HOLDERS Clarrie Dunbar crashed out of the Wessex League play-offs on Sunday morning, losing to Bromsgrove in their re-arranged first round match.

Central winners Clarrie went down 73-82 to the Worcestershire side, a wild card entrant who only finished third in the midlands section, while last season’s beaten finalists Kingsthorpe (Northampton) lost to Dolphin (Poole) 80-73 and wild card Carterton ousted coastal region winners Moonfleet (Weymouth) 90-80.

Dunbar were winners on two rinks but lost on the other two to Bromsgrove but were always behind until the three-quarter mark briefly.

They trailed overall 15-21 after five ends and 27-40 at 10 but fought back well to edge in front 52-51 after 15 ends.

However, Bromsgrove re-grouped to move 69-62 up at 18 ends and finally beat Clarrie Dunbar by nine shots 82-73.

Andy Colebrooke’s home rink at Standerwick were always ahead winning 23-13 however Keith Bailey’s four were involved in a tight game but missed-out by two shots losing 18-20.

In Bromsgrove Russell Francis quartet struggled throughout going down by 18 shots 11-29.

But Graham Shadwell’s foursome including Andy Taylor, Brian Hawkins and Craig Doughty gave Clarrie hope coming from 11-5 down at 10 ends to lead 15-12 at 15 ends scoring ten shots and only conceding one to help to turn the overall score on its head to give Dunbar the lead.

But the hope was short-lived as Bromsgrove flexed their muscles again to retake the overall lead and power away to victory.

In the quarter-finals to be staged on Sunday Bromsgrove will meet Swindon Westlecot.

RESULTS

HOME - Rink 2: John Freeman, John Jones, Duncan McGovern & Keith Bailey lost to John Cracknell 18-20. Rink 3: Jamie Shadwell, Alan Brown, Dale Taylor & Andy Colebrooke beat Neil Brereton 23-13.

AWAY - Rink 1: Ian Perkins, Colin Easton, Wayne Snook & Russell Francis lost to Adrian Burbridge 11-29. Rink 3: Andy Taylor, Brian Hawkins, Craig Hadfield-Doughty & Graham Shadwell beat Richard Moule 21-20.

Score: Clarrie Dunbar lost to Bromsgrove 82-73.