Tiger Sharks bite into Inn's lead

MARINERS' INN qualified in pole position from the first-stage round robin of the HSBC Guernsey Open at Hougue du Pommier, despite losing to Tiger Sharks in their last match. Matt Le Ber's four beat nearest rivals Rebels 22-13, but then went down 19-13 to Peter Furmidge's side who scored on six ends on the bounce mid game to establish a 19-7 lead before the title contenders pulled back a single, a treble and a double to make 13.

Despite losing to Le Ber's team, the Rebels held on to second spot by securing a 30-8 win over lowly Head Hunters. Rebels led 12-2, but Len Bretel's side pulled back to eight, although the respite was short lived as Rebels took 18 shots over the last five ends to stake the win.

Vultures took third spot after securing a 20-6 victory over Head Hunters skipped by Barry Pallot and followed that up with a nervy 15-13 win over Midas.

The losers played superbly on the day and Norman Gavey, John and Shirley Jehan and the inspirational Dave Mahy appeared to be able to do no wrong as they recovered from a 10-3 deficit to lead 12-10.

The two teams went into the last end 13 apiece and Vultures managed to hold on to two shots to secure the win to take third spot.

Visiting side Rabble took the fourth qualifying space thanks to a narrow 23-20 victory over Tiger Sharks and an ultimately close 25-20 win over Hit Men.

Michael Merritt's men led 23-8 after 15 of the 18 ends and a landslide victory looked likely.

But a rarely seen maximum count of eight brought the youngsters, who had been joined in this game by the evergreen Ricky Brehaut, up to 16 and although Rabble took a two on the 17th end, Hit Men responded with a four of their own and narrowed the margin between them, ensuring that they took the last qualifying spot in the top group.

The consolation group will be contested by Tiger Sharks, Midas, The Good Guys, Head Hunters and Mixed Bunch and action from both groups continues this afternoon at 3 o'clock.