MEN SNATCH DEFEAT FROM JAWS OF VICTORY

Tonight at Alton Social, Oakley stormed out of the blocks in the three rink Hants and Berks KO Cup and after 5 ends led by 17 shots to 6. At 10 ends Oakley still led by 10 and at 15 ends, with the score 45-28 and Oakley playing well, all looked good. Alton Social hung in and by 18 ends the deficit had been reduced to 10. This should still have been sufficient to see Oakley home but with just two rinks left on the green Alton's Dave Attwood with a despairing last bowl created a 4, leaving the rink of Fred Norris needing to score on his last end to ensure an Oakley victory. Sadly they dropped a shot and so the match went to an extra end with all three rinks playing. When the first Oakley rink to finish dropped a four the match was all but over and the extra end went 5-1 in Alton's favour. Oakley scores at 21 ends Jason Rogers, Gerald Norris, Ric Newson and Bob Goodyear lost 18-19: Leigh Allen, Sean Lassman, Ashley Nethercliffe and Nick Hardy won 23-22: Steve Devonish, Malcolm Grime, Graham Tompkins and Fred Norris drew 13-13.