WILTSHIRE Ladies hopes of a sustained run in this season’s Atherley Trophy, women’s inter-county indoor championship, are over as they made a swift exit from the competition falling at the first hurdle last Sunday despite home advantage.

The team which was dominated by players from host club North Wilts (Chippenham) - 17 out of the 24 selected - were beaten by six shots going down 121-115 to Somerset at home at Westcroft.

The game was tight with no more than six shots across the board separating the two counties throughout the entire match.

Wiltshire trailed 27-24 at five ends, 51-49 at ten and 84-79 at 15. But they had gone ahead by four shots 102-98 after 18 ends.

But in the final three ends across the board visitors Somerset seized the initiative again scoring 23 shots to Wiltshire’s 13 to win overall 121-115.

Wiltshire had two rink successes with skips Irene Button and Sue Cooke leading their foursomes to nine and six-shot wins respectively while three other rinks lost narrowly by one, two and three shots.

However, the 15 shots loss recorded by Wendy Ivory’s quartet proved decisive in the final analysis.

Somerset move forward and now face Devon in round two of the Atherley Trophy on December 6.

RESULTS

Rink 1: Jean Pascoe (North Wilts), Marguerite Alexander (Christie Miller, Melksham), Linda Perfit (Swindon Westlecot) & Irene Button (NW) beat Margaret Dyer 25-16. Rink 2: Kara Little (NW), Jenny Vowles (West), Janice Bull (Five Rivers, Salisbury) & Fizz Mace (NW) lost to Carole Parsons 16-18. Rink 3: Janet Hardie (NW), Marcia Cottle (CM), Jan Tombs & Wendy Ivory (both NW) lost to Barbara Colby 16-31. Rink 4: Barbara Shepheard, Brenda Bowen (both NW), Joan Coleman (FR) & Wendy Anderson (West) lost to Sue Osborne 17-20. Rink 5: Ann Roberts - Phare, Viv Baskerville, Jane Taylor & Alex Jacobs (all NW) lost to Nova Edwards 17-18. Rink 6: Norma Rowden, Karen Funnell, Jean Collier & Sue Cooke (all NW) beat Jill Young 24-18.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Somerset 115-121.

WILTSHIRE men were originally scheduled to be playing this Saturday against Gloucestershire at North Wilts (10am) in the first round of the inter-county championship for the Liberty Trophy.

However, the match has had to be switched to another green as the date clashes with the third round of the Yetton Trophy, which has presidence, where North Wilts Ladies are drawn against Clarrie Dunbar.

The men’s Liberty match against Gloucestershire will now be played on Saturday morning in Swindon at Westlecot (10am).

The only North Wilts player chosen in the squad is county indoor secretary Dave Williams who is named as one of the three reserves.

THE COUNTY men’s side under the stewardship of president Bob Roberts-Phare (North Wilts) endured mixed fortunes last week in their latest couple of county friendly matches.

They beat Swindon Manor 108-49 last Wednesday winning on all four rinks but three days later despite drawing 2-2 on rinks went down 86-67 to Devon at Isca (Whipton, Exeter).

RESULTS (skips only) v Swindon Manor Rink 1: Dave Williams beat Stuart Murray 24-14. Rink 2: Bob Roberts-Phare beat Kevin Hillier 26-12. Rink 3: John Southern beat Carl Fernandes 36-14. Rink 4: Maurice Byrom beat M Edwards 22-9.

Score: Wiltshire men beat Swindon Manor 108-49.

v Devon (at Isca) Rink 3: Bob Roberts-Phare beat M Birch 23-20. Rink 4: Ron Salsbury lost to T Lloyd 9-25. Rink 5: John Southern lost to M Price 8-26. Rink 6: Clive Swift beat K Weeks 27-15.

Score: Wiltshire lost to Devon 67-86.