The Yetton Cup is a National Competition to find the top Ladies Club in England and three weeks ago the Honiton ladies were over the moon to have reached the last 32 in the country, further than the club has ever gone before, writes Tony Broughton.

In order to progress further they needed to beat the ladies of the Cornish, Newquay Bowling Club, this they did fairly comfortably.

Their next match was against Nailsea, Bristol, and this week they managed a six shot win against them. This now takes them through to the last eight in the country.

Despite a last minute loss of skip, Brenda Harris, the away team of Sally Spreadbury, replacement Carole Pidgeon, Marian Vessey and now skip Pearl Hackwood did well to lose by only five shots on what is known to be one of the slowest greens in the South West.

The second away team also suffered the loss of their lead Jean Mitchell so Anne Newman was brought in to play two, this year’s Captain Tilly Tillier dropped down to lead, assisted by Dulcie Broughton and skip Shirley Hiscocks. Despite losing a seven on the second end, they rallied to be only one shot down at half time but a further lapse saw them finish just three shots down, a good result against a strong four.

At home the two rinks, Rosemary Hirons, Ann Brown, Rita Barwick and Carole Binmore and Phyllis Milner, Berry Maynard, Julie Grant and Ann Hillyear started slowly and two thirds through, the overall situation looked a little grim.

However, they rallied gallantly in the last quarter to win their end of the match by 14 shots.

Their opponents for a place in the semi-finals to be held at the National Finals in Melton Mowbray are the Arun Club from Bognor Regis. This game will be played on a neutral green February 2.

?Congratulations also go to Rosemary Hirons and Shirley Hiscocks for winning the Zone Final of the National Pairs competition.

Their opponents were Lesley Crutchley and Mavis Wellington of the South Hams Club. Playing at Kingsbridge, with three ends to play the Honiton pair’s score was 22-9, and Mavis conceded the match.

The Honiton Pair now go to the National Finals at Melton Mowbray on March 1.

?The men have also had some success this week in the Over 60 County Trophy with a good three to one rinks win over a South Hams side