WESTLECOT'S foursome of Lucy and Katy Smith plus Ian Jefferies and Neil Smith have qualified for the inter-area final of the national mixed fours competition.

They secured their place in the next stage of competition with a hard fought last-end 22-21 victory over Malvern Hills, who are skipped by England junior international Ryan Atkins, in the Area 10 final on Monday at their Old Town home.

After a close start, the Smiths and Jefferies led 5-4 after five ends but then they dropped a six on the next as Atkins fired wide and then lost a four on the seventh and by the 13th end, were trailing 18-8.

The Westlecot quartet hit back superbly to win five ends in a row to go 19-18 up, but then dropped a three on the 19th to trail 21-19.

However, a two on the next levelled matters and set up a last-end decider, which saw Neil Smith draw shot with his last wood and Atkins miss to give Westlecot a dramatic 22-21 victory.

The Westlecot quartet have now moved forward into the inter-area final, where a meeting with either Andrew Knapper (Whiteknights, Reading) or Malcolm Drage (Bletchley), who have yet to play the Area 15 final, awaits them.

Neil Smith and his youngest daughter Katy clash with Pam Harris and Ryan Atkins again at Westlecot in two weeks' time on Sunday, January 17, in the Area 10 final of the national mixed pairs.

In other national championship and competition events, Dave Godwin, Dave Snell and Mel Biggs booked an Area 10 triples semi-final against Westlecot colleagues Kevin Embling, Ian Jefferies and Neil Smith with a 24-11 win over Ken Sawyer (Fairford).

Terry Walton, Snell and Biggs are due to play the O50s Area 10 triples final at home at Westlecot against Malvern Hills’ trio of Brian Macnamara, Jim Knowles and Neil Smith on Wednesday, January 13.