DORCHESTER clinched the Championship title in their final home game of the season with a thrilling comeback victory against Branksome Park.

On the face of it, the position at the start of play looked very promising for Dorchester – the county town club had a 10-point lead over their nearest rivals, Wellworthy, and a vastly superior shot difference, with just two games to play.

Therefore a 10-0 win against Branksome would clinch the title with a game in hand.

However, Wellworthy’s final two matches were away to Lyme Regis, the bottom club in the Championship and then at home to Dorchester.

Dorchester team captain George Spracklen and his players were fully aware that anything other than a 10-0 victory could open the door for a late Wellworthy title charge.

After 13 ends, the situation looked bleak for Dorchester as all three rinks were adrift. The home four of Jim Kelly, Peter Stevenson, Dave Smith and skip Wayne Garnett were always struggling against Branksome’s J Warby, P Inge, G Shand and skip A Buss.

The host’s six-shot deficit at 13 ends had been stretched out to eight shots after 17 but the Dorchester team gritted their teeth and hauled back three shots to end up with a narrow 20-15 defeat.

On the adjoining rink Dorchester skip Steve Huttley and his team of Les Selby, Dave Glanville and Martin Patterson had battled back from a one-shot deficit after 13 ends to be a single shot ahead after 18 against the visitors P Mullender, J Stadoon, G Cox and skip B Harris.

Dorchester then crucially played two brilliant ends, taking seven shots in total, which enabled the home team to finish with a fine 20-13 win.

The final game to finish was between Dorchester’s Gary Mumford, Barry Day, Ged Costelleo and skip George Sprack- len playing Branksome’s R Brown, D King, I Veitch and skip P King.

Dorchester won six consecutive ends from the 14th to take an apparently unassailable 20-13 lead with just three ends to play.

At this point, the other two rinks had finished so it looked as though Dorchester would gain a much-needed 8-2 victory.

However, in the gathering gloom, Branksome closed to within three shots at the start of the final end.

The 21st end was played in near darkness, it was clear that the visitors were laid multiple shots, as Spracklen’s final wood finished just short of the head.

After a tense few moments, the signal for three shots was given, leaving Dorchester with a 20-19 rink victory and an overall 55-52 (8-2) win.

And then the news came through from West Dorset that Lyme Regis had done Dorch- ester a huge favour by pulling off an unlikely 6-4 triumph over title challengers Wellwor- thy, meaning the county town club’s Championship-winning celebrations could commence.