DORCHESTER 83

CLARRIE DUNBAR 65

DORCHESTER reached the last 16 of the Yetton Trophy for the first time in its 28 years of existence with an 83-65 win over Clarrie Dunbar.

Having reached the semi-final of the Yetton Plate competition last season, Dorchester ladies have set the bar high in the main competition this season, and their latest success was achieved in copy-book fashion, when tackling Somerset side Clarrie Dunbar.

The two travelling county town rinks traded shots for close results, and the two other rinks exploited their home advantage.

Playing Jeannette Wheeler and co away at Frome, Jan Cherry, Sue Maggs, Linda Hill and skip Margaret Cullip epitomised the fighting Dorchester spirit when trailing by 14-3.

The battling four chipped away relentlessly at their opponent’s lead and dramatically cut the Clarrie Dunbar mid-game advantage to just three shots at 18-15.

Vital gains on the final two ends enabled the Cullip rink to achieve a highly creditable single shot 22-21 loss.

Playing alongside them Ros Gwatkin, Joan Narraway, Sandra Hubbard and Di Lunn grafted to a 11-7 lead against Thelma Bailey before hitting choppy waters and falling 18-11 behind.

Once again the county town players responded to great effect and crossed the line only 18-15 adrift.

With such a narrow overall minus four shots outcome away, the home players were poised to steal the show, and they turned on the style.

Clarrie Dunbar skip Elsa Midwinter was the first to come under pressure from Julie Corbin, Isabelle Addison, Sue Jennings and Freda Yates, who led all the way and consolidated their useful lead thanks to a five shots count, to head their opponents 16- 9 and ease to a final 22-13 success.

Once again, leading Dorchester skip Barbara Lacey dominated, with full support from her rink of Ronnie Stevenson, Carol Baker, and Melissa Makepeace.

Makepeace came off the back of an overnight 12-hour working shift to play her part in the four-hour encounter with Teresa King and co who had no answer to the Dorchester power play, as they raced to a top rink 25-12 performance.

Dorchester take on the Mid Glos Bowls Club, Gloucester in the next round in the New Year.