WELL it’s happened – The Cliff have lost a Section One match! With Boscombe Cliff’s selection restricted by Middleton Cup duties, it still needed a resolute performance by visitors Bournemouth to come through as 10-4 (82-74) winners.

Cliff’s top skip was Mike Proc-tor (27-17), but this was surpassed by Ian Rawlinson, Chris Eames, Roy Bray and Tony Nixon who delivered the Meyrick Marauders match-winning score (28-9). Both Alexandra Park and Poole Park took full advantage of Cliff’s defeat by rattling up 14-0 home wins.

Alex demolished New Milton 92-57 as Alan Trevett, Bob Moon, Dave Hodgekiss and Paul King (26-14) headed their honours list.

As a result of Poole Park’s four-ink (92-57) success over Ringwood, the Foresters now find themselves in the relegation zone. Chris Lawrence, Mike J Jones, Pat Ravelin and Alec McKenzie (26-19), top-scored for the Lakesiders, with Stewart Stephens’s squad recovering from 18-19 to win 23-17.

Knyveton Gardens held on (84-79), despite dropping last-end fours on two rinks against Branksome Park.

Mike Beales, Eric Sole, Tony Davis and John Kellow (22-15) led the Gardeners three winning rinks, with Graham Mould’s quartet (22-16) pocketing two points for the Squirrels.

There was last-end drama at West Moors, as Wimborne skip Brian Shepherd needing two shots to save the match, but fell one short, resulting in West Moors grabbing the 10 points (79-78).

Peter Langford, Dave Dixon, Eric Cook and John Jepson (27-17) was vital in the final analysis for the Moors.

SECTION TWO

Trailblazers Southbourne endorsed their claims to the title with a 13-1 (90-73) triumph over lowly Wessex.

Malcolm Laird, Hew Evans, Richard Poole and Forrest Thomson (24-17) headed Southbourne’s three successful rinks. The Towermen were denied a maximum after Trevor Smyth achieved a last-end tie against Dean Hopkins (20-20). Lymington came out on top in their battle for second spot with Braeside. David Blake, Bill Merrett, Geoff Mapes and Reg Robinson crushed their opposition 22-14.

The other three Lymo skips, Roy Richardson (25-21), Ken Streak (23-21) and Doug Bowers-Barnard (19-17) rounded off the maximum win.

Richmond Park locked up with Southbourne A (69-69) at HQ. With Wally Draper and John Hutchinson all square 18-18, and winning on two rinks Richmond Park looked good for an 11-3 win. Described as a fortuitous wick Southbourne’s winning skip Paul Turner (27-12) levelled the shots on the last delivery, resulting in an 8-6 victory for Richmond. Pelhams moved above their opponents Electric after a three rink triumph (83-65) at the Broadway. Dave Madgewick, Cyril Jeans, Colin Cox and Bob Robins (24-12) starred for Pelhams, with Ray Cooke’s crew (21-17) the Sparkies only winners.

Boscombe Cliff A’s 12-2 (93-69) win at Fordingbridge leaves the Turks 11 points adrift at the foot of the table.

Roy Moretti (22-15) salvaged two points for the hosts, as Tony Geary, Peter Maher, John Cave and Bob Sprules (34-12) spearheaded the Cliff attack.

SECTION THREE

It was glory for Dorey at Branksome Park A, as his rink of Terry Davis, Trevor Smith and Bob Osler (31-14) set Knyveton Gardens on course for their sixth consecutive victory 10-4 (89-71). Branksome’s best return came from Stan Tucker’s quartet, (24-18).

Kings Park, meanwhile, reached a ton as Ian Davies’s rink of Terry Bishop, Ken Hitchens and Bomber Harris blitzed their opposition 35-8 at Redhill Park. Kings cleaned up on all four rinks amassing a 109-54 winning total.

Poole Park A’s aspirations suffered a setback at Highcliffe where Trevor Walsh, Bill Watson, Jim Wilson and Ken Wright (23-10) steered the Castlemen to a 10-4 (77-69) triumph, covering Poole’s best reply by Gordon Brown’s cabinet (20-16).

Argyll remain bottom despite winning 10-4 against Moordown. Argyll looked in trouble after Gary Menday finished with a final score of 24-19, but Argyll found a saviour in Brian Oliver, who gained a last-end match winning shot (79-78).

Swanage landed a three-rink victory at Iford Bridge, for whom Alan Doughty’s quartet (20-13), were the sole providers.

