St Mary Bourne Edge Past Hook Hares in Tight League Encounter

Whitchurch and District League Div 3 - St Mary Bourne Merlins 48 (3.5 pts) - Hook Hares 46 (1.5 pts)

In the picturesque surroundings of St Mary Bourne, Hook Hares faced a tough test both from their Division 3 rivals and a challenging green that demanded full concentration throughout.
Despite a determined effort, it was St Mary Bourne Merlins who narrowly came out on top, claiming a 48-46 overall victory and 3.5 league points to the Hares’ 1.5.
On rink 2, Campbell Williams’ triple — alongside lead Mick Poulter and number two Dave Clarke — made a sluggish start but showed grit to draw level by the ninth end. However, the home side wrestled back the momentum and closed out the contest 15-9.
There was drama on rink 3 where Mike Draper’s trio — with Jez Wilkinson leading and Martyn Kee at two — also struggled early but hit back impressively with a 5-shot haul to close the gap to a single point. Trailing throughout, the Hares finally turned the tide on the 16th end with another telling 5 to edge ahead 18-15. Yet, St Mary Bourne, skipped by Alastair Bunce, held their nerve to claim a single and then a double over the closing ends, forcing an 18-18 draw.
The standout display came from rink 4, where Paul Cary’s triple, supported by Christine Poulter and Ken Hawkins, surged into a 7-0 lead after just five ends. Although the Merlins rallied to pull within one (7-6), Cary’s side responded decisively, stretching their advantage to 12-6. A spirited comeback from the hosts saw them briefly take the lead after picking up a 3 and a 6 — the latter after a trailed jack into the ditch — but Cary’s rink showed true steel, claiming the final four ends and sealing a fine 19-15 win.
While the overall result went the way of St Mary Bourne, the Hares can take heart from their battling performance, particularly the resilience shown on rink 4.
Well played, Hares — "Proud. Resilient. Ready for the next challenge."