NORTH Wilts Ladies are through to the semi-finals in the Yetton Plate, women’s national inter-club team championship.

They booked their place in the last four with a brilliant performance as they beat Arun (Bognor Regis, Sussex), by 19 shots running-out 88-69 victors.

North Wilts always had their noses in front in this semi-final played on the neutral green at East Dorset (Christchurch) last Saturday against a side who were runners-up in the main competition, Yetton Trophy, only two seasons ago.

The ladies from the Westcroft, Chippenham-based club led 23-13 across the board at five ends and were just ahead 40-36 at ten and still held a four shots advantage 57-53 at 15.

But then pulled away going 73-65 up at 18 ends and with one last big push increased the winning margin to 88-69 at 21.

North Wilts took the honours on three of the four rinks.

Fizz Mace’s four made a great start and led 12-0 at five ends, were always well in front and finally won by ten shots.

Sue Cooke’s quartet were only 9-8 up at ten ends but then gradually pulled away to an eight shots success.

Alex Jacobs’ rink was leading 12-6 at ten ends but was reeled back in and tied 13-13 at 15. She then went 16-15 down at 18 but five shots on the next two ends sealed a 20-17 win.

The only reverse suffered was by Janet Hardie’s foursome.

But they staged a great fightback from 14-4 down at ten ends and 18-7 at 15 to draw level at 20-20 but lost out on the last end as the opposing skip turned a one up into two down with a running last wood.

North Wilts will now play Clacton (Essex) in the semi-finals on March 1 at Watford (12.30pm), which is approximately half way between both clubs.

Clacton qualified for the semis with a last eight 87-67 victory over Camberley (Surrey) last weekend.

RESULTS

Rink 2: Norma Rowden, Jean Collier, Val Molton & Sue Cooke beat M Richards 20-12. Rink 3: Molly Manning, Viv Baskerville, Barbara Shepheard & Janet Hardie lost to Wendy Adams 20-22. Rink 4: Jan Tombs, Isabel Dawson, Kath Lloyd & Fizz Mace beat April Janman 28-18. Rink 5: Ann Roberts-Phare, Jane Taylor, Irene Button & Alex Jacobs beat Sue Miles 20-17.

Score: North Wilts beat Arun 88-69.

HOWEVER, North Wilts missed-out last weekend in two national championship events - ladies fours and men’s pairs.

The quartet of Val Molton, Janet Hardie, Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs (skip) were edged out on the last end in the inter-area final of the national fours championships losing 24-23 to Wendy Marchant, Meryl Cridland, Sue Evans and Kirsty Hembrow on their green at Taunton Deane on Sunday evening.

Jacobs’ quartet made a disastrous start to the game and were 8-0 down after only two ends and trailed 14-10 at ten.

They fell back again trailing 22-10 three ends later but then won five in a row to only trail 22-18 at 18.

North Wilts battled back again but missed-out on a measure on the last end which finished their hopes of a place in the national fours at Melton Mowbray in early April.

Meanwhile, the father and son partnership of Steve and Wayne Snook were beaten in the Area 30 final of the men’s paits championship.

They went down 21-16 to Clarrie Dunbar’s Craig Doughty and Graham Shadwell on Saturday evening at Street.

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