Nick Crocker, Mike Tomlin, Jim Green and Terry Buck (25-17) proved to be the backbone of the Swanage (76-69) win.

SECTION FOUR

Swanmore notched up their sixth consecutive success with a 12-2 (92-63) win at Ringwood. Swans’ skips Richard Free (30-11) and Terry Tuck (31-12) feasted themselves on the playing surface, as Dave Smith’s crew (26-14) responded for the hosts.

The relegation battle resulted in Boscombe Cliff B defeating Ferndown on all four rinks (93-74). Top-rink honours were earned by Charles Worrell, Evan Stimpson, Allen Graves and Derek Francis (25-13).

Cliff’s other three rinks were not safe until they won the last end across the boards.

West Moors A also notched up a maximum 84-62 win at Wessex A. A clinical 22-11 from Arthur Baxter’s quartet of Steve Riddington, Bill Archer and Mike Tappenden headed the Moors four winning rinks.

Braeside comprehensively beat Christchurch 10-4 (98-64). Ron Taylor, John Mills, Mike Bull and Alan Watts (35-10) lit up the Carpetbaggers, with wily John Waller (21-17) the main contributor for the Minstermen.

New Milton’s successful skips Bob Burns (19-18) and Denis James (19-18) allied to Mike Akerman’s rink drawing (21-21), fell well short of Milford-on-Sea’s supermen, Brian Webley, Phil Freeman, Alan Edmunds and Viv Bailey who had a match-winning score of (31-8) to give the Seasiders a 9-5 points victory.

SECTION FIVE

Poole Park B now have a cushion of 24 points after a comfortable 12-2 (97-61) victory at Knyveton Gardens B. Top return for Poole came from Bill Ogden’s rink of Bob Walford, Andy Richardson and Barry Gale who blew away the opposition with a massive 38-7. Pete Frampton’s reliable rink (26-17) gained two consolation points for the Gardeners.

Kings Park A, Bournemouth A and Wimborne A all registered 14-0 home wins. Kings Park’s four-rink success came against Richmond Park A despite a fightback by Ron Darville’s rink who recovered from 6-14 to 15-16. Ken Henson, Les Buxton, John Monk and Barry Hiscock (24-15) were the cornerstone of Kings Park’s victory (83-68).

At Meyrick Park, it was Terry Muspratt, Maurice Haynes, Maurice Hinsley and Ron Jeffreys (28-15) who paved the way for Bournemouth’s 92-63 triumph over West Moors B who were two players short in their line-up.

Wimborne As fourth consecutive triumph came at the expense of Highcliffe A (115-54). Brian Gooch’s squad, Kevin O’Connell, John Russell and Terry Middleton assured a victory for the Minstermen by winning their skirmish 39-6.

Pelhams A settled for a three-rink victory at home to Branksome Park B. Eric Gibbons, Lionel Trebilcock, Alan Bennett and Barry Duxbury (27-11) took control for Pelhams. Roger Richardson’s rink claimed two hard-earned points for the Squirrels, (25-14) and reduced the final match score to a respectable level (83-66).

SECTION SIX

With both teams picking up 12-2 home victories, Southbourne B and Swanmore A appear to have slipped the field.

The consistent rink of Neil Ward, Roy Watson, John May and Richard Thompson (22-11) laid the foundations for Southbourne B’s (82-59) win over promotion hopefuls Redhill Park A. Mike Smith’s foursome (19-17) salvaged two points for the visitors.

Just one point behind come Swanmore who defeated Southbourne C 94-60 with a gigantic winning margin of 34-9. John Smith, Mike Brunsdon, Bob Brown and Cambell Kinnon put the final result beyond doubt. Albert Rabone’s squad (18-12) fought valiantly for Soutbourne’s two points. The Ferndown Stags suffered a 10-4 (75-68) home defeat at the hands of Lymington A. John Havershall, Richard Dunn, Ian Pearson and Brian Perrett (28-13) claimed star billing for the Lymos, with Graham Roberts’s rink (21-12) leading the Stags reply.

There was confusion at the Minster where, after a mix up on the scorecards, Argyll A were declared the winners by one shot (80-79).

Bill Foreman’s crew (21-14) was the best of Wimborne’s winning rinks, but Harry Moss, Harold Farrar, Tony Jay and Colin Jay (25-18) held the upper hand for Argyll who picked up the 10 points.

Iford Bridge A returned from New Milton B with just two points after losing 81-67.