St Andrews lost narrowly to Clevedon in a national mixed competition for the second time in a month.

This time, it was in the four-rink Egham Trophy, with Saints just falling short in a match that was close throughout.

Clevedon fielded both their current women’s outdoor champions, while Saints’ national indoor champion Becky McMillan skipped one of the home rinks.

For most of the game, Clevedon just had the edge, as their away rinks kept within touch. Saints’ away teams struggled on the slow Clevedon rink.

However, in the closing stages, Barrie Forse’s away rink scored seven shots in two ends and, suddenly, Saints were within six of Clevedon. Then the other away rink dropped a penultimate-end five and, despite the home teams winning by a total of four, Clevedon ran out winners by ten shots.

Saints’ players Anthony Page, Si Angove and Craig Walker played on a winning rink as Somerset beat Dorset by ten shots in the national inter-county Liberty Trophy at Poole. The Somerset team manager is another Saints’ member George Webber.

National Egham Trophy first round: Clevedon 77, St Andrews 67. Home – A Page, T Wyatt, Jean Whittaker, Becky McMillan 17-16; Judy Forse, Gloria Holborow, S Stocker, L Stocker 22-18. Away – Jude Alder, Marie McMillan, D Fairhurst, B Forse 13-22; Mo Millard, Jackie Pitman, S Davies, P Villis 15-21.