THE week started well for Tavistock Sir Francis Drake Bowling Club when they won Sunday's mixed match against Bradworthy 104-93 thanks to winning rinks skipped by Ron Cooper (32-8), Eric Stevens (22-14) and Mike Allen (23-15).

From then on it was bad news for the mixed teams. Thursday saw the return match with Looe Bowling Club, who were out to avenge the 83-118 shot defeat inflicted upon them by a visiting mixed Tavistock team on July 4.

Looe got their revenge, winning 121-110, despite Tavistock winning on three rinks skipped by Marion Allen (29-16), Mike Allen (22-21) and Der Saunders (23-18).

The other three Tavistock rinks dropped 30 shots between them to ensure Looe their much sought after victory.

Tavistock's trip to Topsham on Friday saw their mixed team face another defeat, when they lost 105-125, with only the rink skipped by Norman Paramor winning (31-8).

It was three defeats in a row when on Saturday Barnstaple United Services Bowling Club visited Tavistock for a return match. After beating a mixed Tavistock team 116-108 at Barnstaple in May, they were confident of repeating the performance and it was well founded, for they won again (136-96).

Tavistock won on three of the six rinks, but were well defeated on the other three rinks played. Winning Tavistock rinks were skipped by John Smith (25-15) Mike Allen (22-15) and Walter Meeks (25-11).

The men's section had fared better earlier in the week when they visited the Stuart Road Club in Plymouth for their only match of the week, a County Trophy fixture.

Tavistock won 109-54 thanks to winning rinks skipped by Ron Cooper (29-10), Norman Paramor (27-11), John Smith (30-15) and Eric Stevens, who won 23-18 after being behind all the way to the 18th end.

The ladies' section also only played one match during the week, an away fixture at Okehampton where they won 54-37, thanks to skip Marion Allen's rink of Anne Brown, Dorice Hicks and Betty Browse which won 31-17, and the rink of Joan Northey, Hazel Lovell and Marlene Paramor, skipped by Jean Flay, which won 32-20.