Niblock three nicks victory

With three rinks completed West Moors were one down overall but on the day's final end Niblock captured a three to snatch a 74-72 success and 10 points against Knyveton Gardens.

John Frost, John Riddington, Chas Wake and Mike Burfield (25-14) were the West Moors leading lights though Niblock's men wiped out a 17-11 deficit for their 24-18 verdict against Martin Brierley.

Knyveton Gardens fought heart and soul with Eric Sole, fit-again Tony Tarrant, Deric Pritchard and Dave Hart (22-10) at the helm.

Despite being minus their Middleton Cup contingent Alexandra Park slammed table-toppers Southbourne 94-64 to collect 12 points thanks principally to a 30-12 scorcher from Alan Trevett, George Stevens, Dave Hodgkiss and Paul King. Bob Read, Richard Poole, John Challis and Dean Hopkins (22-15) banked the Southbourne points.

No Peter Ward, yet Ringwood fended off Bournemouth 10-4 (74-67). Richard Lawrence, Ray Ollis, Lee Croad and Roy Leake (22-9) ignited the Foresters while Bournemouth's Colin Bingley, Maurice Haynes, Vic Druce and Chris Dowding (23-17) scored five shots on the last two ends to foil a robust comeback from Derick Faulkner.

RON'S BACK SEAT

FORDINGBRIDGE lost ground in the Section Two promotion hunt when shaded 10-4 (79-76) at home by Boscombe Cliff A.

The hosts were some 20 shots ahead at tea but a pugnacious Boscombe comeback - plus the departure of B&D president Ron Barclay on 12 ends through a back injury - took its toll on the 'Bridge whose stalwarts were David Bradley, George Carter, Colin Ives and Derek Purse (25-13).

Richard Brion, Ricky Wrenn, John Cave and Keith Varley (28-8. adjusted from 28-10) were the pride of Boscombe.

Poole Park and Lymington are still locked at the top after both notched away-day 12-pointers, Poole 90-71 at Southbourne A and the Foresters 72-61 at Richmond Park.

Jim Garner, Barry Higgins, Ray Smith and Peter Wilson's 34-12 sizzler wrecked Southbourne who responded through a grand 31-14 show from Angus Kennedy, Malcolm Laird, Mike Newton and Paul Turner.

Ken Carter, Les Ford, Vernon Cox and Ken Streek (21-17) topped the Lymington effort though Craig Paterson, Alex Findlay, Mike Lodge and Dave Snow (20-14) fared even better for Richmond.

A 29-17 card from Mike Fay, Barrie Blake, Richard Haynes and Mike Harley kept Electric up with the leaders after a 12-2 (96-83) victory against Wessex whose sweetener was a 33-17 corker from Craig Baker, Brian White, Malcolm Peters and Chris Howard.

Mike Barrett, Brian Skyvington, John Bond and Nigel Bunton let rip 30-9 as Pelhams silenced Braeside 10-4 (90-74). John Phipps, Ian Cameron, Neil Rogers and Colin Moss (25-20) were the Braeside aces.

OLIVER STORMER

DOWN 11-5 Brian Oliver's foursome charged 20-11 ahead on 12 ends and finished 28-14 winners as Argyll polished off Knyveton Gardens A 10-4 (85-68) in Section Three. The other members of Oliver's army were Lloyd Hemming, John Hancock and David Cleave.

Terry Davis, Clive Gibbs, Ron Roberts and Peter Dorey (21-15) were Knyveton's king-pins.

Moordown surrendered pole position after tumbling 12-2 (85-62) at lowly but rejuvenated New Milton A whose driving-force was Gilbert Cooke, Jeff Bowes, Charlie Plows and Hugh Midgley (26-15). Norman Weller, Norman Long, Mike Sykes and Willi Droge (19-17) picked up Moordown's tit-bit.

Chris Quick, Jim Burgess, Dave Twinning and Dave Sexton (30-10) turned on the style for pacemakers Iford Bridge who undermined Kings Park 11-3 (94-70). Brian Opie, Alan Thompson, Ken Hill and Chris Brown scored a last-end three to snatch the Kings Park success 25-24.

Bolstered by Mike Rice, Malcolm Grace, Ken Wright and Stan Patch (25-13) Highcliffe edged their derby tussle 77-68 to net 10 points against Christchurch whose winning rinks were both 19-17 courtesy of Len Perkin, Roger Thacker, Tony Connor and Ken Dean as well as Joe Spicer, Ron Woodcock, Brian Graham and Bruce Glanville.

A 32-15 gem from Reg Jones, Geoff Judd, Joe Staddon and Tony Matthews laid the foundations for Branksome Park A's 12-pointer (95-72) against Swanage who retaliated through Mike Keats, Ted Curtis, David Billington and Norman Dames (25-17).

ERIC'S ENCORE

SKIP Eric Jones and his associates Les Blackmore, John Williams and Fred Wiseman produced a 35-8 dazzler when Section Four trailblazers Redhill Park squeezed in 82-81 to pocket eight points at Poole Park A.

