WESTLECOT’S poor run in national team competitions this season continued last weekend as they were eliminated in the Yetton Trophy, David Cornwell U25 Double Rinks and Egham Trophy.

But there was a ray of light at the end of the tunnel for the Old Town club on Sunday morning as the men’s side recorded a 92-70 win over Banbury in the Wessex League and took 12 of the 16 points on offer.

After a win over Swindon Manor in round one of the Yetton Trophy, Westlecot ladies were paired with Cotswold in the second round but failed to extend their stay in the competition, going down 88-71 and only winning on one of the four rinks and drawing on another.

The first half of the game with Cotswold was extremely tight as across the board and at five ends, Westlecot were tied 19-19 and were only two shots down (35-33) after 10.

They still kept it close at only 57-51 down at 15 and 69-66 at 18, but fell away in the last three ends to finally lose 88-71.

Janet Willis’ away rink won 26-17 while Rosemary Nichol’s home quartet drew 14-14 but Linda Perfitt’s rink away slumped to a 32-14 loss while Wendy Anderson’s four went down 25-17 at home.

Beaten semi-finalists last season by Kent side Swale on a last-end decider, Westlecot’s U25s team fell at the second hurdle this time around in the David Cornwell U25 Double Rinks competition, losing 46-38 to MidGlos, using the same team they had beaten them with last season.

Westlecot never recovered from a poor start at home where the rink of Craig Hatherall, Craig Morphet, Gary Jackson and Mike Titcombe (skip) were 14-0 down after six ends. They were 18-6 adrift at halfway, trailed 24-7 at 15, and finally lost 30-11.

In sharp contrast, away in Brockworth (Gloucester), the foursome of Lucy Smith, Jake Webster, Katy Smith and skip Kyle Anderson battled hard to try and rectify the damage.

They were 6-5 down at five ends but 10-9 up at ten, 16-14 ahead at 15, and then pulled clear to win 27-16 at 21 but unfortunately, it was in vain.

To complete another miserable treble of national competition losses, for the second week in a row, Westlecot’s mixed team crashed out of the Egham Trophy, losing 92-49 to Herefordshire side Leominster & District on Sunday morning.

However, there was some joy for Westlecot on Sunday morning as the men’s team moved up to third spot in the east section of the Wessex League after a 22-shot victory over Banbury Cross.

They led throughout overall but only won on two of the four rink, taking the spoils convincingly at home but suffering two defeats in Banbury.

Across the board, a rapid start by Mel Biggs’ rink ensured Westlecot led 26-10 at five ends and 42-29 at 10.

The Old Town Club had been pulled back to 61-52 at 15 but upped the power again to go 81-57 up at 18 ends before finally winning 92-70.

Biggs’ rink won by 28 shots while Steve Remington’s won by eight, which amply covered for the two away losses by four and ten shots.

Westlecot play their third east region Wessex game against Loddon Vale (Basingstoke) tomorrow.

RESULTS

Home - Rink 3: Kevin Embling, Denis Holborow, Mike Titcombe & Steve Remington beat N Gallety 24-16. Rink 4: Gary Jackson, Chris Cheesley, Dave Snell & Mel Biggs beat A Docherty 37-9.

Away - Rink 3: John Thomas, Paul Kistle, Terry Walton & Ian Jefferies lost to Tom McKenna 18-22. Rink 4: Dave Matthews, Tom Pittuck, Kyle Anderson & Dave Godwin lost to Paul McLeod 13-23.

Score: Westlecot beat Banbury Cross 92 (12pts) - 70 (4pts).