WILTSHIRE failed in their bid to stave off the threat of relegation in their final match of the 2006/07 season.

They were beaten 24-15 away by Devon at the Heavitree Social Club, Exeter, and find themselves being relegated for the second time in three years.

The Moonraker county now drop to Division Four of the BDO inter-county championships next year - the lowest league.

Wiltshire needed to win in Devon and hope for the rest of the results to go their way if they were to avoid the drop.

But they lost, so Leicestershire losing and Pembrokeshire crashing to a big defeat in Suffolk made little difference.

Wiltshire finished bottom of Division Three on 149 points, just two behind Leicestershire but eight adrift of Pembrokeshire.

It was a big ask to turn around a disappointing season and win their last match - but Wiltshire slipped out of the noose in the final match last year to avoid relegation and hoped for the same this time around.

The last match of the current campaign started well with the ladies B team opening up with a 4-2 victory with Sue Handscomb, Kelly Stacey, Freda Squires and Karen White (LoM) all winning.

But from that point it was all downhill as the B men lost 8-4.

Their match was tight early on as Steve Goddard, Scott Lovell and Paul Boulton all won and Wiltshire only trailed 4-3. However, in the last five matches only Martin Richell (MoM) with a 3-0 success recorded a victory.

This meant Wiltshire were staring relegation in the face as they were 10-8 down overall going into the crucial final day.

Wiltshire's fortunes did not improve on day two as they lost the opening four matches in the ladies A match. Carol Bowers and Tina Rowlands then stepped up on the oche to prevent a whitewash.

But overall Wiltshire were now 14-10 adrift and the writing was on the wall.

The men's A team never led their match but wins from Bob Bowers, the returning Dennis Smith and youngster Tony Clark saw them only 4-3 down after seven matches but 18-13 adrift overall.

Skipper Paul Cook and Michael Cummins, regarded as better players in the county, lost their games.

Relegation was confirmed as Mark Thomson lost the eighth match but Juan Hopkins and Nick Price did gain consolation wins in the final four games.

County secretary Martin Richell, a winner in Devon, said: "It wasn't this game that did it for us it was the previous match and defeat at home.

"And of course the men's B team suffered two 11-1 defeats early in the season and we have been trying to recover from them ever since.

"It is disappointing to be relegated again, but it is not for the want of trying from those who played.

"Unfortunately there are a few people who could have played for us but chose not to.

"A lot of local guys are trying to play the PDC circuit but there are not two groups or factions as they socialise together. It is just guys trying to be successful in the PDC system," he added.

Richell is hoping the BDO will give Wiltshire five home games next season in Division four, which should ease the travelling costs.

RESULTS (Wilts names first) B MATCH Ladies: Karen Hutton (14.35) lost to Christine Harding (15.53) 1-3; Sue Handscomb (18.11) beat Carol Holdsworth (15.61) 3-0; Kelly Stacy (19.27) beat Isabel Ward (15.00) 3-0; Freda Squires (14.18) beat Catherine Oram (13.00) 3-0; Erica Hartnett (16.31) lost to Trish Penberthy (16.96) 1-3; Karen White (20.37, LoM) beat Lynne Paine (15.73) 3-1.

Score: Devon 2 Wilts 4 Men: Steve Goddard (19.59) beat James Gregory (16.86) 3-2; John Warner (21.23) lost to Nigel Callard (21.28) 1-3; Adi Acott (21.31) lost to Flynn Jones (23.24) 2-3; Richie Jones (26.43) lost to Barry Brewer (24.30) 2-3; Scott Lovell (20.33) beat Lee Watts (20.74) 3-2; Paul Bolton (22.43) beat Andrew Taylor (21.53) 3-0; Dave Taylor (22.42) lost to Neil Anstead (26.63) 2-3; Tony Clark (26.17) lost to Ian Knight (26.12) 2-3; Martin Richell (26.37, MoM) beat Stan Preen (20.26) 3-0; Ron Ashton (20.24) lost to Graham Roberts (19.78) 0-3; Darren Lodge (22.97) lost to Paul Woolfenden (24.64) 0-3; Richard Johns (19.31) lost to Richard Dennis (19.94) 1-3.

Score: Devon 8 Wilts 4 B Match Result: Devon 10 Wiltshire 8 A MATCH Ladies: Jill Little (14.92) lost to Christine Kinnaird (15.54) 2-3; Carol Rich (14.49) lost to Joyce Wilson (17.48) 0-3; Ann Paget (18.40) lost to Michelle Andrews (19.47) 2-3; Ally Thomson (18.40) lost to Merryl Jarman (20.31) 0-3; Carol Bowers (17.89) beat Sandra Chamberlain (17.36) 3-0; Tina Rowlands (19.27, LoM) beat Moira Mortimer (15.22) 3-0.

Score: Devon 4 Wilts 2 Men: Mark Sculley (22.00) lost to Trevor Perry (27.01) 1-3; Bob Bowers (27.28) beat Colin Greenslade (24.76) 3-1; Steve Willard (25.07) lost to Brian Pincombe (25.44) 1-3; Paul Cook (27.69) lost to Christopher Hunt (26.42) 2-3; Dennis Smith (27.56) beat Martin Davey (25.52) 3-1; Mick Cummins (22.27) lost to Martyn Bevan (22.43) 0-3; Tony Clark (18.11) beat Andy Jackson (17.58) 3-0; Mark Thomson (22.41) lost to Matthew Dickenson (28.21) 1-3; Juan Hopkins (27.83, MoM) beat Steve Lewis (23.65) 3-0; Barry Cadd (20.49) lost to Robin Irwin (21.34) 1-3; Andy Southam (24.25) lost to Mike Beale (23.86) 1-3; Nick Price (23.91) lost to Brian Hodge (22.93) 2-3.

Score: Devon 7 Wilts 5 A Match Result: Devon 11 Wilts 7 Overall Result: Devon 21 Wiltshire 15 (three bonus points are awarded for win and one for draw - therefore final score is 15-24).

FINAL RESULTS (including bonus pts) Bedford 19 Worcester 19; Devon 24 Wiltshire 15; Humberside 22 Nottingham 17; Leicester 16 West Midlands 23; Suffolk 26 Pembroke 13.

FINAL TABLE 1 Notts 193pts, 2 West Midlands 191 (both promoted), 3 Worcs 186, 4 Humberside 186, 5 Suffolk 180, 6 Beds 178, 7 Devon 178, 8 Pembroke 157, 9 Leics 151, 10 Wilts 149 (bottom two relegated).

Division 4 teams next season: Leicestershire, Wiltshire, Clwyd, Gwynedd, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Avon, Breconshire, Tyne & Wear and Isle of Wight.