NEWQUAY 89

DORCHESTER 77

HAVING reached the last 16 of the Denny Plate, Newquay was the next hurdle to be jumped before Dorchester could gain a quarter-final appearances in the competition for the second year running.

In view of the distance between the two clubs it was agreed to play the match at neutral Exeter ISCA.

The first five ends across the four competing rinks were even and competitive with Dorchester holding a slim one-shot advantage.

The game moved further in favour of the county town side with one dominating rink allowing them to increase their lead to 39-30 at the half way stage and seemingly heading for victory.

Unfortunately over the next five ends, the Dorchester rinks stumbled and Newquay were able to wipe out the deficit and establish a nine-shot advantage themselves.

With their tails up, Newquay were not to be denied over the final half a dozen ends and maintained the pressure, finishing a dozen shots to the good against a disappointed Dorchester team.

The match opened in optimistic mood for Kevin Holbrook, Arthur Lacey, Dave Joslin and George Spracklen who skipped his team enthusiastically racking up a massive 19-1 lead, leaving Newquay skip Richard Teague reeling and unable to cope with the onslaught.

Only a late gesture of three winning ends kept the final score down to 32-18 in favour of Dorchester.

Team captain Brian Paulson, David Glanville, Barry Day and skip Roger Nicholas found Newquay skip Terry Phillips in form as the Cornish quartet raced into a 9-0 lead and later were in control at 15-6.

Nicholas closed to 15-9 before ending 21-9 adrift.

Jim Kelly, Frank Gwatkin, Phil Hallett and Colin Gifford traded shots to 7-7 before hitting stormy water against Newquay skip Ken Corris and his four, and they were unable to break the Cornish stranglehold to lose out 23-9.

Similarly the fourth Dorchester rink of Clive Matthews, John Ward, Dave Tremlin and skip Ged Costello flattered to deceive over the first half of the game when leading 8-6 before suffering a 27-12 defeat at the hands of Gerry Frost, to add misery to the county town poor second-half performance.

The optimism of the early part of the game had evaporated and Newquay sailed relentlessly in to the quarter-final with a tie with West Berks as their reward.