DORCHESTER 52

ARUN 74

DORCHESTER’S Vivienne Trophy triples team failed to reach what would have been a second final in three years after a comprehensive 74-52 defeat to Arun.

The Sussex side laid out their stall from the outset and held the advantage both home and away after the first five of the 18 ends had been completed.

Dorchester, trailing at 28-11 down, now needed something special to force their way back into the contest.

Sadly for the county town club, things failed to improve as the deficit increased to 41-25 with half the game completed.

Arun continued to stay firmly in control at Dorchester where the home rinks had been hoping to post winning scores.

Better news came from Sussex where the two Dorchester travelling rinks were once again proving to be away-day wonders, as they took the fight to their illustrious opponents and gained an overall away aggregate 36-33 success.

Hazel Ryan, Judith King and skip Fran Dyer battled back from 19-7 down against Margaret Phillips of Arun, who had to suffer the ignominy of dropping six shots on one end, along with a single and a brace, and Dorchester were only three shots adrift at 19-16.

A single to Arun on the final end gave Dorchester’s Dyer and co a small creditable reverse of only four shots.

The all-conquering companion travelling triple of Jan Cherry, Sandra Hubbard and skip Kay Johns also had to come from behind, but showed their determination to forge 14-11 ahead and then finish off the Arun triple skipped by Brenda Jones as they posted a classy 20-13 result.

Johns and co therefore maintained their 100 per cent record for the season.

At Dorchester, things were not improving for the home players. Chris Jones, Val Cornick and Hazel Newboult were unable to get the better of the Arun triple skipped by Janet Whitfield who ground out an impressive 19-10 result.

Dorchester Jan Meyers, Sue Lofthouse and Jenny Trotman had a torrid time against the dominant Sheila Jones and co who took all of the opening six ends to lead 9-0.

Trotman did eventually get on the scoreboard and was in touch at 11-6 before Arun won the remaining five ends adding a further 11 shots to their tally and inflicting a heavy 22-6 defeat on the disappointed Dorchester trio.

The 22-shot victory put Arun into the final to play Colchester, leaving Dorchester to reflect on a good season but one which disappointed at the semi-final stage.