EXPERIENCE overcame youth in the final to lift the trophy and top prize of £200 at the annual Swindon Bowls Club Floodlight Tournament, sponsored by AC Watson & Son Building Contractors, played all last week on their Shrivenham Road green.

The Westlecot B side of John Thomas, Miles Roberts, Kevin Carter and skip Brian Whittingham beat a young Westlecot side entered as ‘Big Sticker Little Sticker’ 22-12 in the 13-end final.

The vastly-experienced Westlecot winners came from 5-0 down in the early stages and 9-6 down after six ends to move ahead for the first time on end eight to lead 14-9 and pull away after winning all but one of the last seven ends.

But the youthful BSLS side had the consolation of picking up the runners-up prize of £100 for their efforts.

Westlecot B had only qualified for the semi-finals with a victory over Swindon side Wickers in the crucial fourth match in the round-robin games.

Wickers eventually finished in sixth place as shots difference came into play as five teams, Highworth, BSLS, West End, Westlecot B and Be-Up (Swindon), all finished on nine points – three wins and one defeat.

Be-Up missed out as the semis as they finished on minus-one shot, while all of the others ended on a plus difference headed by Highworth (+ 50) ahead of BSLS (+33), West End (+22) and Westlecot B (+21).

In the first semi-final, Westlecot B beat Highworth 13-8.

They led 5-3 at five ends but fell behind on the next end, 6-5. They bounced straight back and moved 11-7 up after nine ends before finally winning 13-8.

The second semi between BSLS and West End was a one-sided affair.

BSLS opened with a count of four and led throughout. They were 5-3 up at five ends, 11-3 up at eight ends before rounding off with an 18-5 victory.

A total of 12 teams contested the tournament this year, drawing their own starting positions and playing four matches over 18 ends or two hours from Monday to Thursday.

Three points were awarded for a win and one for a draw, with shot difference, if necessary, deciding the final league table positions, with the top four teams advancing to semis.

Sponsor Andy Watson was absent through family commitments, so Swindon club president Bob Hiles presented the cheques on his behalf, while event organiser Jim O’Leary presented the perpetual trophy to winning Westlecot B captain Kevin Carter.

O’Leary, who is standing down next year after 10 years of organising the tournament, said: “It was another very successful and well-supported tournament, although we had a scare with a late pull-outs but we still managed to track 12 teams this year and enjoyed reasonable weather also.

“This floodlight tournament has become an established date in the local bowls calendar in late September and we will certainly hope to be back again next year with different organisers, so please back them.”