Clarence start their Weston Indoor Mixed League season with a 21-shot defeat by champions St Andrews.

CLARENCE made a belated start to their Weston Indoor Mixed League season with a 21-shot defeat by champions St Andrews.

Their two away rinks found it difficult to adjust to the fast St Andrews’ surface. However, Clarence did manage one rink victory, by Jim Keay, Pat Taylor, Jan Bishop and Andy McMillan, who scored 10 shots on the last two ends to win by nine at home.

Clarence rinks - home – R McMillan, S Phelps, V Jones, C Read 8-19; J Keay, P Taylor, J Bishop, A McMillan 21-12. Away: P Burrough, G Aldridge, D Jackman, D Stott 8-21; M Edlin, T Mannion, G Cooper, R Burrough 11-17.

A six-point victory by Roger Burrough’s rink helped Clarence mixed team to avenge an early-season away defeat by the Bridgwater club in a friendly at Clarence.

Trevor Ward’s four battled well, restricting their strong opponents to a one-shot win, which gave Clarence victory by 25-20.

Clarence rinks: M Edlin, V Jones, J Bishop, R Burrough 15-9; I Hicks, A Bishop, P Burrough, T Ward 10-11.

ST ANDREWS managed to win their second game in the Weston Mixed League, despite the opposition only playing one lady in the away rinks.

In the mixed friendly against Puriton, Saints were not as successful despite winning on two of the three rinks.

St Andrews 69, Clarence 49 (Weston Mixed League): J Forse, J Smith, R Smith, P Villis 21-8; P Uglow, M Simpson, L Blight, T Thomas 17-12; L Woodrow, C Robinson, K Rodgers, E Hooper 19-8; M Cordwell, MA Cordwell, D Johnston, B Roberts 12-21.

St Andrews 49, Puriton 55 (mixed friendly): C Riley, B Perkins, I Tofte, B Roberts 17-16; I Hicks, A Greenwood, M Cordwell, B Ennis 13-22; MA Cordwell, A Cooper, B Alden, G Tofte 19-17.

IN this first Somerset League game of the season, Woodspring played local rivals Victoria.

Unfortunately for Woodspring, they were outplayed on three of the four rinks played. The only successful rink was skipped by Jim Fairhurst ably supported by George Fews, David Fairhurst and Bob Hadley who won by three shots.

One of the home rinks skipped by Derek Hurst were all square at 9-9 after 10 ends, but were 9-18 down at 15 ends and went on to go down 17-20. Tony Williams was skip on the other home rink but went down by 12 shots.

It was a different story on the last away rink to be played with Mike Reeves rink being 12-10 up after 10 ends, but only managed two more shots in the next 11 ends to lose 14-33.

Woodspring 63, Victoria 94 – home: J Watson, P Gaulton, P Fisher, D Hurst 17-20; R Tasker, D Norville, G Finnegan, A Williams 10-28. Away: G Fews, D Fairhurst, B Hadley, J Fairhurst 22-19; D Urch, D Cooper, M Hedges, M Reeves 14-33.

In the second of the Weston Mixed League games, Woodspring came second to Victoria winning on only one rink, skipped by Gordon Russell. The other three rinks went down heavily.

Woodspring 36, Victoria 69 - home rinks: N Urch, A Fews, G Fews, G Russell 17-13; D Urch, S Collard, R Bryant, D Bleasedale 8-18. Away rinks: G Sansam, J Sansam, N Coombes, C Hedges 8-20; M Sell, P Gaulton, J Beat, M Brummell 3-18.

A mixed friendly was played at Wedmore and on the rink skipped by Gordon Russell, it was all square on the 10th end, before Woodspring pulled away to win by 15 shots.

On the rink skipped by Brian Noyes, it was all square on the 13th end, but Wedmore went ahead to win by seven shots. Overall Woodspring won by eight shots.

Wedmore 34, Woodspring 42: S Noyes S Collard R Bryant G Russell 29-14; J Sansam B Collard J Beat B Noyes 13-20.