The 14-2 point win moved Rivermead to their highest ever position in the East Region, standing proudly above both Oxford clubs, Banbury and Chipping Norton.

Unavailable for the last match, skip Ted McDonnell and Aubrey Merry returned to continue their blossoming back end partnership.

With David Brown and Jim Whiteley up front, they became the highest winning away rink in the league by blasting their Banbury opponents 31-12.

“It was a perfect team performance” said McDonnell. “We saved the best till last as there was just no weakness for Banbury to expose” he added.

The return to the club of skip John Sayer has had a positive impact on the team, and with Peter Cowen, David Silvester and Rod Brown his rink made the overall result a certainty by producing another superb 21-10 winning card.

Every team needs a solid base and Rivermead have never been better served than by John Eatwell’s rink of Ken Wheeler, Jim Parish and Jim Hubbard.

They were the “go to” rink in every match scoring the most points for Rivermead with solid performances throughout the season.

The resurgent enthusiasm in the club can be measured by Mike Vickers huge disappointment in missing out on giving Rivermead a clean sweep.

All looked good at 17-12 up after 16 ends, but his rink were caught out when Banbury shortened the jack and they lost a further 12 unanswered shots to go down 17-24.

“We have got to see this as a springboard for even better things” said John Eatwell. “We need commitment from the players to keep the majority of each rink together. New blood could possibly add strength in a couple of areas and make us even more competitive when the new season gets underway."

Scores:- Home rinks:

John Dearling, Terry Stevens, Les West, Mike Vickers (S) lost 17-14.

Jim Hubbard, Jim Parish, Ken Wheeler, John Eatwell (S) won 26-22.

Away rinks:

Jim Whiteley, David Brown, Aubrey Merry, Ted McDonnell (S) won 31-12.

Rod Brown, David Silvester, Peter Cowen, John Sayer (S) won 21-10.

Result:- Rivermead 95 (14 points)- Banbury 68 (2 points).

BACK TO BACK WINS IN DERBY FIXTURES

THE old cliché of “a game of two halves” perfectly describes the battle between Peter Cowen’s Island Bohemian triple and Rivermead’s Jack Emmons which saw Emmons 16-7 up at the half way stage.

But after picking up a four the momentum swung full circle and Cowen won 8 of the last nine ends to hand in the Island’s only winning card at 26-19.

Coasting 12-2 up at seven ends Rivermead’s Tony Partridge then lost a seven to Len Hillier before a solid display saw him snatch a single on the last end to win 19-18.

Scores:- Rivermead names first:

D.Comley, S.Smith, D.Miles (S) beat S.Wood, J.Methuen, T.McDonnell 29-14 R.Brown, N.Smith, J.Sayer (S) beat T.Newbrooks, F.Clanfield, G.Crowdy (S) 22-8.

P.James, J.Plummer, J.Brown (S) beat I.Mitchell, G.Young, M.Prior (S) 33-8.

D.Coston, R.May, T.Partridge (S) beat D.Parker, D.Tegg, L.Hillier (S) 19-18.

B.Strong, J.Jeffrey, J.Emmons (S) lost to B.Smith, T.Rumble, P.Cowen (S) 19-26.

Result:- Rivermead 122 – Island Bohemian 74.

IT WAS an altogether closer encounter when Rivermead and Trentham each won on three rinks with Stephen Hall’s 30-13 over Peter Holder being the deciding factor in Rivermead’s eventual 121-103 victory.

It was nearly a case of déjà vu for Jack Emmons when from 18-2 up Trentham’s Sylvia Coston pegged him back to 19-12 before a strong finish saw him win 24-14.

Trentham were indebted to Kath Charlton’s rink for keeping them in the game with a fine 26-15 win over Sue Allum.

Scores:- Rivermead names first:

M.Rumble, E.Rodgers, T.Rumble, S.Allum(S) lost to C.Comley, R.Want, A.Ricketts, K.Charlton (S) 15-26.

M.Emmons, BM Bowell, G.Crowdy, T.Partridge (S) lost to L.Coles, C.Devereux, D.Comley, A.Stephens (S) 13-15.

M.Webb, B.Davies, F.Powell, J.Brown (S) beat S.Coston, T.Johnson, B.Beard, B.Strong (S) 21-16.

T.Slark, N.Smith, T.Saunders, S.Hall (S) beat J.Strong, D.Justice, K.Joslin, P.Holder (S) 30-13.

P.Miles, D.Parker, D.Miles, J.Plummer (S) lost to M.Justice, V.Beard, D.Coston, R.May (S) 18-19.

P.Clanfield, B.Jacobs, F.Clanfield, J.Emmons (S) beat D.Ricketts, M.Want, P.Higgs, S.Coston (S) 24-14.

Result:- Rivermead 121 – Trentham 103.