Johns Trophy

GLOUCESTERSHIRE women put up a brave performance in the semi-finals of the Johns Trophy when they faced last season’s finalists Kent at Leamington Spa.

Gloucestershire, having reached this stage in 1991 and 2001, were only trailing by seven shots after the first five ends before Kent then took command and sailed into a 73-52 shot lead.

They then pulled away to lead 108-73 after 15 ends and in the end cruised home 152-100.

Gloucestershire had some joy in the way of skip Joy Sheward (Barnwood) who was the only team member to appear in 1991 when she and Val Ayres (Lydney), Pat MacGregor (Arrow), Sue Osborne (Kingswood & Hanham) up against Julie Packer opened up with a 7-2 lead and by the ninth end having scored a four were winning 13-9. A three on the 11th end followed by a single gave the rink a 17-11 lead. Hitting a purple patch, they then pulled away to lead 22-14 before having to stave off a late comeback to win by one shot 22-21.

Fran Stockford (Olveston), Rita Gerry (Moreton), Julia Stannard (Nailsworth), Lindsay Collin (Page Park) against Wendy King were in the driving seat early on leading 7-0 after a first end five.

Still ahead at halfway leading by two shots they were caught on the 15th end having dropped a three to be level 13-13. They then lost five shots over the next two ends before digging deep to win the last four ends to tie with a double on the last end 18-18.

Val Molton (Kingswood & Hanham), Penny Callaghan (Cheltenham), Iona Bird (Barnwood), Jacky Howes (Stroud) up against Sian Honor were in front after five ends 7-3 and seven ends later were still leading 13-7.

A flurry of shots by their opponents brought the scores to 14-13 before they grabbed a two only to concede a four to be behind 17-16. In front with a two they lost a three and in a grandstand finished scored a double on the last end to tie 20-20.

Sally Rolls, Chris Prosser, Gill Fry (all Gloucester Spa), Jeanette Scott (Cheltenham) against Ann Harrison faced an uphill battle when over nine ends they were 13-3 adrift. Reaching double figures on the 16th end to trail by six, they could only manage another shot and lost 23-11.

Jenny Westlake (Arrow), Myra Savage (Falcon), Pauline Gunn, Kay Gent (both Caer Glow) against Jane Cogle had a topsy turvey match hat saw the rink lead 4-0 and then drop a four and a six.

Not to be outdone they bagged a three and the a six to 17-13 down. Two five’s and three put their opponents will on top at 32-16 before the rink hit back with seven shots and finally lose out 35-23.

Val Osmond (Ardagh), Pat Baker (Kingswood & Hanham), Ann White (Arrow), Rachel Hughes (Royal Forest of Dean) against Eileen Simpson were left high and dry after the opening eight ends that saw their opponents storm to an 18-1 lead.

Halting the rot with a run of three singles they were again on the backfoot and in the end after conceding four more three’s went down to a hefty 35-6 loss.

Kent went onto win the trophy when they beat Norfolk in the final 128-114.