Louth quartet lose in national final
Leading 9-6 after five ends, they trailed 10-16 after 11, but fought back magnificently to lead a Shildon team, skipped by Bill Maddison, 19-18, with only four ends left to play.
But it was the northerners, from County Durham, who finished strongly, picking up five shots on the run-in to achieve a 23-19 scoreline, and earn a crack at the British Isles title next winter.
The four won a thrilling first round contest with Cyphers, 29-25, then reached the quarter finals with a 20-14 win over Bassetlaw, before taking on a team from Weymouth's Moonfleet club.
Leading 18-10 after 15 ends, the game looked in the bag, but the highly experienced Dorset team hit back, and were just two shots adrift at 19-17 when the last end got underway.
It was with relief that the Louth four collected a single on the 21st end to win 20-17, setting up a semi final encounter with Tony Dunton's Acle quartet.
Taking an 18-10 lead after 16 ends, the Louth quartet pressed home to a fine 22-13 victory to reach the final.
Meanwhile, Louth Indoor BC Mixed 'A' are now second in the county table, just above Horncastle, who they beat in their latest match.
It was a good win for Alan Watson's team, with one rink winning comfortably, whilst the others were closely contested before Louth emerged with three rink wins and an overall victory by 116 shots to 107.
At the halfway stage, Horncastle were ahead on three rinks and held the overall advantage by five shots. But five ends later, Louth were fighting back and, although only up on one rink, the aggregate scores were all square.
By the 18th end, Louth were ahead on two rinks but, crucially, had gone 12 shots ahead on aggregate.
One rink was home and dry, one hung on for a three-shot win and another grabbed three shots on the final end to nick a win by just one shot.
The Mixed B team would be glad if more of their rinks could hang on for a win. Their latest match, away to leaders Lincoln A, brought only one rink success in the 122-78 defeat, which leaves the team stranded next to bottom.
Team captain Ken Webster had to recruit two stand-ins at the last minute when a couple of experienced regulars had to drop out, both recruits making up a rink where none of them had played at Lincoln before.
The effort was not lacking but county level is new to many of the 'B' team and experience of other mats gained this winter will stand them in good stead for the future.
In other county competitions, Roger and Janice Ellis beat a pair from Scunthorpe to reach the quarter-finals of the Mixed Pairs, where they face an away match against Dunholme duo Alan Hall and Janet Wright.
Alan Dent and son Alan Jnr have reached the same stage in the Men's Pairs, where they face Grantham opposition.
Younger members of the Dent family will be playing in the under-25 Singles at Spalding later this month when Russell, Martin and Simon bid to reach the semi-finals.
In the Men's Triples, Vic White, Barrie Robinson and Tony Willoughby travel to the seaside to take on a Skegness trio.
At Lincoln today, Sylvia Stainton will take on home player Karen Kew in the EBF Ladies Singles.
The following weekend Sylvia is back at Lincoln, where she teams up with Joan Stones and Sheila Brumpton in the Ladies Triples to do battle against a Boston trio.
In the Louth Men's Open Singles quarter-finals, Richard Monkhouse beat Roger Ellis 21-12 whilst Harry Putland had a tough game before beating Tony Willoughby 21-16.
Richard Armitage did enough to overcome John Welsh 21-13 whilst Michael Norton put up a brave effort before losing 21-11 to Alan Dent Snr.
Tony Musson
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