Southbourne extended their lead in A Division with a 40-35 victory over Ferndown. Olive Fidler, Jean Howell, Tina Sikes and Barbara Lunnun (21-16) eased the Tower ladies home after Ferndown skip Barbara Brown had clung on for a 19-19 tie.

Lymington picked up six points after beating Braeside 44-32. Lymo skip Angela Eldridge (17-15) won her skirmish to add to the 27-17 win by Patsy Little, Sandy Nailard, Wendy Brown and Kay Richardson.

Richmond Park, meanwhile, dropped a place despite their 4-2 win over Redhill Park. Jean Beedie, Dorothy Borthwick, Monica Niemier and Jill Bryant (21-15) covered Redhill skip Ethel Hanlon (15-10).

Swanmore moved up with the leaders after their 6-0 triumph over West Moors. The quartet of Carole Feetham, Linda Pocknell, Rosie Beales and Jenny Osborne (22-12) paved the way for Swans’ 46-27 victory.

The Dolphins were left floundering at Poole Park after the Broadstone-Wessex rink of Janet Harford, Ros Valentine, Vanessa Smyth and Sibil Ball (24-11) set up the Wessex girls for a double-rink success.

• Fordingbridge was a bridge too far for B Division leaders Iford. The Turks’ quartet of Noreen Jones, Chris Carter Elsie Sanderson, and Mary Wych (29-20) passed the 19-17 win by Iford Bridge skip Renee Stanger.

Lorna Foreman, Colette Jackson, Terry Hilbourne and Chris Sexton (25-14) plotted Wimborne’s victory route at Brockenhurst.

The clash was secured after Minster skip Pat Gallup fought back from a 21-2 deficit to lose by only 24-22 to Brockenhurst’s Di Place.

A 6-0 triumph by Pelhams did not reflect the close encounter at Milford-on-Sea. Pelhams skips Beth Roberts (16-13) and Norma Grinter (20-18) held their nerve to steer the visitors to a 36-31 win.

West Moors’ victory over Highcliffe was assured by Anne Savage, Betty Anderson, Carole Wright and Barbara Tite (26-13). Olive Freeman restricted Highcliffe to one point with a last-end 17-17 tie.

Kings Park skip Anne Ashcroft carded a respectable 21-14 win at New Milton. But this was covered by the hosts’ rink of Margaret Whale, Mary Herlihy, Pam McCarthy and Sue Nicoll (28-16).

•Richmond Park I’s Jo Atha, Hildene Remnant, Mary Lucas and Brenda Streater (30-15) paved the way for a 5-1 win at C Division rivals Broadstone-Wessex.

Captain Lynda Gorf collected two shots to tie 21-21, which put Richmond in top spot.

Branksome Park are second following their 6-0 (55-26) triumph over Argyll. The result was never in doubt after Squirrels’ rink of Sue Harris, Jean Hands, Stef Pinson and Carol Williams won 32-12.

Southbourne were denied six points at Richmond Park by Trish Gray’s rink (18-18). The visitors’ victory was sealed by Maureen Chadwick, Anne Laird, Pam McKenna and Maureen Elkin (22-18).

Bournemouth inflicted a rare home defeat on Braeside. Joan Belcher’s rink of Trish Leach and Olwyn Smith, even with a 25 per cent adjustment, won 18-9, which covered Braeside skip Pauline Crocker (20-12).

Verwood pulled clear of the drop zone with a 4-2 (47-26) success over hosts Alexandra Park. Jan Wareham, Dorothy Keep, Pat Dowling and Jan Stern ensured Verwood’s win with a 30-7 return.

• Nancy Bennett (20-18), earned Poole Park two points at D Division rivals Pelhams but was outgunned by Val Charig’s crew of Ann Barber, Maureen Barrett, and Sandy Cox (21-13) to an end the Dolphins’ unbeaten run.

New leaders New Milton cruised to a 42-30 win over Broadstone-Wessex. Milton’s June Boughton took the last end to win 17-16, which coupled with the 25-14 success of Jean Garrard, Yvonne Tansley, Chris Mays and Jo Craggs, gave the Hampshire club all six points.

Moordown stay in touch after their 4-2 triumph at Highcliffe. Gill Barron, Liz Edmunds, Erika Sykes and Cathy France (26-9) outgunned Highcliffe’s winning skip Anne Taylor (17-14).

Lymington had a landslide victory on the West Cliff against Argyll 6-0 (52-32). Lymo’s best return came from Monica Glynn, Hazel Yerby, Gillian Smith and Janice Smith (28-13).

A first win still eludes Ringwood, but they came close against Swanmore. Doreen Durnford, Daphne Hales, Esme Hazel and Mary Jones (23-21) allied to Cathy Hayes (19-18) gave Swans all six points.

Shelley Park are the only unbeaten team in the E Division after a 45-34 win over close rivals West Moors. Edna Lee, Sue Perkins, Marion Stainer and Joan Smith (32-16) were well clear of Moors’ Jill Archer (18-13).

In the basement zone, Southbourne eased to a 6-0 (45-25) win at Poole Park, thanks to Suzanne Ager, Marion Jupe, Madge Simpson and Maureen Taylor (28-9).

There were also six points for lowly-placed Pelhams who crushed New Milton 49-32, after Judy Jones, Sheila Tibbles, Peggy Stephens and Trish Kilminster carded a 28-12 win.

Bottom-club Redhill Park, meanwhile, settled for a 4-2 success over Branksome Park. Margaret Colborne, Babs Jones, Barbara Bell and Bobby Saunders (21-13) covered Squirrels’ Babs Shand (15-10.5).

Christchurch skip Margaret Crisp, hung on to win 17.25-17, but this was eclipsed by Braeside quartet Sue Gettings, Jean Andrews, Margaret Steel and Pat Shepherd (45-4) for by far the day’s highest score.

• Redhill Park handed F Division leaders Ferndown their first defeat of the season. Val Griffiths, Pam Pantlin, Gladys Rolfe and Mary Pearce won 21-17 and Pauline Vick (15-12) coughed up to take six points.

New Milton moved into top spot following a 54-21 victory at Branksome Park. Milton skips Penny Daly (31-13) and Beryl Midgley (24-8) led from the front to earn maximum points.

There was another double-rink haul at Kings Park, where Vesta Monk, Jenny Moran, Diana Boreham and Joyce Clough (32-12) set up the Royals’ 51-30 win over Milford-on-Sea.

Moordown secured their position with a 4-2 win over Swanmore. Pauline West’s squad (25-15) gave the Swans hope, but they were outshone by Sheila Nelson, Sue Smith, Vi Shevill and Pat Masters (33-11).

Highcliffe came out top in the basement battle with Wimborne. Tessa Hunt, Christine Jarvis, Sarah Rowland, Maureen Wilson (20-16), backed by Jenny Ford (18-15) gave Highcliffe a six-point boost.