HOLDERS Wootton Bassett failed in their bid to defend their men’s overall Wiltshire Four Rink League title last Sunday.

After finishing as runners-up in Area B they were beaten in the play-off semi-finals at Chippenham Town going down to Holt, runaway winners in Area C.

The match was very tight for three-quarters but then Bassett fell away, conceding 29 shots and only scoring seven to finally go down 88-64.

The Bassett side showing five changes from the winning quarter-final team the previous weekend owing to unavailability and holidays only took the honours on one of the four rinks, with Tom Walkley’s quartet just managing to hold on for a 18-16 win.

Bassett miss out on a title showdown with local rivals Westlecot as Holt booked their place against them in the final this Sunday at Devizes.

THE MEN’S quarter and semi-finals in three county competitions were staged last Saturday at Chippenham Town.

Matches were played down to the last two in the unbadged singles, over 60s triples as well as champion of champions, with the finalists in each progressing to finals day at Devizes this weekend.

In the champion of champions semi-finals, Nick Grenfell (Box) thrashed Alan Gough (Stratton Churchway) 21-4, while Wayne Simmonds (Holt) eased past Amesbury’s Nick Revell 21-18.

In the over 60s triples, Chippenham Town trio Rob Clews, Will Jones and Chris Brown beat Purton’s Peter Mitchell, Clive Rushden and John Williams 19-10 in their semi and will meet Holt’s Howard Davis, Dave Betteridge and Don Gray, who beat holders Eric Collier, Dave Mitchell and Colin Baker, of Purton, 16-14.

The unbadged singles semi-finals saw Bassett’s Lawrence Smith beat Highworth’s Brian Stokes 21-11 and Shaun Hicks (Highworth) triumph 21-9 over Ian Higgins (Box).