Two teams from St Andrews Bowls Club notched up impressive away victories over Ilminster on successive days last weekend.

Dave Fairhurst, Darrell Johnston, Phil Villis and Barrie Forse edged a tense encounter by one shot to reach the final of the Somerset County fours championship.

After a nip-and-tuck match, they were leading by two and holding shot on the last end when Ilminster captain Jason Miles fired and hit the target, but earned his team only one shot.

This put the St Andrews team through to the final in April against either Street or another Ilminster team.

On Saturday, Johnston, Villis and Forse, this time joined by veteran Don Bailey, travelled to Ilminster again for the area semi-final of the national over-60 fours.

With Johnston, usually a skip, in the unfamiliar position of lead, the St Andrews team always had the edge and a five at a crucial time enabled them to cruise home by 13 shots. Their area final opponents will be a Dorchester team skipped by Ged Costello.

The all-conquering Clarrie Dunbar club, who had reached the national Denny Plate final on the previous day, provided daunting opposition for St Andrews in the Wessex League on Sunday.

With a depleted team, Saints lost their unbeaten record in emphatic fashion, with Tim Wyatt, Don Bailey, Dave Fairhurst and Si Angove earning their solitary point with a draw at home.

However, they held onto second place in the table after rivals North Wilts suffered a shock defeat by Nailsea, whom Saints had beaten comfortably the previous week.

Results - Wessex League, Clarrie Dunbar 125 (15 points) St Andrews 52 (1): home: L Fisher, R Stone, P Villis, L Stocker 18-25; T Wyatt, D Bailey, D Fairhurst, S Angove 18-18; away: R Venn, M Fry, K Curtis, B Forse 10-44; M Ford, S Browning, G Millard, D Johnston 6-38.

National men’s over-60 fours area semi-final: C Robinson, K Hamilton, P Denslow, W Anderson (Ilminster) 10 D Johnston, D Bailey, P Villis, B Forse (St Andrews) 23.

Somerset men’s fours semi-final: G Miles, L Hembrow, P Denslow, J Miles (Ilminster) 19, D Fairhurst, D Johnston, P Villis, B Forse (St Andrews) 20.