Bucks get the better of Herts as home advantage pays dividends

In Session 1, Tony Gayler’s singles game was very close for the first seven ends before he pulled ahead to win 14-11.

Brian McGivern was given a lesson, finishing 7-24 down, while Aaron Jones and Darren Stanford led from start to finish to win 16-11.

In the remaining pairs game Pauline Taylor and Jeanette Gayler never really go going and lost 8-18.

Session 2 saw Rebecca Nightingale, Margaret Regan and Liz Bradley start brightly before taking a seven-end pounding to finish 8-18.

The other Herts triple of Jill Oakes, Audrey Fowler and Brian Fowler were in control throughout, winning 14-8.

Graham Yates, Dorothy Hill, John Taylor and Peter Griffiths suffered at the hands of a very experienced four and went down heavily 3-24.

In the other game, Hertfordshire fielded two debutants; Roy Duke and Sam Salmon, alongside Margaret and Alan Hare and they enjoyed their first game winning 16-1.

At the halfway stage of the match both counties had recorded 8 points. However, the home team carried a positive shots difference forward in all four disciplines.

Tony Gayler couldn’t repeat his earlier win in session 3 - he lost 6-14, while Brian McGivern had clearly taken a lot from his first session lesson and won 15-9.

Aaron Jones and Darren Stanford opened with two shots but finished 8-19 behind. Meanwhile, Pauline Taylor and Jeanette Gayler were having a much better time, winning 20-8.

However, the final session of play returned just a single point for Hertfordshire.

Rebecca Nightingale, Margaret Regan and Liz Bradley never recovered from an early five-shot count, losing 10-16.

Jill Oakes and the Fowlers scored on eight of their 13 ends but were held to a 9-9 draw.

The four of Graham Yates, Dorothy Hill, John Taylor and Peter Griffiths lost 6-16, while the Hertfordshire quartet of Margaret Hare, Roy Duke, Sam Salmon and Alan Hare were only a single shot adrift with the last end to play. A tense closing end went against them and the final score was 10-12.

As a result of the defeat, Hertfordshire’s hopes of topping the qualifying group now rely on Northamptonshire pulling off an unlikely win at home to Buckinghamshire.

Hertfordshire team: Brian McGivern (Cuffley Hall), Tony Gayler (St Margaret’s), Pauline Taylor (Harpenden), Jeanette Gayler (St Margaret’s), Aaron Jones (Greenwood Park), Darren Stanford (St Margaret’s), Jill Oakes (Greenwood Park), Audrey Fowler (Greenwood Park), Brian Fowler (Greenwood Park), Rebecca Nightingale (St Margaret’s), Margaret Regan (St Margaret’s), Liz Bradley (Harpenden), Margaret Hare (Letchworth), Roy Duke (St Margaret’s), Sam Salmon (Letchworth), Alan Hare (Letchworth), Graham Yates (St Margaret’s), Dorothy Hill (Letchworth), John Taylor (Harpenden), Peter Griffiths (St Margaret’s).

To see all of Hertfordshire’s qualifying group results and the group table visit www.hcsmba.hitssports.com