WITH both Section One teams affected by Middleton Cup duties – Boscombe Cliff more so than Alexandra Park – Cliff had enough in reserve to win 10-4 (87-75).

Bill Ashworth, John Cole, Brian Frith and David Halliday (30-17) were the stimulus for Cliff’s victory. Mike Stapleton (21-18) held off a spirited fight-back by Cliff’s Stan Jordan.

Knyveton Gardens, meanwhile, were turned over on their own patch by Branksome Park 12-2 (87-65). Carl King, John Warby, Dave Banks and Doug Mitchell (28-14) put the Squirrels in control, while the Gardeners’ only resistance came from John Kellow (26-10).

Southbourne moved into second place with a resounding 14-0 (102-37) win over a depleted Poole Park side. Bob Read, Forrest Thomson, Mike Newton and Chris Dowding (34-7) were in a rampant mood for the Towermen. Brian Jones’s crew chipped in with an equally impressive 29-6 tally.

There was a close call at Lymington where Bournemouth’s Colin Bingley, Les Cousins, Kevin Saunders and Gerry Potts (24-9) steered the Marauders to a 10-4 (81-78) triumph. Roy Richardson (25-11) topped Lymo’s efforts.

In the basement battle at West Moors, Ringwood emerged 11-3 winners. Barry Horne grabbed a last-end (18-18) tie, but top honours for the Foresters went to Brian Harrington, Rob Huggett, Ed Melton and Lee Croad (23-16) who guided Ringwood to a welcome 78-71 victory.

• New Section Two leaders Fordingbridge completed a six-win sequence with a 12-2 victory over Pelhams. David Bradley, Jim Wych, Des Jarvis and Derek Purse (30-12) pulled the strings and guided the Turks to a 91-50 win.

Former leaders New Milton, meanwhile, retained their recent good form by defeating visitors Boscombe Cliff A 10-4. Stan Bol-ding, Ron Shields, Ken Wright and Bob Burns (31-8) blazed Milton to a 95-63 winning total.

There were two close finishes in a row for Broadstone. This week they defeated Southbourne 76-75, but again only collected nine points, courtesy of Don Yea, Dave Gibb, Dave Edwards and Trevor Smyth (21-11).

Swanmore put their recent setbacks behind them with a three-rink success over Wimborne. John Pocknell, Mike Pearson, Pat Hayes and Chris Stone (22-14) paved the way for the Swans’ 75-70 victory.

Another basement battle resulted in a 12-2 win for Kings Park over visitors Electric. Bill Safe, Bob Brunton, Andy Darch and Chris Brown (20-13) switched on for the Royals to come through as 75-68 winners.

• Section Three pace-setters Braeside could only muster two points at Poole Park. The top performers in Dolphins’ 85-80 success were Barry Gauge, Andy Richardson, John Cresswell and John Hobby (22-17).

There were shared rinks at HQ between Richmond Park and Knyveton Gardens. The Gardeners’ rink, skipped by Simon Lapenne, recovered from 14-6 to win 28-19, but inspired by skips Malcolm Gray (25-13) and Tony Wanklin (24-12), Richmond held steady to win 82-74.

Meanwhile, there was a ton-up for Highcliffe who thrashed visitors Iford Bridge 106-65. Highcliffe’s Tony Smith, Ray Jolley, Brian Smith and Alan Shepherd plundered a 39-15 win. Iford’s Colin Lakey (20-19) denied the hosts a full house.

The mid-table clash between Braeside A and West Moors A predictably ended up a 14-0 (85-57) win for the hosts. Brian Pond, Trevor Sams, Bob Penn and Alan Watts (24-13) shone brightest for the Carpetbaggers.

In another basement conflict, the hosts Moordown went down 13-1 to Redhill Park. Roy Saunders, Colin Bennett, Bob Dixon and Barry Sturgess (28-19) led the Redhill Rangers to an 80-57 victory.

• Branksome Park A extended their lead at the top of Section Four with an 11-3 win over Milford-on-Sea. Steve Flay, Reg Chick, Danny Newman and Tony Matthews (26-7) featured in the Squirrels’ 85-59 triumph.

Argyll stayed second after sharing rinks with Poole Park B. However, a 22-10 win by Bill Taylor, Colin Harrison, Mark Howard and John Roberts (22-10) assured the Cliff dwellers of an 84-77 victory.

Swanage overcame Wimborne 12-2, but the match was much closer than the points tally suggests. Ollie Thake, Sid Phillips, Dave Thomas and Terry Buck (20-15) led the Purbeck team to a 77-70 winning total.

Christchurch emerged 14-0 (90-52) winners over fellow strugglers Ferndown after Richard Reeks, Roger Thacker, Norman Webster and Colin Clark racked up a 32-9 score.

• Section Five leaders Southbourne B were cruising at Knyveton Gardens, until host skip Graham Broom recovered from 22-0 to lose only 26-20. However, skips Jim Hesford (26-20) and Dennis Cutler (24-18) steadied the ship to steer Southbourne to a 12-2 (87-85) win.

Broadstone-Wessex collected an 8-6 (92-79) victory at Ringwood after the combination of Alistair Swadel, Bernard Sturgess, Malcolm Peters and Alan Godwin (39-11) covered Ringwood’s three winning rinks.

Pelhams A moved into third spot after overcoming visitors Boscombe Cliff B 12-2 (87-68). Cliff, due to injury and shortage, finished with two three-rinkers. Pelhams’ top rink, Terry Wood, Rob Traxler, Charlie Loader and David Hilton, remained focus to win 25-11.5.

There were also 12 points for Redhill Park A who defeated Lymington A 96-65. Derek Savage, Ian Short, Gerry Heims-Bull and Alex Wood (28-11) were solid for the Rangers.

• Branksome Park B made it three Section Six victories in one day for the Squirrels with a 12-2 win over Richmond Park A. A mammoth 36-9 win from David Kirkham, Tony Wade, Richard Cooper and Roger Asprey laid the foundations for Branksome’s 105-69 victory.

Another equally huge score, 37-13 (including a hot shot) from Wilf Hulland, John Matthews, Rusty Wood and Scott Biden, made Southbourne’s 12-2 (102-66) win over Wimborne B inevitable.

Argyll, meanwhile, returned from Poole Park with 14 points. Argyll’s 77-55 winning total boasted a 21-11 return from Geoff Llewellyn, Barney Moss, Colin Jay and Derek Chance (21-11).

The mid-table clash between Iford Bridge A and Kings Park A finished 12-2 in favour of the Bridge. Fred Harwood’s quartet of Cyril Gould, Ron Hutchings and Digby Crane (28-10) hoisted Iford to a 98-55 victory.

Ferndown A dropped out of the top three after going down 10-4 (74-65) at home to Swanmore A. Top flight for the Swans was Mike Saunders, Roy Watson, Peter Holden and Eric Maidment (20-12).