HOPES of a first national title success for the men’s section at the Westlecot Indoor Club in the national championships after a barren 34 year-old spell quickly disappeared at Melton & District IBC (Leics) last Saturday.

The foursome of Kevin Embling, Chris Cheesley, Ian Jefferies and Neil Smith failed to lay the 34 year-old winless men’s national championship title drought as they crashed out of the men’s fours championship.

They were beaten in the first round (last 16) losing 23-6 to north-easterners South Shields (County Durham) skipped by current England international David Bolt.

Westlecot dropped a five on the fourth end to go from 3-2 up to 7-3 down and their woes continued two ends later as they conceded a count of four to trail 12-3.

And the match was effectively all over after 11 ends as Westlecot dropped a six to trail 21-4. They finally lost 23-6 conceding after 15 ends.

Westlecot's last hopes this season of adding to the ladies national title successes achieved by Katy Smith, the ladies U25 singles champion and British Isles Indoor Bowls Council ladies U25 singles champion, rest in the capable hands of former national winner Wendy Anderson and her partner Janet Willis in the senior pairs competition.

The duo have qualified for the Over 60 ladies pairs being staged at Nottingham on April 12-13.

They will face Pam Reynolds & Joyce George (Wellingborough, Northants) in a first round (last 16) meeting at 9.30am on Wednesday April 12.

THIS WEEKEND sees Westlecot stage their annual indoor club championships on Saturday and Sunday at the Old Town Club, beginning at 10am on both days.

The winner of Sunday’s men’s singles final between Neil Smith and Graham Hatherall and ladies singles final between Lucy Smith and her younger sister Katy will also earn the right to represent Westlecot in next season’s (2017/18) respective men’s and ladies champion of champions competition in Area 14.