FATHER and daughter Neil and Katy Smith missed out on adding to their mixed fours Area 10 final success in the national mixed pairs area final.

The Smiths, plus Neil's other daughter Lucy and Ian Jefferies had won the mixed fours but in the pairs, against Pam Harris and Ryan Atkins (Malvern Hills) last Sunday, Neil suffered a knee injury after five ends and had to pull out.

Jefferies, who was playing a club competitions game at the time on another rink, was drafted in as a substitute with Katy taking over as skip, but the duo lost out 20-19 on the 22nd and extra end, having been nine shots down at one stage.

“I am gutted but so proud of Katy for the way she played (at skip) and grateful to Ian (Jefferies) for stepping into my place,” said Neil.

“The knee is not good and I will have to review the situation after next Monday when I have treatment again Luckily I have been able to re-arrange some of my Area 10 national championship games and have lined up some substitutes in case I am ruled out.”

Despite her disappointment in the mixed pairs Katy is through to the ladies Area 10 final in the singles and will play Gill Fry (MidGlos) at home at Westlecot today (Saturday).

Together with her elder sister Lucy, the Smiths beat Dianne Hurlford and Avril Hole (Cotswold, Stroud) 21-6 and now play Sarah Hambidge and Pauline Gunn (MidGlos) in the Area 10 ladies pairs final next Tuesday at Westlecot.

The Old Town indoor club’s trio of Josie Lloyd, Wendy Anderson and Janet Willis won the area triples final on Tuesday, beating Harris, Amy Richards and Jean Hunt (Malvern Hills) 16-10.

The Lloyd, Anderson and Willis combination have also reached the inter-area final in the ladies Over 50s two wood triples where they will face the Area 9 victors Bromsgrove’s Gill Cliff, Angela Farrar and Chris Giggs, on Monday, January 25 (10am) at MidGlos (Brockworth).

Anderson and Willis were also victorious in the Area 10 ladies over 60's pairs final with a 19-18 extra end win over Sue Hambidge and Pauline Gunn (MidGlos). They will now play Area 9 winners Gill Cliff and Chris Grigg (Bromsgrove) in the inter-area final at Cotswold (Stroud) on Wednesday, February 3 (noon), seeking a last 16 spot in the national finals at Nottingham from March 30-31.

In the men’s section of the national championships in Area 10, the Westlecot trio of Terry Walton, Dave Snell and Mel Biggs secured a last-end 16-15 victory over Malvern Hills in the area final in the Over 50s triples.

They move forward to the inter-area final and will meet Area 15 winners Dave Simpson, Brett Long and Gordon Knapper (Desborough, Maidenhead) at Oxford City & County Indoor Bowls Club on Saturday January 30, with the winner going through to the last 16 at the national championships in Nottingham from 28-29 March.

THERE were mixed fortunes for Swindon’s two indoor clubs - Swindon Manor and Westlecot - in the Yetton Trophy and Wessex League last weekend.

The ladies from Rodbourne Cheney-based Manor were beaten 84-77 by Warwickshire side Avon Valley in their third round Yetton Plate tie last Saturday morning.

Westlecot men’s hopes of winning the east section of the Wessex League received a big boost as nearest rivals Carterton were surprisingly beaten 87-64 by Basingstoke side Loddon Vale.

Carterton have now played one more match than Westlecot but trail them by five points.

Westlecot have three east group games remaining, starting against Oxford City & County on January 31.

Swindon Manor men currently lie in eighth spot in the 10-team table and play Chipping Norton tomorrow (Sunday) and Oxford & District on Sunday, January 31.