WILTSHIRE Ladies were in sparkling form in their final Johns Trophy group match in the west group A section last Saturday at Devizes .

They triumphed at home over Somerset 119-96 to take their winner takes all group decider and reach the quarter-finals.

Wiltshire laid the foundations for victory in the first half of the game.

They made a quick start in their biggest match for many seasons, racing into a 37-21 lead across the board after five ends and extending it to a very healthy 44 shots advantage as they led 78-34 after 10.

Somerset with three current ladies internationals in their side rallied to reduce the Wiltshire lead to 29 shots and cut the overall gap to 95-66 after 15 ends and they cut the gap further to 103-84 after 18.

However, Wiltshire held their nerve over the closing few ends to close out the match and win at 21 ends by 23 shots to book a place in this Saturday’s west regional quarter-final.

They will face Devon at Castle Cary (Somerset) at 11am.

Rink honours were shared 3-3 with Somerset giving Wiltshire a 16-6 points win - 10 points for the overall shots win and six points for the three rink successes.

These 16 points took Wiltshire ladies to the top of the West A group table on 49 points, 10 points clear of Somerset on 39, and 21 clear of third placed Cornwall. Dorset were fourth on 16 points.

Wiltshire have made one change only to the team that beat Somerset and listed below in the results.

Georgina Newman was unavailable for the Somerset decider but returns as lead in Marcia Hartley’s rink with Jean Collier dropping down and back to two in place of Janice Rowe who reverts to the reserves bench.

The other five rinks are all unchanged.

RESULTS

Johns Trophy v Somerset at Devizes

Rink 1: Deanne Davis (Wanborough), Viv Baskerville (Chippenham Town), Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) & Delia Godwin (Spencer Melksham) beat Laura Holden 18-12. Rink 2: Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones (both Purton), Janice Bull (Amesbury) & Alison Fail (Purton) lost to Elaine Amery 11-15. Rink 3: Jean Collier (Box), Janice Rowe (Amesbury), Debbie Shadwell (Box) & Marcia Hartley (Avon) lost to Mary Sutton 21-23. Rink 4: Maggie Jordan (Highworth), Bev Lilley (Devizes), Joanna Hicks & Linda Young (both Highworth) beat Stef Branfield 24-15.

Rink 5: Ann Hindley (Wilton), Margaret Annetts (Salisbury), Charlie Godwin (Royal Wootton Bassett) & Kathryn Yeoman (Box) beat Jill Young 27-11. Rink 6: Ann Roberts-Phare (North Wilts), Wendy Anderson (Stratton C) Sue Cooke & Alex Jacobs (both Box) lost to Kirsty Hembrow 18-20.

Score: Wiltshire beat Somerset 119-96 and by 16pts to 6pts.

TEAMS from Chippenham Town, and Stratton Churchway in the northern section and Box and Salisbury in the southern section have reached the last four in the Wiltshire Ladies Over 55 Fours event.

The four combinations are due to play the semi-finals and final at Spencer Melksham on July 21 with the winner securing a place at Royal Leamington Spa in the ladies senior fours national programme.

Teams through to the semi-finals are: Chippenham T: Nicola Bayless, Jan Bodin, Rosemary Fitzpatrick and Barbara Land. Box: Carol Grenfell, Jean Collier, Sue Cooke and Alex Jacobs. Stratton Churchway: Deborah Hitchcock, Kathryn Riach, Wendy Anderson and Janet Willis. Salisbury: Di Kerley, Nancy Oliver, Sandy Hall and Margaret Annetts.

The second round in the county ladies' Top Ten competition in north and south sections were played on Monday.

They resulted in wins for Salisbury over Devizes and holders Box over Amesbury. While in the larger northern section Chippenham Town beat Pewsey, Royal Wootton Bassett eliminated Purton, North Wilts lost to Supermarine, and Westlecot beat Haydon Wick.