St Andrews can hold their heads high despite losing by 10 shots to Erewash in the Wessex League play-off semi-final at Oxford City & County on Sunday.

Saints made a slow start and were 17 shots down after only three ends.

But once they adjusted to the fast-paced green, they matched the impressive Nottinghamshire side and, just after the halfway stage, there was only two shots in it.

An enthralling match in a terrific atmosphere, generated by the two sets of supporters, looked like going to the wire until, having been five down after 16 of 21 scheduled ends, a couple of Saints’ rinks began to leak shots.

With the four-hour time limit approaching, St Andrews kept battling and a brilliant weighted shot by Jack Angove earned his rink a one-shot victory.

Then, after the jack had been fired into the ditch, Lee Stocker drew two perfect bowls to the edge, earning his team the win by two.

Saints’ other rinks did well against skilful opponents as Darrell Johnston was level after 14 ends then lost by five.

Richard Withers, deputising at skip for Covid victim Phil Villis, came back from 8-1 down to be just one behind but they could not score again.

Saints’ captain Denis Holborow said: “What a day! The boys were brilliant and so were the supporters. We have never got this far before in the Wessex League and I want to thank everyone who contributed. I am a very proud captain.”

The day before saw a depleted St Andrews team lose by 19 shots in their Somerset League semi-final against Ilminster, who avenged their 2019-20 semi-final loss.

Darrell Johnston’s home rink were 16-0 down after eight ends, giving Saints a mountain to climb, as Sam Stocker’s away rink were always struggling.

Eventually, Lee Stocker won by 10 and Barrie Forse by 11, which was more than cancelled out by heavy defeats on the other two rinks.

St Andrews players are bidding for titles in this weekend’s county championship finals at Taunton Deane, as Sam Stocker plays Ilminster’s Oli Collins in the under-25 singles final.

Dave Fairhurst, Forse, Phil Villis and Darrell Johnston face a Street quartet in the fours final at the same 10am start time.

Results, Wessex League play-off semi-final, Erewash 74 St Andrews 64: L Fisher, G Wride, B Forse, R Withers 12-20; M Campbell, R Venn, D Bailey, D Johnston 14-19; T Wyatt, D Fairhurst, S Stocker, L Stocker 21-19; M Fry, A McMillan, S Angove, J Angove 17-16.

Somerset League semi-final, Ilminster 81 St Andrews 62: home: L Fisher, A McMillan, G Wride, L Stocker 23-13; N Bassett, G Hodge, D Bailey, D Johnston 9-27; away: M Fry, G Cooper, K Uglow, S Stocker 8-30; M Campbell, R Venn, D Fairhurst, B Forse 22-11.

Club women’s singles championship final: R McMillan 21 G Holborow 5.