THIRD TIME LUCKY

After defeats over the weekend in the Hants and Berks Cup and in the County Mixed Top Club, Oakley's men travelled this morning to Alton hoping to redeem themselves by progressing in the National Top Club. The first point went to Alton as Ric Newson struggled to find the pace and lines of the green and lost the Two Bowl Singles. It looked too as if Alton would pick up the Four Bowl Singles as Martin Vickers let slip a big lead to trail 19-18 but Martin rallied to pick up 3 shots and Oakley's first point. By now Oakley looked to be favourites with the Fours and Pairs leading comfortably and when the Fours clinched their point and with the Pairs leading 15-10 with just 2 ends to go it looked as if Oakley would not need the Triples result. How wrong can you be. A spectacular take out shot by Alton's Paul Schofield saw the Alton Pair score a six and then clinch their point to tie the match at 2-2. All eyes now turned to the Triples which still had two ends to play and with just one shot separating the teams. A score of 3 on the 17th end saw Oakley take a 4 shot lead into the final end and they managed to hold onto the lead to gain a 3-2 victory. Oakley scores: Ric Newson lost 10-13; Martin Vickers won 21-19; Steve Devonish and Sean Lassman lost 15-18; Rolf Denny (making his debut), Malcolm Grime and Spencer Kerley won 20-13; Gary Newson, Jim Dixon, Gerald Norris and Graham Tompkins won 25-18.