GLOUCESTERSHIRE suffered a disappointing start in their opening Middleton Cup game when they lost by 32 shots to Wiltshire (135-103) at Wootton Bassett BC.

Middleton Cup

Wiltshire 135

Gloucestershire 103

It could have been a different story had the first half, in which the county were on top, been carried over into the latter stages of the match when they suffered some big losses.

Both Tetbury players in the team, Pete Stinchcombe and Roger Bird, were on losing rinks.

Stinchcombe along with Nick Holliday (Cheltenham), Mark Perry (Cheltenham) and Stuart Hodges were only 7-6 down to Mel Biggs before dropping a seven on the 13th end and went on to lose 24-12.

Bird, playing with John Smallwood (Olveston), John Roach (Cheltenham) and Paul Bryant (Olveston) were 10-9 down to Graham Shadwell at halfway before a flurry of dropped shots saw the rink crash to a 30-14 defeat.

John’s Trophy

Gloucestershire Women 86

Devon 124

GLOUCESTERSHIRE women found champions Devon too strong in the John’s Trophy, losing 124-86 at Long Ashton B.C.

Up against it from the start, all rinks were playing catch up after just five ends when the match score stood at 42-11 in Devon’s favour.

The only winning rink for Gloucestershire involved Moreton's Rita Gerry (Moreton).

Along with Val Osmond (Ardagh), Julia Stannard (Nailsworth) and Lindsay Collin (Page Ladies), they stuck to their guns and from 6-2 down scored eight shots without reply against Jean Martin to lead 10-6 at halfway.

Racking up another five in five ends they opened up a seven-shot lead before the shots dried up and they scored a single in the last three ends to hold on to a 16-13 win.