CLARRIE Dunbar have won the central region of the Wessex League again denying Bristol who had led for most of the season the central title, writes DAVE EATON.

The two sides were level on points with 66 each, but a crushing 124-55 victory for Clarrie over Nailsea in their sixth and final group match of the season combined with a shock defeat for Bristol last Sunday at the hands of North Wilts saw Dunbar lift the central regional title once more.

Clarrie collected a maximum 16 points for their thumping win while Bristol’s surprise loss saw them only pick up four of the 16 points on offer against North Wilts and have to give second best to their county rivals in the final group table - 82 points to 70 points.

The home rink at Clarrie Dunbar skipped by Andy Colebrooke led the scoring fest winning 47-9 while Russell Francis’ four won by 14 shots.

Clarrie Dunbar, holders of the overall Wessex League title after their 88-68 win over Exonia last April go into this year’s play-offs starting on March 5 full of confidence of retaining their overall title.

Christie Miller did not play last weekend. Their final 2015/16 central group fixture will be on Sunday, February 21 against Purnell which will sort out the bottom three places in the group table.

RESULTS

Clarrie Dunbar v Nailsea, Home - Rink 1: Andy Colebrooke beat Debroy Gregory 47-9. Rink 2: Russell Francis beat John Couch 30-16. Away - Rink 1: Barry Barry beat M Rowsell 27-17. Rink 2: Graham Shadwell beat T Baker 20-13.

Score: Clarrie beat Nailsea 124-55 and by 16pts to nil.

THE FOURSOME of Marcia Hartley, Teresa King, Craig Hadfield-Doughty and Neil Collett missed out in booking a place at the final stages of the mixed fours competition at Lincoln & District IBC at the end of this month.

The Clarrie Dunbar team and Area 30 champions fell at the penultimate hurdle losing 23-11 to Area 29 winners Chenda Harris, Wendy Merchant, Tony Foxwell and Dick Dyke (Taunton Deane) in the inter-area final played last weekend at City and County of Bristol.

Doughty will be hoping for better fortunes this coming Saturday (2pm) in Bristol when he partners Graham Shadwell in the men’s Area 30 pairs final against Mark Woods and Nick Pearce (Clevedon).

A few hours later in the evening (6pm) Shadwell is due to meet Dave Williams (North Wilts) in the Area 30 men’s singles championship final.

Doughty and Shadwell plus Andy Colebrooke and Russell Francis have to play the Area 30 final in the fours championship at home at Dunbar against another Clarrie team of John Freeman, Brian Hawkins, Keith Bailey and Barry Barry on Wednesday, February 24.

And the Area 30 men’s triples final will feature Steve Snook, Darren Anteney and Wayne Snook (Christie Miller) who will have home advantage in Melksham against Dale Taylor, Terry Perkins and Andy Colebrooke (Clarrie Dunbar) on Friday, February 19.

IN THE MEN’S senior competitions in Area 30 Clarrie Dunbar’s John Freeman is through to the inter-area singles final and will play Barrie Forse (St Andrews, Weston- Super-Mare).

He booked his place with a 21-17 area 30 Over 60s singles win over Clevedon’s Pip Branfield.

Dick Discombe and Duncan McGovern (Clarrie D) have reached the inter-area final in the O60s men’s pairs. They will face Don Fowkes and his partner from Taunton Deane bidding for a place in the final stages (last 16) at Nottingham from March 30-31.

SIX Christie Miller players featured in the Wiltshire men’s side that were edged out 106-104 by the holders Northamptonshire, in the quarter-final of the Liberty Trophy, inter-county championship, at Swindon Westlecot last Saturday morning.

The all-Christie rink of Chris Easton, Nigel Price, Paul Macdonald and Andy Moore lost their match going down 24-12 to former England international Paul Broderick.

Steve Snook should have played but was a late withdrawal through illness and replaced by Jordan Moody (Five Rivers, Salisbury). However, the new rink of Moody, Tom Warner (also Five Rivers) together with Miller duo Darren Anteney and skip Wayne Snook recorded the biggest Wiltshire success with a 26-11 win over Vernon Gearey.