NORTH Wilts Ladies have missed out on the chance of adding to their three national indoor championship titles that they won in the fours, pairs and Yetton Trophy during a purple patch between 2008 and 2010.

The trio of Jean Collier (lead), Sue Cooke (two) and Alex Jacobs (skip) were beaten 21-15 by Acle (Norfolk) in the semi-finals of the ladies O50s two wood triples at Nottingham IBC on Tuesday morning.

They won the first end with a single but after six were trailing 7-2 to their opponents from East Anglia.

Jacobs’ team however fought back and finally restored parity at 11-11 on the 13th end when they picked-up a count of three.

The Acle triple of Jenny Kirby, Melanie Haylett and Barbara Meeks regrouped and won the next three ends to move 18-11 ahead.

But back came North Wilts again with a four to cut the gap to 18-15 on the 17th end and set-up a last-end decider.

However, chasing a three to draw and force an extra end or a four to win on the 18th and final end North Wilts dropped a three to finish on the wrong end of a 21-15 scoreline.

Later on Tuesday evening the Acle triple lost in the final to Barwell (Leics), previous winners of the competition three years ago.

On the Monday evening in Nottingham in their first game in the quarter-finals of the O50s two wood triples North Wilts trio Collier, Cooke and Jacobs had enjoyed a comfortable 21-11 victory over the triple of Jackie Wells, Margaret Moffatt and Kath Patrick (Victory, Portsmouth) .

North Wilts led 10-5 at five ends, 14-6 at nine and 19-11 after 11 and finally claimed a 21-11 success on the 17th end.

All is not lost though on the national title trail this season for Cooke and Jacobs, previous winners of the pairs in 2010, as they are through to the last 16 and final stages in the national pairs at Melton & District from April 4-5.

And together with Janet Hardie as lead they have also qualified for the last 16 and final stages in the national triples at Melton from April 8-9.