NORTH WILTS men’s hopes of reaching the Wessex League end of season play-offs are all but over for the 2016/17 season, writes DAVE EATON.

After recording four wins out of five to move into second place in the central region table and an automatic play-off spot above Bristol they missed out last weekend in their final central section game, losing in the crucial final central region match to Bristol.

Fielding a depleted side owing to the non-availability of seven of the usual players North Wilts crashed to a 105-46 defeat to Bristol and failed to gain any of the 16 points that were on offer.

As a result Bristol move up to second place in the table above North Wilts on 66 points, 10 behind leaders Clarrie Dunbar who have one game to play against Christie Miller this coming Sunday.

North Wilts slip down to third place on 55 points from their six games, an average of 9.166 per game and hoping for one of four wild cards into the play-offs.

In recent seasons it has taken a minimum of a 10 points average to secure one of the four wildcards and entry into the play-offs.

North Wilts struggled throughout against Bristol with Trevor Cooke’s away rink losing by 27 shots while at home at Westcroft Maurice Byron’s rink lost by 18 shots and Keith Hutchen’s by 12 shots.

The only rink to get close to a success was the one skipped by Richard Gainey that only lost by two shots.

RESULTS (skips only)

Home - Rink 1: Maurice Byron lost to Geoff Coffield 8-26. Rink 2: Keith Hutchens lost to Eric Seaville 14-26. Away - Rink 3: Trevor Cooke lost to K Little 4-31. Rink 4: Richard Gainey lost to Pete Birmingham 20-22. Score: North Wilts lost to Bristol 46-105 and by 0pts to 16pts.

ALEX Jacobs' hopes of adding to her array of both indoor and outdoor national titles last weekend was quickly ended at Warner Leisure, Hayling Island, in the ladies champion of champions competition.

Representing North Wilts as the club’s ladies singles champion she had in the champion of champions competition won Area 16 to qualify for the last 16 after beating Val Webb (Cotswold, Stroud) 21-7, Sue Latham ( Thornbury) 21-5, England international Stefanie Branfield (Clevedon) 21-18 and Pauline Dandon (Purnell, Paulton) in the area final 21-11.

But at Hayling Island Jacobs had a tough bottom half of the draw in the last 16 and final stages.

In her opening match she was paired against former ladies world matchplay champion Rebecca Field (Norfolk, Norwich) and lost 21-7. Field went onto reach the semi-finals before losing to this year’s ladies world matchplay champion Katherine Rednall (Ipswich) 21-17.

She went onto take the title with a comfortable win over Kath Hawes (Oxford & D).

Jacob’s though is still running in several other national championship and competition events in Area 16.

She has reached the ladies area triples semi-finals along with Irene Button and Sue Cooke and has to play Clevedon (Stefanie Branfield) and the same trio plus Jean Collier are through to the area fours semi-finals against Bristol (Susan Osbourne).

Meanwhile the national champions Collier, Cooke and Jacobs in the ladies O50s two wood triples have to play Bristol in the Area 16 semi-finals of this year’s competition.

And for good measure in the O60s category Jacobs has reached the Area 16 singles final after wins over Fran Stockford (Thornbury) 22-17, North Wilts colleague Sue Cooke 21-15, Gill Fry (MidGlos) 21-18 and Margaret Dyer (Clevedon) 21-15.

She will play in the final either Pauline Dando (Purnell) or Teresa King (Clarrie Dunbar), just one step away from a last 16 place at Nottingham in mid-April.

Together with Sue Cooke, who Jacobs won the ladies pairs title with in 2010, they are into the Area 16 semi-finals in the O60s pairs and will play Bristol (Susan Osbourne).

David Williams is North Wilts men’s only representative still actively involved and has reached the Area 16 final in the men’s O60s singles and will play John Freeman (Clarrie Dunbar) with the winner going forward to play Area 17 winner Will Anderson (Ilminister) for a place in the last 16 at Nottingham in mid-April.