BOSCOMBE Cliff suffered their first home defeat of the season at the hands of Poole Park (71-84).
The rinks were shared but the 26-10 success of Bob Lemar, Alan Blaby, Jack Smith and Paul Spetch (26-10) plus skip Peter Wilson picking up five shots on the last end (21-19) ensured 10 points for the Lakesiders.
Alexandra Park, who have a game in hand, remain second after demolishing Lymington on all four rinks (110-59). The defeat sends the Lymos back to Section Two.
Mark Wanklyn (27-11) and Paul King (29-15) spearheaded the Alex bombardment. Wimborne threw away a half-time lead of 30 shots and Peter Ward's quartet (34-15) led Ringwood's recovery to a 10-4 (88-73) victory.
The Minster men's top rink (21-19) included debutante 12-year-old Ollie Gage.
Draw specialists Knyveton Gardens tied for the third time this year, after sharing points and shots (77-77) with Bournemouth.
Southbourne kept their outside chances of survival alive with a 10-4 (88-72) triumph over Branksome Park. Keith Norman's rink (29-13) covered Branksome's best effort by Roger Button's quartet (25-16).
SECTION TWO
THE section's top two, New Milton and Fordinbridge, both picked up away victories.
New Milton's golden rink of Roy Nicoll, John Thorpe, Roger Herlihy and Brian Jones (31-12) ensured 10 points for the Foresters against Wessex (93-77).
The Fordingbridge surge continued against Branksome Park A with Jeff Mitchell, Jim Wych, Les Jarvis and Derek Purse (30-14) ensuring a 10-4 (88.5-63) success for the Turks.
Braeside leapt up the league placings with a three rink (87-70) win over visitors West Moors. Jim O'Brien, David Judd, John Tulley and Peter Lloyd proved to be the hosts' anchor rink with 26-15 scoreline.
Dave Madgewick, Terry Hines, John Bond and John Eldridge (33-12) inspired Pelhams to a 12-2 (89-58) win over Boscombe Cliff A, denting the Cliff promotion hopes in the process.
Tony Gallagher, Brian McCoy, Paul Potter and Les Rogerson (23-13) headed three winning rinks and pulled Electric through a must-win situation at Iford Bridge (93-68).
SECTION THREE
THE headquarters clash between trailblazers Southbourne A and Richmond Park resulted in Eddie Gilmore's quartet (29-10) leading a three rink success (78-67) for Richmond Park. This was despite a massive (25-6) by Tower skip John Hutchinson.
Kings Park's Bill Safe, Alan Thompson, Ken Hill and Chris Brown (39-13) led the ton-up blitz against Swanage (107-74). How-ever, Max King (27-27) grabbed a point for the Purbeck club.
Basement boys Wessex A and Christchurch both suffered 12-2 setbacks.
Wessex lost out to Argyll (93-79) who had Chris Hawkins, Peter Hemming, David Cleave and Brian Oliver (30-15) heading the club's three winning rinks.
Christchurch shared the rinks with visitors Redhill Park but Eric Jones's quartet (27-14) made sure of 10 points for Redhill with a 84-76 result.
An larger than life Tony Hutley assured Moordown of a much-needed 12 points when steering his rink to a massive (38-9) score in an overall (106-64) against Highcliffe.
SECTION FOUR
THERE were comfortable 12-2 victories for the top two - Knyveton Gardens A and Poole Park A.
The Gardeners trounced hosts Ferndown (97-72) with John Lee, Clive Gibbs, Dave Glascodine and Dave Baxter (30-17) yet again proving to be Knyveton's top rink.
Jim Buckman, Norman Austin, Ray Smith and Keith Power (23-10) spearheaded the Poole Park A (87-64) success over Milford.
Victories by West Moors A (14-0) and Swanmore (12-2) maintained pressure on the top two.
West Moors' Arthur Baxter (34-8) and Albert Hewitt (28-9) helped build an unassailable lead over shell-shocked Braeside (108-40) while Swanmore won on three rinks at Poole Park B (86-59).
The Lakesiders best effort was from Jim Stainer's rink (20-15) but they were over-shadowed by the 30-13 return of Swanmore's glory rink of Tony Norte, Kevin Diment, Richard Free and John Field.
Even with Wimborne A men Eddie Hawkins, Mike Connett, Brian Wilkins and Roger Gallup (34-12) setting up a 13-1 (104-59) win at New Milton A, The Ministermen remain in the relegation zone along with Poole Park B.
SECTION FIVE
BOSCOMBE Cliff B's three winning rinks clocked up a 101-61 total at Highcliffe with Richard Brown, Peter Maher, Tony Green and Derek Pavey (28-10) setting the standard for Cliff.
King's Park A moved above Bournemouth A after a last-end win at Meyrick Park (78-77). Top skip Ian Macpherson (27-21) enjoyed the luxury of not having to bowl his last wood as a 10-4 victory was secure.
The progress of Knyveton Gardens B was halted at Richmond Park after Vernon Dillon's squad (24-8) paved the way for a 10-4 (76-72) Richmond victory.
Southbourne B (52) collected just two points at Ringwood A (98) whose star rink of Jim Sillitoe, Frank Billett, John Davis and Ken Evans amassed a match-winning score of (32-8). With other results not in their favour, Redhill Park A are definitely relegated. This was despite achieving a 12-2 win over Pelhams A (83-60) and a seemingly hollow victory for Redhill's top skip, Don Locke (27-16).
SECTION SIX
PROMOTION favourites Argyll looked down and out at Southbourne C but collected 10 shots across the board on the last end to win 10-4 (82-74). The quartet of John Hancock, Dudley Jinman, Michael Bolt and Colin Jay (25-12) proved the pick of Argyll's rinks.
West Moors B moved into second place with a three-rink triumph over promotion rivals Swanmore A (81-74) with top rink honours going to Bernard Brogan's foursome (22-13).
Lymington A retained their promotion hopes by scoring a maximum against visitors Ferndown A (77-62) with club stalwart Reg Robinson's rink claiming the honours (21-16).
Bottom club Iford Bridge A upset the odds with a last-end victory over high flying Branksome Park B (83-82) and picked up 12 points in the process.
Wimborne B doused any smouldering hopes that New Milton B might have held with a 81-69 shots victory. Minster's Dave Hallett, Cliff O'Brien, Don Harris and Roy Campbell (29-7) ensured a 10-4 rinks win.
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