IN the battle between A Division’s top two, Southbourne overcame visitors Lymington 4-2. Olive Fidler, Jean Howell, Tina Sikes and Barbara Lunnun won 24-13 to keep the Tower ladies ahead of Lymo skip Kay Richardson (20-13).

Richmond Park collected all six points at Ferndown (21-12). Jill Bryant’s 24-18 added to the 21-12 win by Sylvia Postill, Pam Harrison, Linda Johnson and Muriel Groves.

Redhill Park missed out on a full house against Swanmore. Swans skip Jenny Osborne tied 19-19 against Ethel Hanlon, but won 19-14.25 after the 25 per cent rule was applied. Jean Dixon, Margaret Hollington, Pauline Wiseman and Pat Horgan (23-14) ensured Redhill claimed four points.

Poole Park got their act together with a 51-25 win at West Moors, where Ann Walford, Pam Smith, Sandie Smith and Rosemary Spetch (25-11), backed by Penny Cresswell’s quartet (26-14), gave the Dolphins a 6-0 haul.

It was doom and gloom for Braeside, though, who slumped to a double-rink defeat at Broadstone-Wessex. Monica Sturgess, Ros Valentine, Sylvia Edgson and Lyn Howard (24-11) came out on top in the Wessex girls’ 45-26 triumph.

• B Division leaders Wimborne returned from Milford-on-Sea with all six points. Chris King, Elaine Campbell, Maggie Wilkins and Pat Gallup (26-17) led the Minster chimes, ably supported by Lorna Foreman’s crew (21-16).

Iford stayed in touch with a 5-1 win over West Moors, with Janet Holloway, Jackie Lawrence, Maureen Rutty and Ann Sedgwick (18-8) setting Iford on course. They were denied a full quota, though, by Moors skip Barbara Tite (19-19).

Kings Park lost 2-4 at home to third-placed Pelhams. The Royals’ winning skip Anne Ashcroft (21-18) was covered by Pelhams’ combination of Mary Watts, Audrey Judge, Audrey Lewis and Beth Roberts (24-18).

Highcliffe’s derby with visitors New Milton resulted in a 4-2 (49-38) victory for the Castle maidens. The hosts’ VIP rink of Shirley Ambrose, Rae Bragg, Jenny Wilson and Janet Emerson romped in to win 32-13.

Brockenhurst came out 58-24 on top in their basement battle with visitors Fordingbridge. The best return from Brock’s two winning rinks was Maureen Ansty, Myra Campbell, Doreen Risso and Di Place (35-11).

• True to form, C Division’s top team Richmond Park I defeated bottom club Alexandra Park 45-24. Jo Atha, Hildene Remnant, Mary Lucas and Brenda Streater (24-11), allied to Lynda Gorf (21-13), earned Richmond six points.

Branksome Park’s aspirations suffered a setback at Verwood. Jan Stern’s crew (29-23) and the rink of Gill Thomas, Hilary Walker, Audrey Merrington and Liz Lock (28-17) secured Verwood six points and second spot.

Southbourne swapped league positions with Argyll, overcoming the West Cliff side 4-2 (48-36). Edie Brophy, Sheila York, Pam McKenna and Maureen Elkin (30-10) outscored Argyll skip Norma Ritchens (26-18).

The top score of the day, meanwhile, was at Braeside where Richmond Park II were swept aside 76-20. Maureen Cameron, Mary Southgate, Janet Beard and Pauline Crocker (38-9) just pipped Pam Coventry’s rink for top honours.

Broadstone-Wessex remained in the drop zone despite their 4-2 victory at Bournemouth. Belle skip Joan Cox (23-14) fell short of the 29-15 from the visitors’ rink of Iris Rumble, June Leaper, June Bell and Sally Rowe.

• A tight finish at Argyll in D Division saw Poole Park hold on to win 40-38. Rosemary Stainer, Anita Jones, Phyl Wallis and Gwyn Foord (30-20) just got in ahead of Argyll’s Doris Jeffery (18-10) to secure four points for the Dolphins.

New Milton slipped off the top, going down 49-39 at Moordown. Gill Baron, Liz Edmunds, Erika Sykes and Cathy France (27-13) put in a match winning performance to cover Milton’s June Boughton (26-22).

Swanmore closed up on the leaders following their 6-0 (49-28) victory at Broadstone-Wessex.

Irene Richman, Daphne Hales, Esme Hazel and Mary Jones (29-13) once again headed the Swans’ flotilla.

Highcliffe, meanwhile, collected four points from their fixture at Lymington. Lymo’s winning skip Jean Stopp (19-13) was easily surpassed by Highcliffe’s Pat Stoveld, Brenda King, Trish Leaver and Betty Blunden (31-15).

Ringwood remained at the foot of the table after six defeats, the latest 6-0 reverse (56-30) coming at Pelhams where Georgina Bennett, Audrey Grinstead, Joyce Duxbury and Jean Perry fizzed in with a 34-11.

• The only unbeaten team in all six divisions, Shelley Park, go marching on in E Division. Poole Park were blitzed on both rinks as Shelley skips Sylvia Sayer (33-7) and Joan Smith (31-15) steered their team to a massive 64-22 win.

At the Priory, Margaret Crisp (21-16) collected two shots to put Christchurch two ahead against West Moors. On the other rink, Moors skip Pauline Jepson (21-17) held three shots until Mary Poore drew second wood and four points for Christchurch.

There was a double rink success for Pelhams, who rattled up a 57-29 winning score against visitors Redhill Park. Pelhams’ rinks, skipped by Val Charig (29-14) and Wendy Watton (28-15), all deserved the plaudits for a fine victory.

Another half-century was chalked up at New Milton who defeated Braeside 50-30. Sheila James’s squad (23-16) played the support role to Audrey Wills, Angela Whitehead, Nancy Peckham and Mary Harper (27-14).

Southbourne also gained a six-point win against Branksome Park. Suzanne Ager, Joan Courtney, Madge Simpson and Maureen Taylor (19-13), supported by Jan Pardy’s squad (22-19), saw Southbourne over the line.

• New Milton stayed top of F Division despite their 4-2 defeat by Kings Park. A respectable 25-16 from Milton’s Penny Daly was eclipsed by the Royals’ rink of Michelle Higham, Peggy Phillpotts, Laura Kitcher and Mo Smith (36-10).

Ferndown closed the gap with a 36-29 victory at Swanmore. Brenda Wilkin, Julie Masterman, Margaret Bengtsson and Anne Wrighton (20-10) were spot on to cover Gill Bunce (19-16).

Moordown gathered six points at Milford-on-Sea after Barbara Read, Barbara Roles, Shirley Herrington and Cherry Webb (20-14) shared honours with Sheila Nelson, Wendy Bule, Sue Smith and Pat Masters (18-12).

Highcliffe notched a 4-2 success at Branksome Park. Brenda Brian, Christine Jarvis, Elizabeth Hilton and Penny Luker carded a 22-10 win to keep them ahead of the Squirrels’ winning rink (21-14).