SO COOL, ROGER!

The Lancers needed just three points from the six available to retain their title. Priory needed all six to snatch it, provided Lancing gathered no more than two points.

As the 16 Lancing players arrived for the game you could see a certain nervousness in their faces. Although it was a warm afternoon I felt some of the beads of sweat on their faces were not all heat-related.

Captain Richard Burt welcomed opposite number Mick Munsey and his Bishops team and hoped they had an enjoyable afternoon. After the two trial ends the game got underway, all the jokes had stopped and everybody's attention had turned to the job in hand.

Lancing led 21-20 after five ends and Lancing's rinks had the equivalent of three points. After 10 ends and 15, again there was very little in it.

Tea was taken after 10 ends. Bishops' skip Derek Hatchard was 17-3 down to Burt but after tea Burt scored 21 shots against eight to win 25-24. This included picking up two fives, then a six on the last end.

After 18 ends, the Lancers were sitting comfortably, up 86-49 and looking at five points. But the Bishops made a great effort, scored 19 shots to Lancing's three over the last three ends and, with one rink still out on the green, stood overall just one shot behind. Lancing, 79-78 up, had won only two rinks, putting two points in the bag, but the final scoreline, with its two points at stake, lay in the balance.

The last rink to finish was between Phil Hillsden's Lancing four and Fred Newman's quartet, who led 22-10. It was Roger Boakes playing second in the rink for Lancing who kept his cool. He drew the perfect bowl which turned out to be the winning shot in this tense last end and therefore secured the title with the final 80-78 score securing the third and fourth points.

Ironically, Priory's failure to win meant Lancing could have lost the match and still been champions.

LANCING: Barry Steadman, Norman Cosgrove, Colin Wood, Richard Burt; Geoff Arnold, Ron Richardson, Dessie Wynn, Terry Stevens; Oliver Willcock, Rodger Boales, Peter Clement, Frank Chatfield; John Urben, Barry Kilhams, Roy Bainbridge, Phil Hillsden.

Pavilion denied Lancing the chance to become the first club to retain the Stracey and the Brodie Tray in the same season. Having lost a three-year grip on the Brodie in 2000, Pavilion's Pirates pasted visiting Field Place 6-0 to regain the trophy and leave Lancing settling for runners-up spot after winnng 4-2 at West Tarring.

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