Atherley powered past Egerton Park to earn a date this Sunday with Exonia in the last eight of the Egham Trophy.

Solid home performances, backed by a ten-shot away success for Willie McCay, saw the Southampton club thrash Egerton Park 92-60 in this national mixed fours championship.

The rink of Marlene Kemp, Pat Hanvey, Steve Spreadbury and skip Peter Ward led the romp with a 29-12 victory over R Boswell at Hill Lane.

The other foursome in Hampshire - Ann Pearce, Wendy Line, Brian Buckle and skip Colin Thresher - came through 21-13 against R Piper.

In Sussex Ella Dibble, Freda Guy, Mick Barrett and skip Willie McCay kept up the momentum beating Egerton's G Mepham 24-14 and even Atherley's solitary losing quartet of Ann Littlewood, Pat Sutton, Dink Mintrum and skip Billy Groves went down only 21-18.

For Sunday's match against the Devon club, Atherley, who last reached the semi-finals in 1994 by defeating Teignbridge, Devon, off the last wood on a neutral venue, will be without Ward - he is required for the England international practice session. Richard Shelley deputises.

Atherley bowed out of the London and Southern Counties single rink championship despite a valiant comeback against Egham. Keith Cole, Brian Buckle, Steve Spreadbury and skip Ward looked dead and buried when they trailed 18-3 to Ian Honor, Pete Smith, Brian Jenkins and skip Wynn Richards at 12 ends.

However, Atherley had cut the gap to just 19-17 after the 18th end only for Egham to ease clear again and win 24-18.

This Saturday holders Atherley face Wey Valley, Surrey, in the LSC shield.

Darren Clark and Bill Belcher sprang a mighty shock in the area final of the English Indoor BA pairs when knocking out their more celebrated East Dorset clubmates Julian Haines and Kevin Cousins 23-18 at Victory to reach the national stages at Melton Mowbray.

East Dorset are also through in the triples where Dean Morgan, Russell Morgan and Nicky Jones weighed in with a five on the 13th end and a seven on the 15th to outgun Brian Lewis, Iain Bunday and skip Thresher of Atherley 23-20.

Graham Standley, playing alongside Maggie Playle, Joy Annetts and Andy Ross, took the mixed fours 18-15 for Longmeadow against Di Graydon, B Clark, John Joslin and skip Denny Graydon from Banister Park after the clubs had been locked together at 13-13 on 17 ends.

Victory tackle Thornbury, Bristol, in the last eight of the women's National Express Yetton Trophy today. The other ties are: York v Lincoln, Colchester v Desborough, Maidenhead and King George Field v Egham.

Loddon Vale hosts the Liberty Trophy semi-final between Dorset and Essex on Saturday afternoon.

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