A DIVISION leaders Lymington had a tough fight on their hands at Richmond Park.

Trailing by 16 shots to home skip Eileen Deadman, Jean Stopp recovered to a respectable 21-24 defeat enabling team-mates Patsy Little, Sandy Nailard, Wendy Brown and Kay Richardson (19-13) to guide the Lymos to a 4-2 (40-37) victory. West Moors replicated that win thanks to a humdinger (31-8) from Dot Eason, Val Baxter, Judith Miles and Janet Price. They easily outscored Redhill Park’s winning skip Pat Horgan (22-20).

After last week’s disappointing result, Southbourne recovered with a 4-2 away victory at Iford Bridge. Southbourne achieved a last-end winner on Sue Dadson’s rink (21-14) which covered Renee Stanger’s reply (20-14) for the hosts.

Broadstone, who mastered Southbourne 5-1 last week, had the tables turned on them by New Milton who returned to the New Forest with a much needed five points.

A full strength Poole Park flexed their muscles at Braeside and emerged 39-31 winners.

B DIVISION

EVERY home club won in this division, headed by trailblazers Swanmore who beat nearest rivals West Moors 4-2 (35-28). The Swans’ top honours went to Mary Jones, Doreen Cross, Gill Head and Jenny Osborne (19-10), who covered Moors’ winning skip Olive Freeman (18-16).

Basement club Richmond Park handed over that dubious honour to opponents Brockenhurst. Richmond skips Brenda Streeter (27-9) and Jill Bryant (27-12) drove the team on to their first 6-0 win of the season.

There were also maximums for Wimborne and Pelhams. The Minster ladies were inspired in their 41-33 victory over Broadstone by June Stokes, Chris King, Maggie Wilkins and Pat Gallup (24-17), along with Lorna Foreman’s rink (17-16).

Meanwhile, Pelhams rattled up a 57-31 win over visitors Braeside.

Argyll achieved a home 4-2 victory over Ferndown after Evelyn Lewin, Kath Hooper, Joyce Budd and Norma Ritchens (26-19) contributed most to the 42-36 tally.

C DIVISION

AFTER only six weeks, Highcliffe became the fifth different team to lead the division. They beat one of the previous incumbents, Bournemouth, 40-31 at Meyrick Park. Visiting skips Valerie Snook (20-13) and Janet Emerson (20-18) urged their rinks on to a 6-0 success.

Fordingbridge moved back into contention, winning on both rinks to send Christchurch back to the Priory with a nil return. Pat Lugg’s quartet (22-19) rounded off a match-winning display from the Turks’ top rink of Janet Norrish, Elsie Sanderson, Chris Carter and Mary Wych (33-16). Southbourne notched up a 44-35 triumph over fellow strugglers Lymington.

Marion Jupe, Jan Pardy, Judith Bliss and Maureen Elkin (25-17) paved the way, with Jill Goodwright (19-18) collecting a last-end three to give Southbourne maximum points.

New Milton shared the spoils with Ringwood 3-3 (35-35).

Verwood slipped down the table after losing 4-2 (48-42) at Kings Park.

D DIVISION

SIX out of six keeps Branksome Park at the top of the class. Lola Barker’s rink of Rosemary Staddon, Helen Elmiger and Val King (26-18) led the charge, strongly supported by Irene Button’s quartet (22-17), giving the Squirrels a 6-0 victory over Pelhams II.

In contrast, the Pelhams first team secured a 6-0 (52-21) win over visitors Alexandra Park, with Pelhams’ skips Jean Perry (29-13) and Joan Robins (23-8) sharing the spoils.

Kings Park slipped to bottom place after their 5-1 (40-34) setback at Milford-on-Sea. Sheila Hall, Merle Youngman, Margaret Jeakings and Diana Goodyear (22-16) set up the hosts’ win, and a last-end single from Joan Moss restricted Kings Park skip Joyce Clough to one point (18-18).

Swanmore remain in the danger zone, returning from Highcliffe with just the two points Jane Wilks’s corps shored up Highcliffe’s defences by contributing a 24-12 success, giving the hosts a 4-2 (40-30) winning margin.

Redhill Park edged out of the basement with a 4-2 home victory over Argyll.

E DIVISION

RICHMOND Park made it five from five after inflicting a (41-28) home defeat on last week’s leaders Poole Park. Trish Gray’s quartet (21-13), allied to Ann Lodge’s rink (20-15), assured Richmond of the six points. Moordown moved into second spot ahead of Poole with an emphatic (53-18) tally over Braeside. Cathy France (27-8) and Pat Martin (27-10) were at the helm for Moordown’s two winning rinks.

Iford Bridge and West Moors both recorded 4-2 victories. Iford’s came in a (39-30) win at Broadstone, for whom Peggy Friberg captured two points with a last end success (18-17).

West Moors repelled the Southbourne invaders (40-31) as Marge Gardener, Joan West, Carol Wright and Barbara Tite rattled up a match-winning score (27-11).

F DIVISION

THERE was six appeal for the top three teams – Ferndown, New Milton and Shelley Park.

Ferndown accumulated a massive 61 shots in their local derby with West Moors. A dazzling display from Edna Ward, Shirley Davies, Margaret Dean and Mary Harris (37-8), was backed up by Anne Wrighton’s rink (24-9).

With their three senior teams losing 6-0, Braeside’s pride was restored after handing out a (61-28) 6-0 thrashing to New Milton II. Peggy Bevis, Cynthia Davey, Marion Edwards and Elsa Stacey had a runaway 42-8 victory. Braeside’s other skip scraped in with a 19-18 win after New Milton were deducted 25 per cent for being a player short.

In contrast, New Milton’s other team topped all of the scores with a 66-20 triumph over Richmond Park.

G DIVISION

REDHILL Park’s unbeaten record was expunged by a rampant Swanmore with Jo Dunn, Isabell Barr and Jo Batley (32-18) heading the honours list in the Swans’ 6-0 (51-35) victory.

Branksome Park sailed into top spot after out-scoring the Lakesiders 34-32 at Poole Park. The Squirrels’ star turn of Sue Harris, Gloria Burns and Jeanette Newman (21-13) covered Poole’s winning skip Nancy Bennett (19-13).

Branksome Park’s second string fought out a 3-3 draw with Highcliffe with Branksome’s winning rink of Janet Gamlen, Margaret Everett and Wyn Glockler (16-14) cancelling out Highcliffe’s winning skip Sarah Rowland who also won 16-14.