Alex face a Cliff-hanger!

The Section One leaders clash at Woodland Avenue on Saturday with reigning kings Boscombe Cliff 11 points clear at the top and red-hot favourites to clinch their sixth consecutive title.

The host club need to win just a single rink to retain the crown but Alex - champions in 1997 - can snatch the honours if they score 13 points and though it is a big ask the Parkstone men are determined that Boscombe Cliff will not have an easy ride.

Alex kept in the hunt with a 12-2 (85-75) haul against Wimborne. Although Alan Burden, Bob Turnbull, Pat Ravelin and Mike Stapleton (26-12) were their leading lights, Alex were also indebted to Mark Wanklyn for scoring six shots on his final two ends to triumph 20-18.

John Humber, Andy Paulley, Gary Koch and Brian Shepherd (25-18) stimulated Wimborne.

Boscombe Cliff, beaten by a single shot at Ringwood in June, gained revenge 10-4 (80-71). Graham Matthews, Bernie Vallis, Colin Garment and Russell Morgan (27-11) put Boscombe in the driving seat with Richard Lawrence, Arthur Waller, Mike Vogt and Peter Ward (25-19) the Ringwood sharp-shooters.

Southbourne's title chance vanished in a 10-4 (89-82) setback at Branksome Park whose fab four were John Pinson, Hector Binding, Alan Attwood and Graham Mould (24-18). Derek Painter, Bill Smith, Frank Warren and Forrest Thomson (22-21) captured six shots on the final two ends against Mike Grimsdale to gain two Southbourne points.

Chris Eames, Roy Bray, Terry Chivers and Graham Shadwell (24-10) sparkled when Bournemouth outgunned Knyveton Gardens 12-2 (79-71), Eric Sole, Tony Tarrant, Deric Pritchard and Dave Hart (23-13) sparing the Knyveton blushes.

New Milton nicked the basement battle 8-6 (73-72) against West Moors courtesy of a 23-13 show from Stan Bolding, Bob Shepperdley, Tony Reed and Bill Wallace. Peter Langford, Charles Morris, Mike Burfield and Ray Hunt (22-18) topped the West Moors effort.

MAC-NIFICENT POOLE POOLE Park only need avoid defeat in their last fixture at home to Boscombe Cliff A to return to the top flight as Section Two champions.

The table-toppers took a major step forward with a 12-2 (76-70) victory over closest challengers Lymington. Poole were led by a 23-13 display from Bob Lemar, John Hobby, Clive Fawkes and Alec McKenzie, even though Jim McGreavy, Ken Carter, Vernon Cox and Ken Streek (26-12) fared even better for the Foresters.

Electric can also go up - they host Lymington on Saturday - and the Sparks showed their prowess by whitewashing Pelhams 94-62 with Michael Fay, Brian McCoy, Richard Haynes and Mike Harley (31-9) in full cry. Peter Cutts, Noel Pennington, Paul Potter and Les Rogerson (19-15) gave sturdy support.

David Bradley, Cyril Copp, Des Jarvis and Derek Purse (25-16) were the chief architects of Fordingbridge's 10-4 (79-67) win at relegation-haunted Braeside whose best response stemmed from Ted Spiby, Ray Southgate, John Tulley and Ken Riley (16-14).

It will be dog eat dog when Pelhams host Southbourne A on Saturday with the losers almost certainly doomed to the drop. Southbourne boosted their survival chances 12-2 (92-68) against cellar-dwellers Richmond Park.

Derek Chapman, Malcolm Laird, Mike Newton and Paul Turner enjoyed a 31-10 romp for the Seafield Gardeners while Vittorio Gariano, Roger Cookson, Brian Hacker and Wally Draper (20-16) seized the Richmond points.

Although Les Brown, John Phelan, Malcolm Peters and Chris Howard (24-13) posted the game's best score, Wessex stumbled 12-2 (86-80) to Boscombe Cliff A whose high-flyers were Peter Gregory, Bill Ashworth, Mike Proctor and Tony Gabb (26-18).

HEANEY'S HEROES BRANKSOME Park A kept their Section Three promotion dream bubbling with a 12-2 (89-74) eclipse of Kings Park with Tony Jennings, Martin Goss, Alan Parram and Nigel Heaney's 30-12 belter making the difference.

Seton Smith, Brian Wrightson, John Challis and Ian Davies (27-16) propped up Kings Park.

Branksome's hopes live on since second-placed Swanage faltered 10-4 (76-72) at home to champions Iford Bridge whose trail-blazers were John Millett, Bob Whitaker, Gordon Greenwood and John Turgel (25-13).

A 33-12 corker from Richard Reeks, Bill Whitcher, Ron Wood-cock and Ray Williams was the highlight of Christchurch's 12-2 (90-63) verdict against New Milton A who were consoled by John Drake, Eric Ridge, Hugh Midgley and Mike Akerman (20-19).

Highcliffe are safe despite succumbing to Knyveton Gardens A whose 10-4 (73-69) victory was not enough to save them from relegation. Mike Rice, Mike Luker, Ken Wright and Stan Patch (20-15) fortified Highcliffe with Peter Frampton, Clive Gibbs, Biddy Parkinson and Russell Foote (24-14) firing Knyveton.

