WILTSHIRE junior men’s side produced a superb late surge to grab victory over Warwickshire in their first round West Regional White Rose Trophy match at Royal Wootton Bassett last Sunday afternoon.

They were 27-20 down at 15 ends in this national U25s inter-county double rinks competition game but then hit back to record an eight-shot win as they grabbed 19 shots and only conceded four over the last six ends to snatch victory out of the fire as they ran-out 39-31 victors.

The match was tight early on with the scores tied across the board 8-8 at five ends, while Wiltshire were 17-13 down at ten ends but the scores were tied again at 13 ends 20-20.

Visitors Warwickshire then picked up seven shots without reply on ends 14 and 15 to move ahead 27-20 and still led 29-24 after 17.

However, in the last four ends across the board Wiltshire stepped up a gear to snatch victory scoring 15 shots and only conceding two to record an unlikely win and book their place in the regional finals at Bristol BC (Somerset) on Sunday, June 19 (10am).

In those final four ends Nick Revell’s rink that had struggled for most of the game recovered from 18-8 down to score five shots and only drop one shot more to cut their losing margin to 19-13.

The biggest telling contribution came on the rink next door from Kyle Anderson’s foursome who had picked-up 10 shots on the last four ends and only dropped one to add to the four shots they scored on ends 16 and 17 to go from 12-11 up at 15 ends and win easily 26-12 at 21 ends.

RESULTS

Wiltshire U25 v Warwickshire (White Rose Trophy) Rink 4: Adam Bolwell (Winsley), Mike Titcombe, Craig Hatherall (both Westlecot) & Kyle Anderson (Royal Wootton Bassett) beat Luke Beech 26-12. Rink 5: Tom Warner (Amesbury), Craig Morphet, Gary Jackson (both Westlecot) & Nick Revell (Amesbury) lost to Liam Pearcey 13-19.

Score: Wiltshire beat Warwickshire 39-31.

COUNTY men’s championships in the national fours and triples events move into top gear in the next few days.

The men’s fours are down to the last eight and the quarter-final ties will be staged next Tuesday, May 31 at Chippenham Town (6.15pm).

Mel Biggs, who has switched from Westlecot after 20 years plus with the Swindon Old Town club back to the Royal Wootton Bassett club has a very interesting quarter-final draw as he has to face the holders Stephen Snell’s quartet from his new club Bassett.

The men’s national triples have reached the last 16 stage of the competition. Four of these matches will be played on Friday, May 27 at Royal Wootton Bassett (6.15pm) with the other four being played at Chippenham Town.

FOURS DRAW

Quarter-finals, May 31 at Chippenham Town (skips only): M Biggs (Royal Wootton Bassett) v S Snell (RWB); S Oliver (Holt) v N Revell (Amesbury); C Baker (Purton) v J Goodall (Highworth); M Hall (Westlecot) v B Gadd (Holt).