St Andrews’ members thoroughly enjoyed the club’s inaugural premier threes competition.

MEMBERS of St Andrews thoroughly enjoyed the club’s inaugural premier threes competition.

Organised by indoor section secretary Ken Uglow, it featured 12 players, in three round-robin groups of four, playing three-end singles matches with three woods each.

The quickfire format produced three group winners, Jim Keay, Barrie Forse and Ann Campbell, with Judy Forse also qualifying for the semi-finals as best runner-up.

Because of time constraints, the semi-finals and final were reduced to just one end per game and the eventual winner was Barrie Forse, who pipped wife Judy in the final.

The only player to beat Barrie Forse was George Cooper, in a one-end shoot-out.

The afternoon was such a success that it will probably be repeated and a similar format may also be used for a pairs competition.

Andrew Owens, of St Andrews, the former English outdoor two-wood singles champion, is making good progress in three national indoor competitions.

He and clubmate Craig Walker beat a Taunton Deane duo 20-5 at home to reach the third round of the pairs. Owens, Walker and Steve Davies have reached the same stage of the triples, while Owens is still involved in the singles.

In the national over-60 pairs, Ken Uglow and Barrie Forse beat another St Andrews pair John Wilkes and Ron Gill 21-12 to reach the area semi-final. However, Forse, Uglow, Phil Villis and Don Bailey had to give best to an impressive Ilminster team, who beat them 23-12 in the area semi-final of the over-60 fours.

George Webber, of St Andrews, registered two Somerset county competition victories in one day. During the morning, he beat Ian Lealand (Bridgwater) 21-2 at home in the singles.

In the evening, he and regular partner Steve Davies travelled to Street, where they notched up an impressive 26-10 county pairs victory over the strong home duo Tim and Stuart Salter.

Don Bailey’s was the only winning rink for Saints as they lost by 11 shots to Clevedon in their second Somerset County Indoor League match of the season.

St Andrews 73, Clevedon 84 – home: R Smith, W Ainsworth, N Sell, G Webber 17-22; J Wilkes, A Cooper, R Gill, D Bailey 23-18. Away: G Millard, M Simpson, D Johnston, P Villis 18-23; T Hyde, G Cooper, M Campbell, B Forse 15-21.

On Sunday, St Andrews mixed team will be attempting to reach the national last 16 of the EIBA Egham Trophy when they play Clarrie Dunbar (Frome) home and away.

WEDMORE men triumphed in a County League match in a two plus two home and away against Clarrie Dunbar.

At home, Eddie Payne’s men took the lead from the beginning and were 17-9 ahead by end 12. They then won every end to take the game 37-9.

In the other home rink, Dave Nicholls’ group were never behind, taking 13 of 21 ends to win their game 24-16.

The away rinks also prospered with Colin Moss’ side running up a six shot lead, but by end 10 the home link were only one shot behind. Wedmore built up a lead of seven shots, but this was nibbled away as they hung on to win 23-20.

Steve Eastment’s group went nine shots up by halfway, but lost the lead on end 14 and went five behind. Over the last five ends, Wedmore rattled up nine shots answered by only two giving the visitors a 24-22 victory and maximum points.

Wedmore 108, Clarrie Dunbar 67: A Brown, C Panchaud, R Thurkettle, E Payne 37-9; V Mathews, J Harris, R Barron, D Nicholls 24-16; A Birch, J Runciman, R Newell, C Moss 23-20; D Collins, D Stansfield, K Pettit, S Eastment 24-22.

This victory took away the bad taste of an earlier league match against Clevedon, when Wedmore went down heavily, losing all four rinks. Skippers Stansfield, Moss, Payne and Nicholls could do little other than damage limitation as the club went down 48-95.

The ladies played an away friendly on a single rink at Weston Victoria. Marie Trow and colleagues took the lead from the start, but by end 10 their opponents were in the lead. A finishing flourish wasn’t quite enough and Wedmore lost by a single shot.

In a mixed friendly at home to Minehead, both clubs won a rink but Wedmore won 39-32 overall.

Maureen Hordle and her crew had a good time, being 11 shots up by halfway. They pressed on to win 23-8, having won 14 of 21 ends. Brian Aston’s team were still in touch with the leaders at end 11, but were defeated 24-16.