John Palmer, Alan Richardson, John Long and Gary Menday (21-13) were the star performers of Moordown's 11-3 (78-71) comeback after the team trailed by 15 shots overall at tea to Argyll whose sole winners were Lloyd Hemming, Don Hawkins, Ken Budd and Peter Kingdom (21-12).

WESSEX ON A HIGH WESSEX A sealed their rise from Section Four with a 12-pointer (81-67) at Bournemouth A. Alan Brittain, Ashley Leaper, David Edwards and Gordon Tompsett (26-11) bolstered Wessex while Jeff Gordon, Bill Sadler, John Barclay and Ralph Johns (24-10) cheered Bournemouth.

West Moors A touched the ton after a 30-7 sparkler from Steve Riddington, Bill Archer, Mike Tappenden and Arthur Baxter helped polish off neighbours Braeside A 12-2 (100-69). Trevor Sams, John Green, Dave Watson and Alan Watts (29-14) put a smile on Braeside faces.

Mike Pearson, Ron Gowan, Cyril Baker and John Field (27-8) indulged themselves as Swanmore thumped Ringwood A 13-1 (98-52).

Champions Redhill Park kept their foot on the gas with a 10-4 (73-66) show at Wimborne A. Dave Mould, Arthur Saunders, Bob Kitchenham and Terry Horgan (22-11) were Redhill's magicians while the evergreens John Gibbons and Pat Pearce along with Roger Gallup and Percy Swinson (21-17) were the Wimborne stalwarts.

Derek Addis, Roger Tidby, Richard Sawyer and Norman Austin (24-10) were on song when Poole Park A trimmed Milford 10-4 (80-64), John Pugh, Colin Baker, Gary Kirby and Rod Somerton (27-20) shining for the seasiders.

UPS AND DOWNS FERNDOWN confirmed themselves as Section Five champions - and virtually condemned their own A team to relegation with a 12-2 (98-72) victory in the internal club encounter.

Doug Rosson, Tony Woods, Eddie Moors and Bob Thorne (32-15) were the first-team maestros and Bill Pentelow, Jim Baker, Ron Haywood and Brian Roberts (25-20) battled bravely for the A-stringers.

Richmond Park A look like cheating relegation after a 12-pointer (97-69) against Kings Park A. Mike Baker, Harry Lewis, Brian Pearce and Brian Devine (28-14) topped the Rich list with Bill Broomfield, Brian Opie, Mike Smith and Andy Darch (22-20) saving Kings from oblivion.

After two 14-0 sprees Poole Park B crashed back to earth in a 12-2 (80-64) reverse at Pelhams A whose bravehearts were Derck Winters, Jim Widdicombe, Terry Hines and John Eldridge (27-15). Dave Dean, Roy Turgoose, Gary Sheppard and Ernie Kendrick (21-17) rescued promoted Poole.

The solitary 28-11 win of Charles Worrell, Ken Bolt, John Coles and John Morris steered Boscombe Cliff B to a 9-5 (83-78) success at Argyll A who were best served by Roy Ricketts, Tony Jones, Geoff Halstead and Jim Sach (27-15).

Southbourne B, humbled at Poole the previous week, bounced back with a 12-2 (86-63) hiding of Redhill Park A. Guy Hosking, Martin Sheppard, Peter Gower and Dennis Cutler (27-17) were the Southbourne prize-guys and Rex Randle, Barry Sturgess, Don Locke and Pat Kellaway (19-14) collected the crumbs for Redhill.

LEADERS WOBBLE THERE were shocks at the Section Six summit with champions-elect Knyveton Gardens B shattered 14-0 (104-64) at Southbourne C and second-placed Highcliffe A demolished 10-4 (83-68) by neighbours New Milton B.

John Baillie, Frank Davis, Eric Gillet and Ian Munch (31-13) and Colin Watson, Ralph West, Jeff Bliss and Scott Biden (29-18) ran riot for Southbourne.

Chas Dormer, Frank Selves, Reg Boughton and Paul Robins (24-14) inspired New Milton with Ken Collier, David Grindon, Peter Loffler and Bryan Giltrow (22-20) keeping Highcliffe heads above water.

Highcliffe's demise gives Lymington A a squeak of promotion after they slammed whippers-in Iford Bridge A 12-2 (82-67). Bill Merrett, John de Jersey, Ken Farrar and Terry Green (27-16) lifted Lymington and Geoff Gunn, Kevin Hilliard, Mike Brunsdon and Robin Rutty (21-19) got Iford's reward.

One shot made all the difference when Branksome Park B pipped Swanmore A 84-83 to collect 12 points. Colin Taylor, Peter Hayward, John Freeborn and John Roberts (24-11) were the Branksome aces with John Smith, Harry Hales, Alan Leggatt and Campbell Kinnon (33-12) resplendent for Swanmore.

Spearheaded by Doug Lewis, Cliff O'Brien, Alan Garland and Bill Foreman (24-12), Wimborne B silenced West Moors B 10-4 (82-79).