ATHERLEY are celebrating a marvellous double after their ladies swamped East Dorset in the Yetton Trophy and their men staged an incredible comeback to beat Egham in the London and Southern Counties Single Rink Championship.

Although they were confident of beating East Dorset, even Atherley were surprised by the margin of 99-57 in the zone final of the English

Women's Indoor BA inter-club championship.

A delighted Patricia Rowe, Atherley ladies' indoor secretary, said: "It was a wonderful performance!

"The entire team seems to be gelling very well - what one player doesn't do, someone else does."

The Southampton club hit peak form led by a superb 36-9 home victory from the rink of Anne Pearce (lead), Jan Yeo (two), Christine Lee and skip Wendy Line over a bemused Gill Fagg.

Line, who is having such a fine run in the national individual championships, led 10-3 at five ends, widened the gap to 17-6 at 10 and was 23-8 up following the 15th before scoring nine more shots over the next three ends.

The other Atherley home rink of Ann Littlewood (lead), Josie Munday, Mo Hawkins and skip Marion Collins had a tougher battle building a 9-5 lead at halfway and eventually defeating Pam Harrison 19-12.

At Christchurch Pat Sutton, playing alongside Ella Dibble (lead), Patricia Rowe (two) and Jean Terrell, maintained the Atherley momentum coming from 8-7 down at 10 ends to crush Doreen Graham 24-14.

Jean Arnaud (lead), Jackie Mainwaring (two), Pat Hanvey and skip Jenny McAusland could not quite make it a clean sweep. Facing East Dorset's top rink - skipped by Sheila Plomer with Jan Jones at three - they gained honour in defeat going down just 22-20.

In the last 16 on Thursday, February 8, Atherley play Preston (Brighton) who pipped Adur by two shots in their zone final.

Down 15-7 at 16 ends in Surrey, Atherley stormed to the unlikeliest of victories with 10 shots over the last five ends.

Skip Richard Shelley led by example just as Egham were heading towards the fourth round. He received excellent backing from John Barter (lead), Dave Edmonds (two) and Colin Thresher, Atherley swept through 17-15 against international Barry Jenkins.

Shelley's men not only had a jubilant journey back to Hampshire but the bonus is that in the next round they will almost certainly have a chance of revenge against WeyValley, who dumped them out of the Denny Cup.