards the end of the month with the prize for the winners being a last 32 place in the national finals at Nottingham in early April.

Kyle Anderson is also hoping to reach Nottingham as well.

The Westlecot teenager has to play Mark Atkins in the area singles final later in the month.

Looking to book their places in the latter stages of a national championship event this weekend are the combination of Joe Mazzotta and John Thomas.

The Westlecot duo face ex-England international Clive Hall and Adrian Burbridge today in the Area 10 Over 60s Pairs final at Cotswold (Stroud) with a place at Melton Mowbray on February 28 awaiting the victors.

• DEXION will be sponsoring the Westlecot Open Bowls Tournament for the second year in a row.

The competition, carrying a £1,000 top prize, was introduced for the first time last March and proved to be a great success.

Once again Neil Smith will be the front man for the Dexion Open Tournament and with his numerous contacts on the professional bowls circuit, is confident that they will again attract a high class field for the two-day event over the weekend of March 24 and 25.