FOLLOWING Southbourne’s 6-0 home defeat by Richmond Park, only four points separate the top four in A Division. Jean Beedie, Dorothy Borthwick, Pam Harrison and Jill Bryant (23-13) combined with Muriel Groves’s quartet (19-11) to land Richmond a 42-24 win over the leaders.

Swanmore took over second spot after their 45-24 victory at Ferndown. Julie Hudson, Linda Pocknell, Sandra Simmonds and Gill Head (28-12) glided in with Jenny Osborne’s rink (17-12) to earn the Swans six points.

Poole Park settled for four points in their match at Redhill Park. The Dolphin combination of Kris Saunders, Wendy Hardy, Mo Mowlam and Penny Cresswell (18-15) covered host skip Ethel Hanlon (16.5- 15).

Lymington remained in the title chase following their 37.5-30 triumph at Broadstone-Wessex. Another triple under the guidance of Kay Richardson (16.5-14) gave Lymo a maximum haul after Joan Geddes, Ngaio Mapes Jenny Lawford and Angela Eldridge (21-16) won.

Braeside crashed to a 41-29 defeat at nearby West Moors. Mavis Riddington’s combo of Val Baxter, Judith Miles and Pat Chant hit the high notes to win 23-16. Janet Price (18-16) made it six points for the Moors.

• Wimborne continued to set the pace in B Division by overcoming visitors Fordingbridge on both rinks. Minster skips Elaine Campbell and Lorna Foreman both won by eight shots, 25-17 and 22-14 respectively.

Pelhams’ 6-0 defeat at Highcliffe was much closer than the points tally suggests. The hosts were made to fight all the way, but Janet Emerson (21-19) and Val Snook (17-15) held on to steer Highcliffe to a 38-34 victory.

Kings Park, meanwhile, collected six points from their encounter against Milford-on-Sea. Val Goodwin, June Wright, Pauline Harris and Ann Ashcroft (22-8) laid the foundations for Kings Park’s 43-23 win.

Points gained kept both teams out of the drop zone when New Milton overcame Iford Bridge 4-2. Milton’s Sheila Godwin, Brenda Davis, Sandy Elder and Wendy Reed (22-15) covered Iford’s Renee Stanger (19-15).

Brockenhurst’s woes continued following their 42-32 defeat by West Moors. Ann Savage, Carole Wright, Jill Archer and Barbara Tite (21-14), backed by Olive Freeman’s squad (21-18), made it a Moors full house.

• Richmond Park I increased their lead at the top of C Division with a 6-0 (49-42) win over Branksome Park. Mary Ridout, Hildene Remnant, Mary Lucas and Brenda Streater (27-23) shared the honours with Eileen Deadman (22-19).

Southbourne reclaimed second place after both rinks collected last-end shots to level their match at Verwood 34-34. Southbourne’s winning quartet (20-19) of Maureen Chadwick, Maureen Elkin, Pam McKenna and Judith Bliss were matched by Eileen Wood, Jan Wareham, Chris Mills and Jan Stern.

Broadstone-Wessex, courtesy of Sally Rowe (18-11), could only muster two points from their match at Braeside. Sheila Watts, Mary Southgate, Joy Oliver and Janet Beard (26-9) kept the Carpetbaggers ahead.

Bournemouth secured C Division status when overcoming Alexandra Park 6-0 (35.75-29). Belles’ top rink was Gill Hughes, June Little, Brenda Halliday and Joan Cox (17-13).

Elsewhere, Richmond Park II pulled out of the drop zone with a 6-0 (41-30) win at Argyll. Richmond’s return came from Vena Paris, Marie Crone, Joy Spencer and Trish Gray (22-16).

• D Division leaders Poole Park strengthened their position with a 4-2 win over Highcliffe. Rosemary Stainer, Fay Bowering, Joan Eales and Gwyneth Foord (30-12) set up the Dolphins’ 41-35 triumph.

Moordown, meanwhile, retained second spot following their 40-38 triumph over promotion hopefuls Swanmore. In a tight finish, Cathy Hayes’s cygnets (23-16) were outgunned by Moordown’s Liz Edmunds, Erika Sykes, Gill Barron and Cathy France (24-15).

Pelhams’ Maureen Barrett, Trish Kilminster, Ann Barber and Val Charig (29-9) combined with Jean Perry’s quartet (19-12) to win all six points against Argyll.

Lymington kept their slim hopes of promotion alive with a 4-2 win over New Milton. Pam Shiell, Hazel Yerby, Ann Coles and Jean Stopp (25-17) covered Milton’s Jo Craggs (19-15).

Broadstone-Wessex moved out of the drop-zone after their 4-2 victory over Ringwood. Foresters’ skip Mary MacArthur (20-18) fell short of the 23-11 return posted by Peggy Friberg.

• Shelley Park and Southbourne are closing in on consecutive promotions following respective 4-2 wins over Branksome Park and Redhill Park in E Division. Shelley’s mainstay in their 42-31 victory was Edna Lee, Barbara Graves, Angela Roy and Sue Perkins (28-13). Southbourne’s pin-ups in their 42-26.25 success were Suzanne Ager, Marilyn Weigh, Jean Telford and Maureen Taylor (26-9).

Braeside received a setback when they lost 6-0 at Pelhams. The Kinson ladies, inspired by Gill Woadden, Sheila Tibbles, Janet Fish and Stella Feltham (31-10), clocked up the highest score of the day winning 58-23.

New Milton dropped into the relegation tussle after losing 44-22 to West Moors. Pauline Jepson’s combo of Nancy Brown, Trish Quick and Sue Bird flew in to win 26-12 and set up the visitors’ third 6-0 haul of the day.

Poole Park suffered a 49-33 mauling by Christchurch, spearheaded by Anne Wilson, Val Keeping, Hilda Cummings and Mary Poore (31-13).

• Kings Park extended their lead to 11 points in F Division following a 6-0 victory at Branksome Park. Top honours in the Royals’ 51-23 win went to Michelle Higham, Peggy Phillpotts, Laura Kitcher and Mo Smith (28-9).

Ferndown remained second despite going down 4-2 at Milford-on-Sea. Visiting skip Mary Harris gained a last-end 18-17 win to deny the Seasiders a full quota after Jill Blakeley, Christina Newell, Chrystal Carter and Su Pitts won 23-20.

Moordown took six points from New Milton. The main contributors to Moordown’s 41-25 winning total were Barbara Read, Barbara Roles, Sue Smith and Sue Speight (26-11).

Swanmore losing skip Pauline West (15-19) came up trumps on the last end to earn her team a 4-2 win at Wimborne, after team-mates Gwen Skinner, Marilyn Wolff, Sonja Cross and Gill Bunce carded a 19-14 win.

Highcliffe moved off of the bottom rung after scoring a 4-2 victory at Redhill Park. Top return in the Castle maidens’ 36-24.75 win came from Maureen Wilson, Brenda Brian, Jenny Ford and Tessa Hunt (24-9).