B&D Women's League: Southbourne win back title

The main plaudits for Southbourne’s 50-34 success went to Jill Rankine, Isobel Walker, Liz Messer and Jan Dearling (28-15). Barbara Lunnun’s rink played the support role winning 22-19.

Richmond Park’s 5-1 points haul against Swanmore did not reflect how close the actual match was. Jean Beedie, Ann Devine, Pam Harrison and Jill Bryant fought off a late charge from Swans’ Gill Head to win 25-24. Meanwhile, Richmond’s Linda Johnson drew shot to level off 15-15 with her opponent Jenny Osborne.

Lymington settled for third spot after losing 40-37 at West Moors. Lymo skip Kay Richardson’s 21-14 was covered by the Moors combo of Anne McIntyre, Marion Wake, Maureen Burfield and Olive Freeman (26-16).

Broadstone-Wessex finished clear of the drop zone following their 6-0 (46-26) win at Redhill Park. Top return for the Wessex Girls was Monica Sturgess, Jeanne Abraham, Vanessa Smyth and Lyn Howard (24-16).

Relegated Ferndown closed with a double rink 44-30 triumph over Braeside.

• B Division champions Wimborne wound up their season with a 4-2 (46-44) win over New Milton. It was, for a change, the bridesmaids who stole the limelight with Minster’s June Stokes, Joy Chaldecott, Chris Sexton and Lorna Foreman (25-14) outscoring Milton’s Sheila Nicol (30-21).

Pelhams edged a 37-36 victory at Brockenhurst after Audrey Lewis, Audrey Judge, Mary Watts and Beth Roberts (21-15) just kept ahead of Brocks winning rink (21-16).

Milford-on Sea avoided the drop by defeating Highcliffe 4-2. Milford’s saviours were Judy Spooner, Barbara Newland, Carole Tearle and Chris Capron (31-8). Val Snook (23-19) salvaged two points for Highcliffe.

West Moors were plunged into relegation following their 6-0 (58-21) loss at Fordingbridge. Janet Norrish, Elsie Sanderson, Noreen Jones and Mary Wych blitzed the Moors into submission, winning 35-4.

Iford Bridge hit the day’s highest score, overcoming Kings Park 59-18. Sue Higgins, Margaret Avery, Linda Savage and Renee Stanger (34-8) did the main demolition job, backed up by Ann Sedgwick’s crew (25-10).

• C Division champions Richmond Park I finished well clear following their 4-2 win over already relegated Argyll. Sue Dillon, Pam Draper, Eileen Deadman and Lynda Gorf (28-7) featured in Richmond’s 43-23 winning tally.

Broadstone-Wessex, with a 6-0 win against Alexandra Park, sneaked through on the rails to snatch the second promotion spot. Veronica Ness, Val Rowberry, Maureen Day and Carole Bamford (25-13) were the main contributors to the Wessex Girls’ 48-29 victory.

A disappointed Southbourne had to settle for third spot as they could only muster four points from their match at Bournemouth. Sheila Cordes, Ann Laird, Judith Bliss and Gill Goodright (22-12) set up Southbourne’s 38-37, with Bournemouth’s Joan Belcher (25-16) denying the visitors a maximum haul.

Elsewhere Braeside and Richmond Park-2) finished with 6-0 and 4-2 wins over Branksome Park and Verwood respectively.

• Champions Poole Park rounded off their D Division season with a double rink win over Swanmore. Gill Brown, Floss Godsell, Muriel Coombes and Phyl Collis (24-10) starred in the Dolphins’ 42-25 triumph.

Moordown needed all six points from their match against relegated Ringwood to seal promotion. This they achieved as Liz Ed-munds, Erika Sykes, Gill Barron and Cathy France inspired Moordown to a 43-38 win.

A frustrated Pelhams also collected six points but had to settle for third spot after 39-29 victory over New Milton. Ann Barber, Maureen Barrett, Trish Kilminster and Val Charig (20-11) carded Pelhams’ top return.

Argyll join Ringwood in the big drop following their 4-2 (39-32) home defeat by Highcliffe. Rae Bragg, Juliette Cooke, Trish Leaver and Pat Stoveld were the winning combination for the Castle maidens.

Meanwhile Lymington settled for a mid-table finish with a 5-1 win over Broadstone-Wessex. Pam Shiell, Monica Glynn, Gillian Smith and Jean Stopp (30-12) paved the way for the Lymos’ 49-31 success.

• With promotion issues settled, promoted teams Shelley Park and Southbourne ended the E Division season in contrasting manners. Champions Shelley defeated Redhill Park 4-2 (34-29), consigning the Redhill ladies to the lower division. Shelley’s winners were Pam Bolt, Margaret Jeanmonod, Marion Stainer and Joan Smith (21-13).

Meanwhile, Southbourne took their foot off the gas when losing 45-34 at Christchurch. Top Priory return came from Anne Wilson, Val Keeping, Hilda Cummings and Mary Poore (22-14). Margaret Crisp’s packet (23-20) tidied up for the six points.

Braeside secured fourth place with a maximum haul when beating West Moors 43-37.

Branksome Park will be joining Redhill Park in the F Division, despite winning 4-2 at New Milton. Lyn Taylor, Gloria Burns, Jeanette Newman and Babs Shand (19-12) covered Milton’s Nancy Peckham (20-16).

Poole Park escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth after losing 4-2 at Pelhams. The important points were gained by Esther Prior’s quartet who won 26-16 in reply to Pelhams winning skip Joan Robins’ 26-14 success.

• Champions Kings Park wound up the F Division season with a 4-2 victory over Moordown. Royals’ squad of Vesta Monk, Jenny Moran, Diane Boreham and Joyce Clough (28-17) laid the foundations for their 39-37 win.

Swanmore popped up at the last moment to snatch the second promotion spot from Ferndown. A double-rink victory over Highcliffe was inspired by the Swans top flight of Merrilyn Holden, Isabell Barr, Beryl Brunsden and Pauline West (25-10), and backed up by Gill Bunce’s cygnets (21-15).

Branksome Park finished up with the ignominy of holding up the whole league, despite registering a 4-2 win over Ferndown. The 17-12 return from Carol Assal, Elaine Maher, Mari Buckman and Diane Reynolds covered Ferndown’s winning rink (20-17).

Milford-on-Sea settled in mid-table with a 38-24 triumph over Redhill Park. Stella Tompkins, Christine Newell, Chris Carter and Geraldine Somerton 26-11 finished clear of Redhill’s skip Mary Pearce (12.75-12).

Elsewhere New Milton conceded their match with Wimborne.