WILTSHIRE ladies have qualified for the quarter-finals in the inter-counties championship for the Johns Trophy.

They were in fine form as they beat Dorset 128-111 in their final group match at Gillingham to top West group A and book a last-eight spot for the second successive season.

They will now play Somerset, winners of West group B, this Saturday at Cotswold BC (Stroud), with the victor progressing to the semi-finals at the national championships at Royal Leamington Spa on August 3.

Wiltshire led across the board throughout the match despite rink honours being shared 3-3.

They made an excellent start and were 36-20 up overall after five ends, 73-45 ahead after 10 but their lead was cut to 95-75 at 15.

Dorset slipped 115-89 adrift at 18 but rallied in the last three ends to cut Wiltshire’s final winning margin to 128-111 at the conclusion of 21 ends.

Top rink honours went to the foursome of Rachel Martin (Purton), Jean Collier (Box), Charley Godwin (Royal Wootton Bassett) and skip Marcia Hartley (Avon), who blitzed their opponents 37-4.

Next best was the quartet of Carol Grenfell (Box), Viv Baskerville (Chippenham Town), Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway) and skip Sue Bird (Warminster) with a 24-18 win.

The last success came on the rink skipped by Purton’s Alison Fail, who edged home 19-17.

Captain Alex Jacobs lost 24-22, Highworth’s Linda Young went down 24-18, while the only large loss was suffered by Kathryn Yeoman 24-8.

The overall shots win gave Wiltshire 10 points, plus six for three rink wins to net 16 of the 22 points on offer to comfortably top the West A group table on 52 points, well clear of Gloucestershire in second on 39.

Wiltshire Ladies also recorded another victory in the South West Counties League with a 121-99 win over Worcestershire at Bredon.

Wiltshire, last season’s league winners, surprisingly lost their opening SWCL match in defence of the title 119-103 to Cornwall but have bounced back well since to defeat Somerset away 144-108 and now Worcestershire away 121-99.

They took the honours on four of the six rinks at Bredon to register an 18-4 success on points.

Top of the rink honours was Janet Willis (Stratton Churchway), who skipped her team to a big 28-8 victory.

Next best was the rink skipped by Babs Salter (Wroughton), who won 27-21, while the rink skipped by Purton’s Alison Fail won 18-15.

Wiltshire’s were due to be play Herefordshire at Brimfield, Ludlow, on Wednesday.