WESTLECOT men bounced back after their loss to leaders West Berks (Newbury) the previous week to record a win over Banbury last Sunday and keep their slim hopes of a Wessex League play-off spot alive.

The Old Town club, showing numerous changes to the side originally selected, had to come from behind to thwart the Banbury challenge and win their latest east region group match by 20 shots (85-65).

Westlecot did not manage a clean sweep of the points only collecting 12 out of a possible 16 as they lost on two of the four rinks although only by a combined total of three shots.

Across the board Westlecot made a slow start and trailed Banbury 20-17 after five ends and at halfway were 41-40 down. But they had upped their game at the three-quarter mark to lead 59-54 at 15 ends and increased the advantage to 70-59 at 18 before finally winning 85-65.

The 12 points gained for two rink wins and overall winning score moved Westlecot up to fourth spot in the east table above Oxford City & County, who they meet tomorrow.

It also cut the gap to third-placed Loddon Vale (Basingstoke) from 26 points to 14, both teams having played the same number of matches.

Nothing really has changed with the win over Banbury, as Westlecot must still win their three remaining games against both Oxford teams – City & County and District – as well as Carterton to even have a chance of collecting enough points to claim one of the four wildcards on offer into the play-offs.

Swindon’s other indoor bowls club Swindon Manor continue to find life very tough in the east region in their debut season in the Wessex League.

They lost their sixth match in a row going down 83-63 to Chipping Norton (13-3).

But they registered their first-ever rink victory as the quartet skipped by Paul Cooper at the Manor won their match by three shots 21-18 while away the rink led by Ian Thomas managed a 19-19 draw.

Manor will be looking to build on this new found success tomorrow when they meet seventh placed Oxford and District (Littlemore).

RESULTS Westlecot v Banbury Cross Home - Rink 2: Kevin Embling, Mike Shawyer, John Thomas & Dave Snell lost to Nigel Galletly 16-17. Rink 3: Dave Matthews, James Nobbs, Paul Kistle & Dave Godwin beat Jim Pickering 25-16.

Away - Rink 1: Keith Williamson, Mike Bowden, Craig Morphet & Mike Titcombe Jnr beat N Miles 28-14. Rink 2: Joe Mazzotta, Tom Pittuck, Terry Walton & Chris Cheesley lost to J Tee 16-18.

Score: Westlecot beat Banbury Cross 85 (12pts) - 65 (4pts).

Swindon Manor v Chipping Norton, Home - Rink 2: David Murray, Terry Plumb, Ray Dear & Barry Pittuck lost to R Barnet 13-22. Rink 3: Steve Townsend, Chris Payne, Kevin Hillier & Paul Cooper beat K Field 21-18. Away - Rink 1: Richard Young lost to M Shepherd 10-24. Rink 2: Ian Thomas drew with P Robbins 19-19.

Score: Swindon Manor lost to Chipping Norton 63 (3pts) - 83 (13pts).

Swindon Manor team to play Oxford & District tomorrow, Home - Rink 2: Rob Ferguson, Ian Wilmot, Shaun Hicks & Richard Young. Rink 3: John Jordan, Ray Dear, Kevin Mitchell & Ian Thomas. Away - Rink 1: Steve Townsend, Chris Payne, Kevin Hillier & Paul Cooper. Rink 2: Richard Moody, Roy Major, Carl Fernandes & Barry Pittuck.

THE junior side at Westlecot are still running in a national mixed inter-club team competition.

They have reached the quarter-finals for the first for many years in the David Cornwell Under 25 Double Rinks.

To date the Westlecot junior team have beaten Bristol 40-37 in round one, followed that up with a 46-27 victory over MidGlos and early in January thrashed Oxford City & County 53-26 in round three.

The U25 side’s reward for the big win over Oxford C&C is a last eight tie against Moonfleet 2000 (Weymouth) today on the neutral green at Five Rivers, Salisbury (10am).

Once again Westlecot have named the same eight players as they have used in all of the previous rounds and in the same combinations of four as they used in the last round.

They are, Craig Hatherall, Jake Webster, Gary Jackson and Mike Titcombe Jnr (skip); plus Lucy Smith, Craig Morphet, Katy Smith and Kyle Anderson (skip).

A victory over Weymouth side Moonfleet today would earn Westlecot a semi-final tie against either Wey Valley (Guildford, Surrey) or Swale ( Sittingbourne, Kent) on the weekend of February 28 - March 1.