THE END OF THE JOURNEY

Alton Social have been Oakley's nemisis in many competitions this year and so it proved again this morning. Our Tony Allcock team showing two changes from the previous rounds started brightly with Bob Goodyear's rink scoring a single and Ric Newson's a three in what was Ric's first game in this year's competition. Two droppped fives between ends 2 and 5 did not help the cause but the overall deficit was only 3 shots. With 15 of the 30 scheduled ends played Oakley trailed by just six shots but a big opportunity was lost when holding five shots with a bowl to play the jack was moved by Oakley to an Alton bowl and when the other rink dropped a four it became an uphill battle. The team plugged away and a 12 shot deficit with 11 ends to play was pulled back to 6 down with 7 to go, but another dropped five was the nail in the coffin and Alton Social emerged comfortable winners by 37 to 24.

Oakley scores: Sue Dixon, Shirley Ball, Gerald Norris and Ric Newson lost 11-23; Mary Varndell, Janie Vickers, Jim Dixon and Bob Goodyear lost 13-14.