It was a repeat performance from the Redhill quartet who had been top rink on the opening day of the season when Poole were thumped 14-0. This time not even taking three rinks could turn the tide for Poole whose best effort was a stirring 29-10 show from Chris Evripidou, Norman Austin, Howard Patch and John Potter.

West Moors A eased their relegation fears and increased those of basement-boys Bournemouth A by defeating the Meyrick Parkers 10-4 (80-74). Steve Riddington, Bill Archer, Albert Hewitt and Arthur Baxter (26-11) were the West Moors' sharp-shooters and Maurice Hinsley, John Hicks, Maurice Little and Ron Jeffrey (23-16) pepped Bournemouth.

Milford swamped Wimborne B 107-59 to claim 12 points with David Summers, Keith Jeakings, Don Henry and Allan Edmonds (28-9) and Roger Christie, Derek Newland, Roy Utton and Viv Bailey (27-8) in blistering form. Lee Tilson, Tony Skidmore, Terry Middleton and Colin Shew (26-18) comforted Wimborne.

A 32-12 blitz from Jim O'Brien, Jeff Sheppard, Mike Bull and Pat Day propelled Braeside A to their 12-pointer (86-61) against Ringwood A whose face-savers were Aubrey Howell, Arthur Waller, Fred Merritt and Peter Probyn (25-10).

Wessex A made it three wins on the bounce when accounting for Swanmore 12-2 (90-66). Adrian Van Coller, Norman Church, John Phelan and Roy Lench (28-11) were the Wessex magicians with Toni Norte, Colin Brooke, Eric Maidment and Tony Bullock (19-16) saving Swanmore from oblivion.

RISING FAST

IN-FORM Ferndown slashed Poole Park B's advantage at the head of Section Five to four points after demolishing the leaders 12-2 (89-57).

Alan Bradford, Tony Woods, Derek Brown and Bob Thorne (26-11) inspired Ferndown and Ron Banks, Ron Newbury, Bob Walford and Bill Ogden (24-18) comforted Poole.

Rex Randle, Barry Sturgess, Kevin Diment and Don Locke (32-14) were red-hot for Redhill Park in the 11-3 (98-72) eclipse of Kings Park A whose solitary winners were Dave Lockyer, Tony Bishop, John Monk and Barry Hiscock (22-20).

Guy Hosking, John Rawlings, Bryan Clay and John May (32-12) went on the rampage as Southbourne B sunk Richmond Park A 11-3 (94-69). Frank Smith, Frank Marsh, Brian Pearce and Brian Devine (28-16) cheered Richmond.

Ferndown A soothed their relegation plight with a 10-pointer (72-69) at Boscombe Cliff B. Doug Keer, Jim Baker, Fred Pope and Brian Roberts (20-10) tipped the verdict Ferndown's way despite Len Tetlow, Maurice Ballard, Brian Winmill and John Jupp (23-12) doing even better for Boscombe.

Another tight contest saw Pelhams A creep in 78-76 to smuggle 11 points away from Argyll A. Dereck Winters, Terry Hines, Charlie Loader and Mike Washington (22-17) did the business for Pelhams while Roy Ricketts, Russell Pegg, Ben Brown and Jim Sach (21-15) were Argyll's main men.

DOUBLING UP

TABLE-PROPPERS Branksome Park B, whose only other Section Six win was by a single shot, doubled that margin when sneaking in 81-79 to overcome Wimborne B 10-4.

Roy Traylor, Steve Flay, Roger Richardson and Wally Barker (24-14) heartened Branksome with Wimborne's bright sparks being Edwin Day, Les Parrock, Malcolm Bray and Geoff McKie (26-18).

Leaders Lymington A - humbled 14-0 at Wimborne the previous week - doled out a whitewash of their own (92-53) against Southbourne C. John Habbershaw, John Hall, Tom Read and Brian Marchant (24-13) and Ted Marks, Ron Crew, Geoff Nightingale and Ian Shiell (22-11) had the Foresters walking back to happiness.

Swanmore A needed just the 32-10 blockbuster from Cyril Collop, Ray Steuart, Harry Hales and Campbell Kinnon to tame New Milton B 8-6 (72-68). David Burden, Dave Cawte, Ken Craggs and Derek Tansley (22-11) were the Milton prize-guys.

Despite a 30-9 masterpiece from Colin Rattue, Robin Rutty, Ron Hutchings and Brian Levy Iford Bridge A buckled 12-2 (83-67) to Knyveton Gardens B for whom Adam Broom, Eric Jesty, Graham Broom and fit-again Brian Collick (31-9) were in irresistible form.

Those two rink scores were almost duplicated when West Moors B put the skids under Highcliffe A's promotion drive 12-2 (88-73). John Elliott, Frank Billett, Bert Sadler and John Savage (30-12) of West Moors went on the rampage with Peter Morgan, Ken Collier, Graham Davies and Peter Haworth (30-9) gorging themselves for Highcliffe.