HAMPSHIRE surged into the Liberty Trophy semi-finals with a decisive 124-97 victory against Cornwall that rewarded not only their skill but their tenacity as well.

When Derek Collins's side went 39-22 ahead after five ends on the Taunton Deane carpet the result looked a formality, until a Cornwall revival cut the margin to 64-57 by the tenth. Yet that only served to expose the determination within this current Hampshire team.

Realising they had a battle on their hands, they responded with admirable resolution over the second half to restore and extend their earlier advantage.

Manager Collins had every reason to be delighted with the overall display - especially as top-rink honours went to the foursome that he had strengthened for this match.

Steve Robertson had lost in the previous rounds against Berkshire and Essex but a shrewd move to bolster the rink with Leo May proved a master stroke.

With outdoor national Champion of Champions May at three, Robertson's men blazed the trail, going 13-0 up after five ends against former British Isles outdoor singles king Richard Bray.

The gap still stood at 20-9 on the 14th when Robertson drove into the head and emerged with a three on his way to a 30-11 win.

Peter Ward's all-East Dorset quartet also helped get Hampshire fast out of the blocks, forging 20-2 in front by the 11th, the unflappable skip drawing at his immaculate best on the 14th to land a single with a side toucher angled through the eye of a needle.

Ward was set to finish as the premier rink but, after holding five on the final end that would have given him a 32-9 card, he dropped a three when his opposite number, Ian Drew, fired and shattered the head with a fortunate result that made the final score 27-12.

Playing alongside, Graham Standley also made a sprint start but his 10-2 lead was gradually whittled away by David Drew who took the last seven ends for a 20-13 Cornish success.

Adam Tidby and Martyn Sekjer typified the team's fighting qualities. Tidby wrested the final seven ends, translating a 17-10 deficit into a four-shot win, while Sekjer produced a stirring rally after a sluggish start against under-25 international David Roe.

Sekjer trailed 18-3 on the tenth but, once Russell Gadd, at lead, warmed to the task, Sekjer took ten consecutive ends that carried him to 18-17 only for hopes of sealing the perfect comeback to be foiled by Roe's last-end single.

Perhaps the unsung hero of the day was on the Sekjer rink because his number two, Gary Starks, was nursing severe toothache but somehow kept focused on his game though at the finish he was smartly on the phone to the dentist!

Richard Shelley made similar in-roads, having been 15-8 adrift after the 13th. He was just 17-16 down going into the last only to concede a single.