Axminster Indoor Bowls Club started the year with mixed fortunes, but managed to win four of the seven matches played, writes David Harris.

The Ladies did well, winning both of their matches. First they were successful at home to the Devon Patrons (38-26) with wins for Jean Kesterton, Alison Glyde, Ann Clayton, and Margaret Crompton (20-17) and Pam Clark, Jo Barnish, Jan Parsons, and Judith Moffitt (18-9).

They then defeated visiting Sidmouth 67-64 with wins for Sheila Cox, Angela Rattenbury, Jan Parsons, and Judith Moffitt (31-15) and Pam Hunter, Margaret Ball, Alison Glyde, and Margaret Crompton (25-14).

The men were unlucky to lose a friendly at home to Sidmouth by just one shot, going down 58-57.

There were wins for Andy Curtis, Alan Foster, Doug Hislop, and Bob Sherborne (25-18) and Brian Downton, Derek Pheby, Jack Wakeley, and Brian Clark (20-18).

The men then lost their Devon County Over 60’s match against the strong Madeira Club of Exmouth 95-65, despite good wins for the home rink of Arther Stone, Roger Legg, Paul Moffitt, and John Gough and the away rink of John Packham, Tony Payne, Howard Keep, and Eric Skeemer (25-19).

In the mixed friendlies we started with an excellent home win against the Nomads 86-31, with wins for Phil White, Les Clark, David Harris, and Margaret Crompton (38-4) and Pam Hunter, Margaret Brown, Gerald Knott, and Steven Apsey (33-10) before going on to beat Bridport at home (93-29) with wins on all rinks - Pam Hunter, Barbara Mowatt, David Harris, and Bob Sherborne (47-8), Steven Apsey, John Hill, Doug Hislop, and Malcolm Denslow (26-10), and Joan Quick, Ken Quick, Jack Wakeley, and Margaret Crompton (20-11).

A meeting with Ottery was lost 56-46 with only Pam Hunter, Andy Curtis, John Hill, and Margaret Crompton managing a win!