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Search forSian silences Isca's ladies
Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 09:22
With Torquay's Win Smith (20-21), Jeanette Bratcher (13-25) and Audrey Cross (14-22) all valiant in defeat, the victory by Barbara Bellamy, Marjery Lee, Terri Kennard and junior international skip Gordon over rival Hodsoll was greeted with all-round jubilation.
In little more than two hours of play, Gordon confirmed what her former county Kent and most recent club Exonia already knew – that she is a class act.
And her victory earned her new club a safe passage into the first round and a match with Torbay, conquerors of Honiton (76-71).
After the match, Gordon said: "I thoroughly enjoyed the game and the score was obviously necessary to provide an overall win."
It was a typically modest piece of understatement from the 20-year-old who is currently in the frame for a place at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, and who has two Atherley Trophy inter-county team titles with Kent to her credit.
Had she been aware of pre-match suggestions that she (Gordon) was a player of little experience at senior level, then goodness knows how big the margin of her victory might have been.
After the match, Hodsoll admitted she wasn't particularly happy with her own game.
"My number two didn't bowl well and my number three didn't bowl well, and in the end I didn't.
"We were playing a loaded rink and I think Torquay did that in the hope they would cover the rest of the team. I've never gone down by so much. All the other skips of Isca had easier games," she added.
For so many people with the future of the game at heart, Gordon's performance championed the cause of the talented group of under-used junior international players at the disposal of the county selectors. "She certainly bowled like a dream," said Hodsoll.
Isca won on three rinks out of four and yet still lost the match because of the heavy defeat inflicted by Gordon.
Over at Plainmoor, Torquay United's ladies are still buzzing. "We're thrilled to have won and we're absolutely tickled pink," said Chris Alcock who led for Bev Ryland, Madge Cox and Jeanette Bratcher who were beaten by Chris Escott.
"Chris played extremely well and at one point took out a three to pick up a six but we just hung in there and had a very good game with them," said Alcock.
Ruth Rogers, Pam Lane, Di Dabinett and Audrey Cross were beaten by Isca's Connie Barter, who has just been called up into the Atherley side, while Joy Hunter, Jenny Hutchings, June Rimmer and Win Smith were edged out by former Teignbridge player Beryl Vincent 21-20.
Terri Kennard, who played three to Gordon, said: "I thought it was a great result for Torquay. We all played well as a team and I was very pleased for all the girls."
Meanwhile, Torbay beat Honiton 76-71 and the club's Mary Cherry said: "A good start saw us go on and win."
At home a steady start by Hazel Coombe, Sandra Basnett, Daphne Cocker and Stella Cunningham and a confident start by Ann Greenwood, Daphne Yeowell, Lyn Broughton and Jean Townsend saw both rinks forge ahead to win 48-23.
At Honiton, Wendy Barnard's rink of Roz Cherrington, Jenny Moore and Marie Pound found themselves 10-0 down after three ends against Carole Fisher and lost 24-16, while a five conceded on the 13th end saw Mavis Hodgin, Margaret Griffiths, Sue Davenport and Anita Huxtable go down to Joan Heard 24-12.
"The home scores certainly made the difference and helped Torbay win overall," added Mary.
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