WESTLECOT men made a confident start to the 2016/17 campaign in the Wessex League regional competition.

Last season’s east region champions easily brushed aside Chipping Norton by 29 shots, 68-39, last Sunday.

New rules this season have seen the number of ends and time allowance per game reduced from 21 and four hours to 18 ends and three and a half hours respectively.

However, despite also having many of last season’s team missing, it did not affect the Old Town club as they took the honours on three of the rinks and drew on the other to collect 15 points out of a possible 16 - a highly satisfactory start to a new season.

Westlecot made a flying start with the two home rinks leading 10-0 and 10-1 after five ends for an overall aggregate advantage of 26-7 after five and 40-19 at 10 ends.

They continued to rule the roost at home, eventually winning 41-16 on aggregate at 18 ends.

Away though things were far much tighter, with Chris Cheesley’s rink winning 13-9 while Kyle Anderson’s quartet dropped a three and a single on ends 16 and 17 but snatched a draw on the last end with a single to make the final overall scoreline 68-39.

Swindon Manor men will compete alongside Westlecot, as last season, in a ten-team East Region and face Banbury Cross, Carterton, Chipping Norton, Loddon Vale (Basingstoke), Oxford City & County, Oxford & District, Rivermead (Reading) and West Berks (Newbury).

The local derby is scheduled for Sunday, December 18.

The top two clubs in the final east region league table will automatically progress to the end of season play-offs.

Manor were due to play their first game tomorrow against Oxford City & County but the match has been re-arranged for November 6 as all the streets in Oxford city centre will be closed for the Oxford Half Marathon.

The Rodbourne based club will now enter the fray next Sunday (October 16) when they meet Banbury Cross.

RESULT

Westlecot v Chipping Norton

Home - Rink 1: Kevin Embling John Wilson, Keith Williamson & Craig Hatherall beat Paul Robbins 23-9. Rink 2: Paul Pope, Clive Vaughan, John Anderson (c) & Terry Walton beat Richard Barnett 18-7.

Away - Rink 1: Denis Holborow, Shaun Hicks, Paul Kistle & Kyle Anderson drew with Jim Stevens 14-14. Rink 2: Geoff Smith, Huw Dawson, Ian Farragher & Chris Cheesley beat Keith Field 13-9.

Score: Westlecot beat Chipping Norton 68-39 and by 15pts to 1pt.

OTHER RESULTS: Carterton 76 (12) West Berks 52 (4); Loddon Vale 77 (16) Oxford City & County 46 (0).

FIXTURES

Sun, October 9: Carterton v Rivermead; Chipping Norton v West Berks.

Sun, Oct 16: Banbury v Swindon Manor.

Sun, Nov 6: Banbury v Westlecot; Oxford C&C v Swindon Manor.