Sport

Priory off to a flyer in Stracey

Tarring Priory started their Stracey Shield campaign with a home game against Worthing

West Sussex League Team Manager Chris Ide in early season action

After tight early exchanges Priory stretched away in the second half to record a convincing 80 - 53 victory and take away all 10 points. Making his debut as a skip and against his former club, John Bailey found himself 6 - 9 down but with good support from Adrian Jackson, Mike Meadows and Roy Barclay stretched away to a 23 -11 win over Charlie Grear.

Derek Meechan, John Proffitt, Nick Eager and Chris Ide controlled their rink and came out 18 -10 winners with a similar story for new arrival Mike Mahoney, Ray Baker, Keith Brinsmead and the very impressive Alan Messer who won 23 -11 against Janet Atkinson

It was Stuart Logan's rink where there was drama, 2 shots on the last end giving Butch Shakespeare, Steve Davis and Steve Allen a 16 -15 victory over Russell Howlett.

The tables were turned on Priory the following day when they travelled to Chichester to defend the West Sussex League PC Cup. With two established division one teams in action it was likely to be close and so it proved with the home team winning by 62 shots to 59. A 3 on the last end for Simon Rusbridge, Alan Messer, Clunky Clarke and Richard Dray gave them a 15 -13 rink victory over Stuart Meyer but it was not quite enough. Derek Meechan, John Bailey, Nick Eager and Chris Ide were 7 -2 up but ended with a 14 -14 score against Gary Miller with an identical score for Emilio di Pietro, Roy Barclay, Ian Roberston and Stuart Logan against Tony Sayer from a 13 - 4 lead.

The damage was done by Chichester captain Simon Tooley who went from 14 -8 down to a 21-16 win against Chris Salt, Terry Urben, John Schools and Stuart Shwartz.

With games coming quickly, new Priory manager Chris Ide has plenty of opportunities to lift his squad after this early season disappointment