LUCY and Katy Smith just missed out on adding to Royal Wootton Bassett’s winners list at the English national championships at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa.

Lucy, 23 and younger sister Katy, 21, were beaten on the last end 15-11 in the ladies junior (U25) pairs final on Sunday afternoon at Leamington.

Smith girls lost to Hertfordshire’s England junior internationals Devon Cooper (Baldock Town) and Rachel Tremlett (Royston).

They were always adrift of the England international duo trailing 5-2 at five ends, 10-5 at 10 but had cut the deficit to only 14-11 at 17 but finally went down 15-11 after 18 ends.

Earlier in the day the Wiltshire junior (U25) pairs champions for the past six consecutive seasons had beaten Cumbrian twins Victoria and Rachel Forster from Workington 18-11 in the semi-finals.

Despite dropping a five on end two they led 8-5 at five ends, 11-8 at 10 before moving 16-10 clear at 15 and finally winning 18-11 to book a place in the final for the first time despite several years of trying.

The Smiths began on Saturday with a comprehensive 27-9 victory over Suffolk’s Beth Topping and Georgie Marwood and in round two beat Cambridgeshire’s Rebecca Moorbey and Amber Coleman 16-10.

In the quarter-finals on Sunday morning against Northamptonshire’s Shannon Swift and Louise Haladij, the Smiths came back from 7-3 down after four ends and 14-5 at 10 to be tied 15-all at 16 and go on to seal a very hard fought 19-15 victory.

Results

Quarter-Finals: Cumbria (Rachel and Victoria Forster) beat Bedfordshire (Keeley Appleby and Robyn Hall) 19-13; Wiltshire (Lucy and Katy Smith) beat Northamptonshire (Shannon Swift and Louise Haladij) 19-15

Hertfordshire (Devon Cooper and Rachel Tremlett) beat Sussex (Hannah Maslen and Kira Donno) 24-9; Lincolnshire (Ruby Hill and Chelsea Tomlin) beat Essex (Jasmine Wilson and Stacey Fryer) 14-13.

Semi-final: Wiltshire (Lucy and Katy Smith) beat Cumbria (Rachel andVictoria Forster) 18-11; Hertfordshire (Devon Cooper and Rachel Tremlett) beat Lincolnshire (Ruby Hill and Chelsea Tomlin) 15-10

FINAL: Hertfordshire (Devon Cooper and Rachel Tremlett) beat Wiltshire (Katy Smith and Lucy Smith) 15-11.