Madeira ladies continue to do well in the county competition, writes Jean Healey.

In the County triples, Jan Roberts, Catherine King, Janine Orchard won 25-5 against Honiton while De Williams, Jennie Charles, Sandie Cox won 19-10 against another Madeira team, coming through to claim success over the last half of the match.

In the County Fours, Chris Macaulay, Nicky Fiddimore, Janine Orchard and Sue Harriott won a close contest against a strong Honiton side, securing a 19-17 success.

Sue Harriott, as our previous season champion, played in the National Champion of Champions against Sidmouth’s Jill Bishop.

Jill held one on the last end, but Sue had three lying second and skilfully knocked out the holding shot to pick up a three and win the match and she now moves on to contest the section semi-finals! Four Madeira ladies have been selected to play in South West Counties League for Devon against Cornwall. The four are Chris Macaulay, Jan Roberts, Deirdre Norman and Janine Orchard.

Meanwhile, the Madeira men played in the Denny Plate knockout competition and the ladies played in the third round of the Yetton Trophy. However, both were unfortunately knocked out by strong teams.

In the Lane Trophy League fixture with Sidmouth, Madeira ladies were successful on only one rink – so, well done, to Ann Doidge, Jan Worsfold and Lin Hambly. Val Allam’s team were ahead until the penultimate end, when a five against them led to defeat.

In the Foxlands League, Madeira picked up eight points, winning on three rinks out of four, with Catherine King winning 27-17, and Sue Harriott, Chris Macaulay, Penny Preece and De Norman coming back on the last two ends to win 23-21.

Most friendly matches are against ‘local’ teams, but four triples went to Bridport where an enjoyable game ended in a friendly draw of 67-67, although one rink won, two lost and one was a close draw, picking up a six and a two on the last two ends.

Four Bridport players were seconded to Madeira to play rinks so the score was really quite appropriate. Winscombe men were beaten 79-48, winning only one rink. George Perrin, Dennis Huntley, David Hitt and Gordon Medlock had a massive score while David Macaulay also won with high score, which balanced the only losing rink.

A Dawlish mixed match resulted in a win 73-49, one rink only losing on the last end. Keith Weeks, Bob Humphrey, Freda Relph and Ann Doidge had the top score, winning by 16.