OAKLEY BOW OUT OF NATIONAL TOP CLUB

With both sides having different faces from the previous year's meetings, a close encounter always seemed possible as this morning Oakley travelled to Cove for their National Top Club competition. The first of the 5 points on offer was picked up by Cove as Ric Newson went down to a 9-16 defeat to Ian Taylor in the Two Wood Singles but Martin Vickers tied up the match with an excellent 21-11 victory over Joe Sharp in the Singles. The Triple of Martin Smith, Spencer Kerley and Bob Goodyear struggled throughout the match and 10-19 down at 16 ends their point was conceded after losing the 17th end. Oakley now needed to win both remaining disciplines and when the Four of Steve Devonish, Jim Dixon, Malcolm Grime and Sean Lassman, who had led throughout against Jim Marsland's rink, clinched their point with a 16-9 win, all the attention turned to the Pairs. Gerald Norris and Graham Tompkins had trailed 10-15 at 11 ends but they pulled back and as the 17th end came to a close Oakley seemed likely to go into the final end either level or one shot up. It was not to be. A brilliant last bowl from opposing skip Wayne Reed meant Oakley, on the last end, needed a four to win the match or a three to take it to an extra end shoot out. Try, as they did the Pair could only manage two shots losing their match 18-19 and meaning Cove won overall by 3 points to 2.