HARPENDEN men had a convincing victory against Owls (Watford) in the third round of the County 10, winning the singles, triples and fours and just losing the Pairs by one shot, for an overall score of 85-73 and are now through to the quarter-finals. No

HARPENDEN men had a convincing victory against Owls (Watford) in the third round of the County 10, winning the singles, triples and fours and just losing the Pairs by one shot, for an overall score of 85-73 and are now through to the quarter-finals.

Noel Roberts had to fight all the way in the singles, which went right down to the wire, 20-20 after 28 ends, Roberts just winning the last end on a close measure.

The triples and the fours both started well and were never headed, the triples winning 17-13 and the fours 22-14.

The pairs had a much tighter game and were 21-26 down after 20 ends but they picked up four shots on the last end to go down by just one shot.

Details: Singles: N Roberts (Harpenden) 21, A Emery (Owls) 20; Pairs: W Donoghue, N Muir (Harpenden) 25, M Brewer, D Ford (Owls) 26; Triples: T Muir, D Hall, A Redford (Harpenden) 17, D Anderson, J Buckland, S Wheeler (Owls) 13; Fours: C Driscoll, R Newby, S Burgess, D Brooks (Harpenden) 22; A Cook, A Morris, J Harper, P Gunn (Owls) 14.

Harpenden men also had an emphatic victory against Hatfield in the County League by an aggregate score of 54-21, David Brooks' rink winning 23-10 and Tony Redford's rink winning 31-11.

Redford's rink were 12-8 up after 15 ends, then scored 19 shots in four ends, including a seven, Harpenden gaining a maximum six points. Details: C Driscoll, K Brazier, J Osborn, D Brooks (Harpenden) 23, R Jeram, D Robins, J Coyne, M Ingram (Hatfield) 10; R Newby, D Hall, S Burgess, A Redford (Harpenden) 31, K Albrecht, R Edwards, M Wilkins, A Warner (Hatfield) 11.

In the Neutral Greens stages of the county competitions, Harpenden have two teams through in the County Fours, one representative in the singles and two players in the unbadged singles.

In friendly matches Harpenden ladies won away against Barton-le-Clay by 40-37, taking revenge against that club for their defeat at home the previous week.

Top rink: Rose Turner, Sue Murray, Beryl Birch, Lucy Ratcliffe, 26-10.

Harpenden men won a triples match against Kings Langley 81-69, winning two rinks and losing two.

Top rink: Malcolm Kitchener, John Millins, Tony Redford, 25-11, but in a mixed match against Datchworth, Harpenden narrowly lost by three shots, 103-109. Harpenden's top rink: Cynthia Williams, George Tutt, Val Thomson, Rob Newby, 28-17.

Results Men

London & Southern Counties Gold Badge

M Hubbocks (Luton Co-op), 19 N Roberts (Harpenden) 21 (came back after being 12-6 down)

Results Ladies

District Champion of Champions

Janet Hubball (Harpenden) 21, L Hastings (Shire Park) 1

County Singles 2nd round

S Catchpole (Harpenden) 21, J Boosey (Hatfield) 9; D Barrett (Welwyn & District) 17, L Newby (Harpenden) 21; P Taylor (Harpenden) 17, H Winch (Hatfield) 21.

County Singles, 3rd round

S Catchpole (Harpenden) 21, H Winch (Hatfield) 14; L Newby (Harpenden) 17, J Tester (Borehamwood) 21.

County Pairs, 2nd round

C Williams, S Catchpole (Harpenden) 21, I Fennell, J West (Harperbury) 10; L Newby, L Brooks (Harpenden) 16, J Boosey, K Havord (Hatfield) 18; J Reid, J Leyland-Naylor (Harpenden) 15, J Bell, L Schlatter (Batchwood Hall) 24; P Taylor, J Holland (Harpenden) 20, L Hastings, R Wolstencroft (Shire Park) 18.

County Pairs, 3rd round

C Williams, S Catchpole (Harpenden) 18, P Gardiner, D Gray (St Albans) 10; L Thomson, Jean Hubball (Harpenden) 11, R Williamson, J Dixon (Townsend) 18.

l TOWNSEND produced the results when they were needed in both the EBA 2 fours and top club.

In the 2 fours they beat Royston with a stunning performance with Alan Charran, Steven Mather, John Godman and Richard Briden winning 32-8 and Jason Hall, Gary West, Danny Macro and Andrew Briden triumphing 22-15.

Sunday saw the club beat Garston with a 3-2 win in the top club.

Townsend started badly with John Godman losing the two-wood 19-9 to an old Townsend player Dave Martin.

Andrew Briden restored parity with a 22-19 win in the singles, the four of Jason Hall, Alistair Lottering, Peter Armstrong and Richard Briden lost 23-13 meaning the triple of Dave Day, Gary West and Steven Mather had to win and the duly delivered the goods with a 17-13 victory.

This set up a last end cliffhanger in the pairs and Alan Charran and Danny Macro held their nerve to win 22-19 for a deserved victory.

Meanwhile the club defeated Shire Park in the District Triples with both triples winning.

Dave Ricketts, Les Perkins and Gordon Williamson winning 21-10 and Chas Prior, Gordon Herring and Jeff Harber winning 20-10.

This win keeps Townsend near the top of the league.

In the District League the club found Welwyn Garden too strong losing 65-15 the only winning rink being Bill Pullen, Cliff Moule, Tony Izzard and Alan Quested.

The club's members are actively involved in county and district matches this week.

l BATCHWOOD HALL Ladies lost both their friendlies this week against North Mymms away (28-41) and at home to Dunstable Ladies (44 -54).

Top Rink for Batchwood in the first game was Pat Chandler, Sylvia Brewster, Barbara Palmer and Julia Barber (18-15).

In the second game the top triples rink was Vera Baddams, Nora Endericks and Barbara Palmer (21-18).

Liz Schlatter (Batchwood) beat Tricia Gascoine (St Albans) 23-8 in Round Three of the Ladies County Singles while Liz and Jackie Bell (Batchwood) overcame Kay Havord and June Boosey (Hatfield) 30-14 in Round Three of the Ladies County Pairs.

On a hot and humid afternoon Batchwood men were hosts to St Albans in a friendly game.

The scores fluctuated during the afternoon but in the end Batchwood were out played by their visitors who won on all four rinks. Batchwood 57 St Albans 79.

Batchwood's best rink: J Taylor, M Duke, R Rolph, D Gould (15-19).