Leamington proves an unhappy hunting ground for Parsons

In the National Top Club competition, Spa’s ladies made home advantage pay as they secured a 3-1 win over a much-fancied team from Welford.

Early attention was focused on the singles match, in which Dawn Horne faced strong opposition in the form of Moira Parsons who has already qualified to play at this year’s National Championships in the ladies’ singles, pairs and triples.

However, reputation counted for nothing as Horne raced into a 12-2 lead.

Although Parsons’ experience showed as she whittled the deficit down to 16-13, Horne steadied herself to take five singles over the last six ends to win 21-15.

By this time, Lyn Williams and Janice White had given Spa a small lead in the pairs game and there was nothing to separate the sides in the triples and fours.

However, a very strong second-half performance by Williams and White saw them only drop three singles as they picked up a further 12 shots to finish 24-12 winners and extend Spa’s lead.

With such a large shot differences in Spa’s favour and the remaining two games still tight, even a 2-2 result would have been enough to see them home.

However, a single on the last end saw Wyn Jackson lead her fours team to a one-shot win and, although a dropped single on the last end saw Donna Kerr edged out by a shot in the triples, victory was Spa’s.

Just 24 hours after their National Top Club encounter, Welford’s Parsons and Ann Webb returned to Leamington to face Spa’s Dawn Horne and Janice White in the final of the Warwickshire section of the National Senior Ladies’ Pairs competition.

Once again, the Spa team was the stronger and after edging ahead in the early stages, maintained this throughout to take a well-earned victory.

Horne and White will now represent Warwickshire in the National Championships at Victoria Park in August.

In between all the excitement of the National competitions, Spa’s ladies also secured excellent wins in two friendly matches last week.

Victories for skips Binki Herbert (26-10) and Wyn Jackson (19-11) in a three-rink triples encounter with Whitnash saw honours go to Spa by 52 shots to 45.

Two days later, Spa took four triples to Stratford, where Wyn Jackson led the way with a 19-8 win.

Jenny Wickens also won 18-11 and despite narrow losses for the other two triples, Spa ran out comfortable 67-58 winners.

Spa’s men completed a trio of victories against Welford opposition, winning a four-triples friendly 72-62 courtesy of successes for Alan Taylor, Jerry Horne and Malcolm Wickens (25-8) and Ray White (18-15).

On Saturday, in a match reduced from rinks to triples by the visitors, Spa’s men went down 121-71 to Sherwood Park from South Birmingham.

Fred Bannister skipped Spa’s only winning triple (15-13).