Southbourne got back on track in Section One after a 31-5 romp by Mike Newton, Bill Smith, Richard Poole and Brian Jones initiated a 10-4 (87-66) win over bottom club Electric. The Sparkies’ best return (19-11) came from Ray Cooke’s crew.

Due to Middleton Cup duties, Boscombe Cliff, for the third time this season, failed to fulfil their Saturday commitments and conceded 14 points to Wimborne.

Yet, despite having 17 players unavailable (due to Middleton Cup duties and holidays), Poole Park still fielded one Combination and four Premiership teams.

The Dolphins’ first-team maintained momentum with a 12-2 win at Branksome Park. The Squirrels were leading at tea, but Billy Shylock, Jack Smith, Paul Spetch and Peter Willet (23-11) spurred Poole to an 82-61 victory.

Third-placed Alexandra Park were made to fight hard for their 10-4 (67-62) win over visitors Ringwood. Derek Faulkner’s squad (18-11) topped the Foresters’ efforts, but Ian Napleton, Derek Ames and Daniel and Mark Tomberry settled the outcome with a convincing 25-10 tally.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, completed the double over Knyveton Gardens with a 91-83 (8-6) triumph. A sizzling 41-19 score from Ian Rawlinson, John Morris, Vic Druce and Roy Bray covered Knyveton’s three winning rinks.

SECTION TWO

New Milton extended their lead with a 12-2 victory at Poole Park. John Hobby’s rink (23-22) denied the visitors a clean sweep, but Stan Bolding, Alan Davis, Chris Tabor and John Nibloe (25-18) secured New Milton’s 87-69 win.

West Moors were left shell-shocked after a smash-and-grab raid saw Fordingbridge run off with a 12- point haul. Brian Waldman, Norman Norrish, Brian Cuckson and Ron Barclay (38-18) spearheaded the Turks’ 107-57 success.

Pelhams avenged their early-season 14-0 defeat at Braeside with their own four-rink win over the Carpetbaggers. Dave Madgewick, Andrew Hickson, Arthur Toms and John Watts (29-9) shone in Pelhams’ 100-58 winning score.

The clash at Broadstone-Wessex resulted in last-end drama, with Lymington skip Ken Streek collecting five shots to give Lymo an 86-85 (10-4) victory. Streek’s opposite number, Roy Lench, would have felt hard done by as his rink won 32-21.

Elsewhere, Kings Park moved off the bottom with a 74-66 win over Southbourne, with Bill Safe, Bob Brunton Ray Williams and Dennis Moss (21-11) the pick of the Royals’ three winning rinks.

SECTION THREE

The Bastion of Braeside is crumbling following last week’s first-team defeat, with the A team also crashing to defeat at home.

Knyveton Gardens A returned from the magic carpet with 11 points after skips Russell Foote (25-9) and Steve Hack (27-11) shared the glory in the 87-68 win.

New leaders Redhill Park also collected 11 points in their home win over Moordown. Terry Horgan’s heroes Doug Horne, Roger Luscombe and Roy Sargeant (25-10) earned their stripes in Redhill’s 77-59 victory.

Boscombe Cliff captain Keith Varley, meanwhile, gained three last-end shots to tie his rink 19-19 and, ultimately, land a 77-75 (9-5) win against Swanage. Tony Gabb’s quartet (24-16) were the backbone of the Cliff’s success.

Branksome Park A’s three winning rinks at Swanmore failed to cover the 29-8 by Geoff Simmonds, Tony Norte, Dennis Durnford and Barry Coates, handing the Swans an 8-6 (83-69) win.

Elsewhere, the basement battle at Richmond Park resulted in the 10-4 defeat of Iford Bridge with Tony Lipscombe, Richard Prowse, Dennis Dymott and Wally Draper (33-10) the architects of HQ’s 87-61 conquest.

SECTION FOUR

Trailblazers West Moors needed three winning rinks to cover Milford-on-Sea skip Dave Hall (31-10). Steve Riddington, Bill Archer, Peter Cookson and Arthur Baxter (26-17) top scored in the Moors’ 74-72 win.

Second-placed Highcliffe also recorded an away victory, winning 10-4 (92-69) at Bournemouth as Trevor Walsh, Bill Watson, Jim Wilson and John Irons (30-9) once again took top honours.

At Christchurch, the host combination of Richard Reekes, Brian Wilson, Terry Connor and Mike Poore (29-18) fought, and survived, a lone battle against Argyll’s three winning rinks, with the Priory emerging as 75-73 winners.

Poole Park B’s aspirations, however, suffered a setback with a 10-4 defeat at New Milton. In a close finish, the 26-13 win by Brian Gordon, Richard Silcock, Ken Cooper and Bob Burns proved crucial in the 76-75 total.

Broadstone-Wessex, meanwhile, edged a 73-72 win at Ringwood. The top-scorers in Wessex’s 10-4 haul were Nick Nichols, Dave Simmons, Bernard Sturgess and Alan Goodwin (23-17).

SECTION FIVE

Wimborne made it 10 out of 10 with a four-rink demolition job at New Milton. Reg Perrior, Brian Wilkins, Terry Middleton and Brian Gooch set the standard, contributing 32-11 to the winning total of 112-50.

Second-placed Ferndown, meanwhile, eased to a 12-2 (86-64) success over lowly Pelhams A, with Harry Greenhalgh, Tony Woods, Neil Bennett and Ron Taylor (30-16) the Stags’ stalwarts.

Southbourne recovered from being 32-53 down against Kings Park to win 86-74 (12-2). Bob Pardy, Graham Kerwood, Dennis Heath and Dennis Simpson (22-11) were the pick of the hosts’ winning rinks.

Elsewhere, Eric Jesty, Keith Hughes, Ray Palmer and Ray Elrick (31-7) top-scored for Knyveton Gardens A in their 11-3 (88-69) win over bottom club Richmond Park A. John Deacon’s quartet (28-11) shone through.

Boscombe Cliff” B, meanwhile, and thrashed Redhill Park A on four rinks, with Dave Fawcett, Hugh Sissons, Frank Wells and Brian Frith (34-13) top-scoring in the Cliff’s 96-67 win.

SECTION SIX

Leaders Lymington A scored a 12-2 win over Wimborne B thanks to Richard Nunn, Peter Rolph, Ken Farrar and Terry Green (37-10), who excelled in Lymo’s 93-65 victory.

Poole Park C shared rinks with Branskome Park B after Bob Wilson’s crew of Dave Pearce, Ian Palmer and Jim Moon 28-14 shone brightly in the Dolphins’ winning total of 83-81.

Ferndown skip Brian Roberts (19-19) denied Highcliffe all 14 points. In a tight game, Highcliffe skips Brian Giltrow and Peter Haworth both carded 22-17 scores in their team’s 89-76 triumph.

Swanmore, meanwhile, came a cropper at Argyll, where Arthur Lawrence, Rob Howie, John Crowe and Ben Brown (22-13) led the hosts to a 12-2 (80-65) victory.

Finally, Iford Bridge sent Southbourne back to the tower with just two points courtesy of Reg Everitt’s rink (25-17). Alfred Adams, Ted Sedgewick, Ron Hutchinson and Ron Morris (21-12) starred in the 12-2 (78-71) win.