WESTLECOT ladies produced a superb battling performance to record an excellent 88-66 victory over West Berks (Newbury) in the third round of the Yetton Plate.

The Swindon side had surrendered home advantage on Saturday morning so as not to clash with the Westlecot Open Singles tournament and instead played the home legs in Rodbourne at Swindon Manor.

The Old Town club made a flying start, particularly at the Manor, and raced into a 25-11 lead across the board after five ends but were pulled back to only 38-35 at 10 ends.

In the second-half of the match Westlecot ladies upped the power to forge 66-47 ahead after15 ends, lead 77-56 at 18 and increase the gap to 22 shots as they ran-out 88-66 winners at 21 ends.

Rink honours were tied 2-2, each recording a home and away success.

The Old Town club were indebted to the foursome of Judy Hallard, Ann Haunton, Carole Coombs and Wendy Anderson who won by a match-winning 20 shots with former national indoor and outdoor champion Anderson in sparkling form.

Westlecot ladies now take a break for the festive period and look forward to a Yetton Plate fourth round tie against old adversaries Cotswold (Stroud) on January 6. Two rinks home and two away in Stroud.

RESULTS

Westlecot Ladies v West Berks (Yetton Plate). Home rinks were played at Swindon Manor.

Home - Rink 3: Val Coles, Jill Webb, Barbara Twine & Patricia Murray lost to M Smith 19-21. Rink 4: Judy Hallard, Ann Haunton, Carole Coombs & Wendy Anderson beat S Clark 31-11.

Away - Rink 2: Sue Reeve, Bronwen Rees, Sheila Kenny & Janet Willis lost to Pauline Withers 19-22. Rink 3: Jayne Croston, Isobel Jenner, Pat Bevan & Jenny Vowles beat S Whiting 19-12.

Score: Westlecot beat West Berks 88-66.

EARLIER this week Westlecot senior men continued their excellent run in the men’s national Over 60 double rinks.

They took the honours on both rinks as they recorded a comprehensive 42-19 third round victory over Handy Cross (High Wycombe, Bucks) even though Mel Biggs rink at Westlecot were 7-1 down after five ends.

Westlecot trailed overall 11-8 after five ends but had turned their fortunes around to lead 19-15 after 10.

They continued to forge ahead going 37-17 up at 15 ends and were 42-19 ahead when a halt was called at 17 ends.

Mel Biggs rink ran out 24-10 victors despite their early 7-1 deficit.

The foursome of Denis Holborow, John Thomas, Mike Shawyer and Terry Walton were always in control of their match and won 18-9.

Westlecot senior men take a break for the festive period before facing Herts IBC (Watford) in round four on January 9.

RESULT

Westlecot v Handy Cross (Men’s O60 double rinks) Home - Rink 4: Kevin Embling, Geoff Smith, Dave Snell & Mel Biggs beat T Hide 24-10. Away - Rink 1: Denis Holborow, John Thomas, Mike Shawyer & Terry Walton beat R Turpie 18-9.

Score: Westlecot beat Handy Cross 42-19.

THE MEN at Westlecot will be looking to bounce back in the Wessex League on Sunday when they face Oxford City and County.

They won their two opening games 82-67 and 74-70 against West Berks and Oxford & District respectively but were pipped at the post a fortnight ago in the third losing 83-88 to Hampshire side Loddon Vale (Basingstoke) despite leading 78-72 at 18 ends.

They only took three points from the game for one rink win and a draw to slip down the east region table to fifth spot on 29 points but they do have games in hand on all of the clubs above them.

TEAM

Westlecot v Oxford City & County Home - Rink 1: Phil Gregory, Dave Snell, Mel Biggs & Neil Smith. Rink 2: George Twine, Shaun Hicks, Chris Cheesley & Kyle Anderson.

Away - Rink 1: Geoff Smith, Ian Farrager , Paul Kistle & John Thomas. Rink 2: Hugh Dawson, Dave Matthews, Terry Walton & Mike Titcombe.

THIS WEEKEND sees the men’s and ladies Wiltshire teams playing in inter-county championship games.

Westlecot supply the bulk of the men’s side with 14 of the 24 selected players coming from the Old Town club for Wiltshire’s away game against Worcestershire at Malvern Hills today (Saturday).

However, it is a different story in the ladies team with North Wilts supplying 15 of the side and only Janet Willis and Linda Perfitt representing Westlecot. Willis will skip a rink while Perfitt plays at two in her rink to skip Jean Collier tomorrow (Sunday at 12.15pm) against Devon at North Wilts IBC (Chippenham).

MEN’S COUNTY TEAM

Rink 1: Kevin Embling, Craig and Graham Hatherall & Ian Jefferies (all Westlecot). Rink 2: Tom Newman (Christie Miller, Melksham), Terry Walton, Dave Godwin & Kyle Anderson (all West). Rink 3: James Richman, Mike Richards, Mel Biggs & Mike Titcombe (all West). Rink 4: Ashley Plumb, Jamie Reynolds, Fraser Boynton & Tom Warner (all Five Rivers, Salisbury). Rink 5: Steve Snook, Darren Anteney (both North Wilts, Chippenham), Nick Revell (FR) & Andy Moore (CM). Rink 6: Jordan Moody (FR), Tom Pittuck, Phil Gregory & Neil Smith (all West).

Reserves: George Twine and Paul Pope (both West).

THE Smith sisters Lucy, 22, and Katy 20, competed last week in Newport for England in the World Indoor Bowls Council Junior Championships.

The sisters both qualified for the World U25 event after finishing as finalists last season in the EIBA U25 championship at City of Ely with Katy defeating elder sister Lucy in the final.

In Newport the girls were kept apart and drawn in sections A and B of a round robin tournament in a ten player field. Lucy in A and Katy in B.

Both girls reached the semi-final stages with three wins out of four and six points each. Both losing out on shots difference to the group winners - Section A Chloe Watson (Ireland) and Section B Amy Williams (Wales).

In the semi-finals Lucy lost one set and drew the other with Williams while Katy lost both sets 2-0. In the final Williams beat Watson 2-0 to take the world junior singles title.