Honiton lady bowlers experienced the highs and lows of the game last week, writes Julie Grant.

They battled their way to a hard-fought success over Torquay United, but then suffered defeat at the hands of Torbay.

The victory over Torquay came in the county Top Club by a margin of three events to two. The win puts Honiton into the Lacemakers Trophy final which will see them take on Plymouth on March 26.

Shirley Hiscocks and Rosemary Hirons had a fantastic win in the pairs and both of these players will feature in national Area finals in the coming weeks; Shirley in the fours with Ann Brown, Heather Chambers and Julie Grant, and Rosemary in the Two Wood Triples with Ann Hillyear and Rita Barwick.

Both games will be against Torquay’s former England star Barbara Bellamy whom Shirley and Rosemary beat in the Top Club match.

The defeat by Torbay came in the county Foxlands league 61 shots to 82. The only winning rink, playing away, were Berry Maynard, Carol Armitage, Joan Heard and Yvonne Rayner, 25-15.

Honiton also played a couple of mixed friendly matches and both were won.

A visit from Madeira ended in a 51-45 success for Honiton and they were al;so 50-45 victors when they visited Exonia.

The top Honiton rinks were; in the home game, Doug and Rosemary Hirons, Ian Mackenzie, Jimmy Smith and Bill Nicholls, 18-12, and in the match in Exeter; David Tooley, Mike Critchley, Richard Bland and Jimmy Smith, 20-7.