The ladies of Dartmouth Bowling Club have now joined forces with Stoke Fleming ladies to jointly take part in the Gallery League under the name of Dart/Stoke.

After their first two matches were cancelled, one due to the opposition not being able to raise a team and the other one due to the weather, on May 20 it was nice to get their first match under their belt.

This opening match was away at Teignmouth Den, and the triple of R Painter, M Weedon and skip C Wotton were never behind in their match, running out comfortable winners by 17 shots to 8.

The triple of J Varnam, D Durston and skip G Bowden also were never behind in their match to run out winners by 25 shots to 17.

The triple of S Keep, A Sherlock and skip P Lamble had a slightly harder match, being 5-9 down after 10 ends, but then scored 13 shots to Den's three over the next eight ends to win by 18 shots to 12.

This gave Dart/Stoke a 60 shots to 37 win, thus taking the maximum 10 points.

On May 24 it was a home match this time against Bitton Park B, and this ended up being a very tight match.

The triples of P Dease, P Rowe with skip M Weedon were 2-9 down after five ends and got it back to 10-14 after 10 ends.

They then played some good woods to make it 16-16 after 15 ends, before proceeding to score five shots to Den's one over the last three ends to win by 21 shots to 17.

The triple of J Varnam, S Joy and skip G Bowden had a bit of an up and down game, being 11-3 up after five ends, and only 13-10 up after 10 ends.

In the end they could only score five shots to Den's 10 over the last eight ends to lose by 18 shots to 20.

The triple of J Callis, A Sherlock and skip P Lamble were 9-13 down after 10 ends but then played some good woods over the next five to lead by 16-14.

They kept it together to score two shots to Den's one over the last three ends to win by 18 shots to 15. This gave Dart/Stoke a winning score of 57 shots to 52 and a points total of 8-2.

Also on May 20 a triple from Dartmouth ladies had great success in the Devon County Triples Competition.

Being drawn at home the team of E French, V Gregory and skip J Townsend were drawn out to a team from Torquay Bowling Club in the first round.

They won this one, then on May 21 beat a team from Upton Park.

Next they beat a triples team from Kings Bowling Club on May 23 in the semi-final to play a group A final against another team from Torquay Bowling club, skipped by Beryl Leach, on May 24.

This was a hard and close match which the Dartmouth ladies came through winners and now go through to Plymstock in July to represent Section 6A group in the county finals of this competition.