DORCHESTER 72

WESTON ST ANDREWS 66

DORCHESTER survived a nailbiting final-end finish to continue their winning ways with a 72-66 win over Weston St Andrews in the Denny Cup.

The margin of superiority on all four rinks was limited to single figures for the entire game and fortunes ebbed and flowed, with Dorchester trailing 39-38 at the midpoint of the game.

The two rinks that travelled away to Weston Super Mare had no illusions about the task they faced, when taking on their Somerset opponents on notoriously tricky rinks.

Clive Matthews, Mike Durant, Phil Hallett and Ged Costello recovered from a slow start to draw level, and eventually gain clear water at 20 shots to 14 before losing singles on the final two ends to finish 20-16 to the good, against Weston’s Lee Stocker.

The companion Dorchester away rink of Kevin Holbrook, Gareth Thomas, George Spracklen and Martin Puckett had mixed fortunes despite collecting four shots on the opening end against Weston’s Phil Villis.

Seemingly in charge at 9-3, the Dorchester quartet were rocked back when dropping four shots on consecutive ends to fall behind 11-9, before regaining a 16-12 advantage.

Once again the Dorchester rink was pegged back and outscored over the final five ends, and had to settle for an 18-16 disappointing – but overall – a creditable containing away result.

At the Sandringham Centre, Dorchester, the county town home rinks fared no better and were going hammer and tongs against their lively opponents.

Brian Paulson, Dave Tremlin, Roger Nicholas and skip Nick Voss saw four winning singles on the opening ends, nullified by Craig Walker and his rink that collected a three and a single to level at 4-4.

The exchanges continued to be hard fought resulting in a 16-16 situation at the conclusion of the penultimate end.

Equally tense was the pairing of Dorchester skip Colin Gifford supported by Steve Willsher, George Aslett and Dave Joslin, and the St Andrews four skipped by veteran Barrie Forse.

Forse had the better of the early part of the game and stamped his authority on proceedings to win all but one of the opening six ends, before an aggressive responsive from Dorchester took Gifford to a 19-14 position with one end to play.

The aggregate score of 71-64 looked safe as the two Dorchester rinks played out their final end, but another twist in the game developed with Voss and company going two down and Gifford was facing a head four shots down.

Voss dropped two shots and it was left to Gifford to save the day by drawing a winning shot, to gain a memorable victory.

With Weymouth neighbours Moonfleet 2000 winning earlier in the day against Isle of Wedmore, by a convincing 100 shots to 56, it sets up another local derby with Dorchester.

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