VIVIENNE TROPHY FIRST ROUND

DORCHESTER 69

Dolphin (POOLE) 56

DORSET has been involved in the final of this national competition for the past three years.

Dorchester lost narrowly to Norwich last season and the two previous years the Dolphin Club (Poole) were beaten finalists.

Therefore the first round clash of these two successful clubs was eagerly anticipated.

The two Dorchester home triples opened their accounts with devastating efficiency and were soon romping ahead.

Newcomer Pauline Bate, vice captain Linda Hill and skip Margaret Cullip were particularly hard on their Dolphin opponents skipped by Ann Wood, and had established a 16-4 lead at the half way stage of the game.

The Dorchester anchor rink kept up the pressure and finished with a match winning score of 29 shots to 8.

The companion Dorchester home triple of Elaine Anthony – also making her Vivienne début – Gwen Caundle and Eve Peavoy were also fast out of the blocks and quickly led 13-2, and seemingly on course for a comprehensive victory.

However, the Dolphin trio skipped by Anne Williams steadied and recovered to such good effect that the final score was a narrow win for Peavoy at 16-13.

The combined home advantage of 24 shots gave a great cushion for the two away triples to defend.

Dorchester’s Chris Jones, Hilary Wilson and steady Kay Johns came back from 5-0 against Mavis Riddington and team-mates to sneak 11-10 ahead after 10 ends of play, and battled throughout to earn a creditable 16-16 draw.

Last season’s high-flyers, Jan Meyers, Sue Lofthouse and skip Jenny Trotman found the pace of the Dolphin indoor carpet challenging and faced a very competent Dolphin triple of Cheryl Sanders, Pauline Jepson and Rosemary Staddon.

Sanders as lead was most impressive and regularly set up winning heads for the Poole club, leaving the Dorchester triple to chase in attempt to recover.

Despite taking a 4-0 lead Trotman and co were soon pegged back to 6-6 and as a result of seven winning ends over an eight-end period, Dolphin stormed 16-6 ahead.

To their credit, the Dorchester players continued to compete and restricted their opponents to singles over the final four ends.

Dorchester finished 19-8 adrift, but the home performance of Margaret Cullip had carried the day, and the county town side were over their first hurdle in their attempt to emulate their record-breaking campaign of last season.

The next round encounter will be on December 1 against Bournemouth, who narrowly defeated Moonfleet 76-69.