BOWLS: Westlecot trophy hopes in tatters (From This Is Wiltshire)

BOWLS: Westlecot trophy hopes in tatters

8:30am Wednesday 30th December 2009

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A DISASTROUS last six ends across the board saw Westlecot’s hopes of progress in the Egham Trophy shattered.

In their national inter-club mixed team championship fifth round tie, (last 16) they had led Croydon for three quarters of the match.

Westlecot were 24-21 up at five ends, 35-32 at ten and 55-50 at 15, but then the wheels came off dramatically in the final quarter of the game as they slumped to a crushing 62-88 loss.

Between the 16th and 21st ends (24 ends in total on the four rinks), Westlecot only scored seven more shots but conceded a massive 38 as Croydon turned the screw and roared away to victory.

The biggest turnaround certainly came at home at Westlecot.

Neil Smith’s rink were 21-12 up at 15 ends but did not score another shot and conceded 13 to lose 21-25.

While Ian Jefferies’ rink led 16-8 at 15 ends but were pegged back to 16-13 at 18. However, they managed to edged home 18-15 to claim the only win and maintain their two year unbeaten record.

Away in Croydon the quartet skipped by Gary Morphet struggled all day, while the other one led by Dave Snell were involved in a tight game throughout.

Morphet was 5-13 and 8-19 down at 10 and 15 ends respectively. His rink dropped another 11 shots in the last six ends and only scored three to lose by 19.

While Snell after being tied 8-8 at ten ends and only 11-10 down at 15, eventually lost by six shots.

It was an extremely disappointing finish to the match for the Westlecot team, who were hoping to at least match last year’s effort of reaching the quarter-finals.

Croydon will now meet Mote Park (Maidstone) in the last eight, who beat last season’s champions Egham 85-72 in the fifth round.

RESULTS Home Rink 1: Maureen Rogers, Josie Lloyd, Barry Sictorness and Neil Smith lost to S Vigor 21-25.

Rink 2: Ellen Bolland, Sylvia Wells, Kevin Embling and Ian Jefferies beat A Binns 18-15.

Away Rink 1: Wendy Anderson, Jean Bird, Hedley Bowen and Dave Snell lost to J Gale 12-18.

Rink 2: Rosemary Nichols, Janet Willis, John Thomas and Gary Morphet lost to A Hawes 11-30.

Overall score: Westlecot lost to Croydon 62-88.

n WESTLECOT and Wiltshire’s hopes of a national indoor team success this season now rest firmly on the shoulders of the ladies section, in the Yetton Trophy, inter-club championship.

Westlecot Ladies, following their excellent 85-73 win over bogey side MidGlos, will now play Welford-on-Avon (near Stratford) in the Zone Final (last 32) on Thursday, January 7 (12noon).

Surprisingly though previous winners North Wilts are already out of the competition.

The Chippenham-based club, who triumphed in the Yetton in 2007/08 and were beaten semi-finalists last season, lost 85-83 to Thornbury in the last round.

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