NOT A SUPER SATURDAY

As the indoor season comes to an end, the Oakley BC members who play indoors, found themselves yesterday competing in two Finals where there was hope of success. In the morning at Banister Park in Southampton, Alice Lovett took on Lorraine Slater in the Final of the County Women's Indoor Singles with Alice looking to retain the title she won in 2022. It was not to be. Lorraine, with the advantage of playing on her own green, was not to be denied and Alice went down 13-21. (Alice had a little consolation later in the day when, with her father, she added the Loddon Vale Mixed Pairs title to the County title they had won earlier.

Loddon Vale was also the scene for the Final of the Ambler/Fuller Trophy, a single rink competition played for by local outdoor clubs. The early exchanges against Howard Park saw neither side gain an advantage but the Oakley rink of Steve Devonish, Bob Goodyear, Sean Lassman and Graham Tompkins had a purple patch scoring a 3, 4 and a 6 to lead 17-8 after 12 ends. It looked as if Oakley might be heading for a comfortable win, but Howard Park had other ideas and, helped by some fine saving bowls from their skip, fought back to lead 18-17 with 2 ends to play. A 2 saw Oakley go into the last end leading by 1 shot. This end was killed and then, on the replayed end, with Oakley holding shot, a Howard Park firing bowl deposited the jack in the ditch. Howard Park had won and, for the second successive year, Oakley was left to rue the fact that, in the Final, they had missed out to a team they had beaten at the round robin stage.