IN sharp contrast to their ladies, the men at North Wilts are out of all of the men’s national inter-club championship competitions this season.

Their last hope of some success was a good run in the consolation Denny Plate, but they fell at the first hurdle last Saturday in their first round local derby tie against Melksham’s Christie Miller.

They were beaten by 14 shots as they went down 88-74 and only took the honours on one of the four rinks contested.

Richard Gainey’s foursome of Gerry Scott, Jan Rodgers, Maurice Byron and Gainey himself were North Wilts sole victors winning their match comfortably by 11 shots to stop a Christie Miller whitewash.

North Wilts were always adrift across the board against Miller losing 29-18 at five ends, 50-33 at ten and 74-42 at 15. However, they pulled it back to only 79-59 at 18 but ran-out of ends finally losing by 14 shots.

North Wilts still have an interest in the Wessex League - a regional men’s bowls competition.

They are once again drawn in the Central Region and face six other clubs - Bristol, Christie Miller, Clarrie Dunbar, Nailsea, Purnell (Paulton) and Thornbury all bidding for a top two placing in order to qualify automatically for the Wessex League play-offs next March.

With there being an uneven number of seven in the central section North Wilts have yet to play a match and enjoyed a first round bye. However, they rectify that situation this coming Sunday, November 23 when they open their 2013/14 Wessex campaign with a match against Purnell.

Other fixtures on Sunday are: Bristol v Clarrie Dunbar and Nailsea v Christie Miller.

RESULTS

Denny Plate v Christie Miller Home - Rink 2: Richard Jennings, Alan Greenland, Alan Small & Keith Hutchens lost to Andy Moore 13-24. Rink 3: Bob George, Gerry Tinson, Dave Williams & Roger Button lost to Paul Macdonald 21-24.

Away - Rink 1: Alan Stell, Peter Sanders, Clive Swift & Trevor Cooke lost to Justin Davis 16-27. Rink 3: Gerry Scott, Jan Rodgers, Maurice Byron & Richard Gainey beat Brian Routledge 24-13.

Score: North Wilts lost to Christie Miller Nailsea 74-88.