WESTLECOT men stayed on course for a place in the final to be staged on their own green in April, and kept alive their hopes of winning the Wessex League play-offs and overall title for the fourth time.

In the last 16 and first round of the play-offs, Westlecot beat highly fancied Stroud-based Cotswold 86-77.

Underdogs Westlecot always held the advantage across the board but could never relax against opponents who had previously won all seven of their northern group matches.

They led 23-16 overall at five ends and 46-31 at halfway.

They still had a 15-shot lead at 15 ends but that was cut overall to 73-63 at 18 as Cotswold rallied and fought back.

However, Westlecot held their nerve to book a place in the quarter-finals against Clarrie Dunbar.

At home the vastly experienced Ian Jefferies, playing his first Wessex match of the season, was superb.

He was forced to move up to skip with the non-availability of Graham Hatherall.

His rink never looked back after picking up a seven on the second end against their Cotswold opponents, skipped by Swindon-based Steve Knight, who recently reached the last eight of the World Indoor Singles Championship.

Jefferies' rink were 9-3 up at five ends and had increased that lead to 13-5 at 10.

They were pegged back to 13-12 at 14 ends but then pulled away again to go 21-12 up at 18 and hold their nerve to seal the overall win as the other three matches had finished.

Neil Smith's quartet were involved in a game of mixed fortunes. They were tied 5-5 at five ends but then enjoyed a purple patch to power into a 17-6 lead at 13 ends.

They were pegged back and trailed 17-18 at 19 ends, stopped the rot with a three on the 20th but dropped a two on the last for a 20-20 draw.

Mike Jackson's rink led 16-11 at 15 but were hauled back to 18 all at 19 ends, before two singles ensured a narrow 20-18 success.

Dave Snell's quartet led were 6-13 down at 10. They pulled back the deficit to 17-19 at 17 ends before drawing level at 21-21.

They then dropped a four on the last end but fortunately it did not prove costly.

Their reward is now a quarter-final match on Sunday, March 9 ,against Central Area winners Clarrie Dunbar (Frome).

RESULTS Home Rink 1: Kevin Embling, David Vowles, Chris Cheesley and Ian Jefferies beat R Speke, S Garrett, A Sprules and Steve Knight 25-14; Rink 3: Kyle Anderson, Dan Hoskin, Mel Biggs and Neil Smith drew with J Heathcote, M Ind, P Mellerup, Wilf Sutherest 20-20.

Away Rink 1: Tom Walkley, Barry Sictorness, John Williamson and Dave Snell lost to J Tombs, A Elliott, K Hinder and Dave Howes 21-25; Rink 2: John Thomas, Jeff Nichols, Dave Matthews and Mike Jackson beat P Glastonbury, T Griffiths, T Webb and Neil Chandler 20-18.

Overall score: Westlecot beat Cotswold 86-77.

PLAY-OFF RESULTS First Round A: Plymouth (Winner West) v Dolphin (Wild Card) - to be played on Sunday March 2.

B: Thornbury (R-up Central) 82 Malvern (R-up North) 93 C: Moonfleet (Winner Coastal) 85 Bristol (Wild Card) 72 D: Carterton (Winner East) 103 Solihull (Wild Card) 60 E: Cotswold (Winner North) 77 Westlecot (R-up East) 86 F: Clarrie Dunbar (Winner Central) 87 East Dorset (Wild Card) 72 G: Taunton Deane (R-up West) v Dorchester (R-up Coastal) - to be played on Sunday March 2.

H: Bournemouth (Best Wild Card) 86 West Berks (Wild Card) 77 Quarter-Finals (March 9, home and away) Plymouth or Dolphin v Malvern; Moonfleet v Carterton; WESTLECOT v Clarrie Dunbar; Taunton Deane or Dorchester v Bournemouth.