NEIL Smith and his teenage daughters Lucy and Katy have been representing Westlecot at Melton & District (Leics) this week at the National Indoor Championships in the men’s triples and ladies pairs competitions respectively.

The Smith girls playing in their first final stages in the national championships together settled down well in their first match (last 16) in the pairs championship against Pat Watson and Daphne Wood (Chigwell).

They led 4-2 after five ends and 6-5 at 10. The teenagers then pulled away to victory going 15-7 up at 15 and 18-9 at 18 before finally winning 21-13 and claiming a quarter-final spot.

A poor start and four ends mid-way through the match against under 25 internationals Rebecca Field, also last year’s world ladies indoor singles champion, and Louise Catchpole proved costly.

They trailed 7-0 after only three ends but recovered to only 7-4 at six and were 11-7 down at 10.

But then dropped 12 shots over the next four ends and trailed 23-10 at 15 before finally losing their quarter-final tie 26-14 to the Norfolk (Norwich) duo.

Their father Neil playing alongside Kevin Embling and Ian Jefferies were handed a tough draw in the national triples and went out in the last 16 to eventual winners Matt Whyers, Ashley Caress and England international Graham Smith (Spalding).

They were behind throughout and trying to play catch-up. The Westlecot trio trailed 7-2 at five ends, 14-4 at 10 and 18-6 at 15 before losing 20-6 after only 16 ends.

Lucy Smith, 18, has also qualified for the ladies national singles championships at Melton & District and was due to open her bid for glory late yesterday afternoon.

She was drawn in the last 16 against Rhoda Young (Bounds Green, Middx) and if successful would today face either Penny Cresswell (Dolphin, Poole) or Carole Baker (holder, Diss, Norfolk) both England internationals in the quarter-finals.