The Prittlewell quartet of Phil Bowyer, son Malcolm, Ken Adams and Brian Adderley gave home fans plenty to cheer about when play started in the fours competition at the Midland Bank-sponsored Southend Men's Open Bowls Tournament at Priory Park on Monday.

For they pulled off a great 20-13 first round win over the highly-fancied line-up led by 1997 winner John Warman, his Essex County colleagues Ray Cooper and Paul Adams and regular tournament visitor from Northampton, Steve Bocking.

Defending champion John Seddon (South Benfleet) had a comfortable 24-11 victory over Alf Woodley (Eastwood).

John Beckwith (Bournemouth Park) could be a good each-way bet with his strong line-up which swamped George Applin (Southend) 30-7. Great Wake-ring's Dave Bowtle captured a seven on the 15th and four on the 20th to squeeze past Hockley's Dave Hatton 26-23.

Billericay's Reg Foster is a three-times former winner and, skipped by clubmate Doug Weeks, could be on a victory roll again. Certainly he was too good for E Burton (Eastwood) to the tune of 26-12.

Stock's Tony Hart saw off Peter Glibbery (Shoebury Park) 18-10, while Essex County's Len Pemberton saw his hopes ended by G French (South Benfleet), who won 23-12.

Ray Horncastle (United Services) crashed 30-10 to J Sargeant (Castle Point).

Rochford's John Staines had clubmate John Horrex, last year's singles champion, skipping for him but still went down 19-13 against A Simmonds (Hockley).

However, Horrex is still in with a great chance of mixed fours success. He had an 18-13 quarter-final success over A McDonald (Burnham Hill) and now takes on Tony Fakeley (Prittlewell).

Fakeley got home 23-21 over hugely-successful Charlie Davies (Rayleigh).

Thorpe Bay's Percy Boxall, who successfully defended his triples title last week, is in the mixed fours semis after a 19-16 win over Alec Swan (Essex County).

Boxall now takes on the redoubtable Joe Stamper (Lionmede) who, after being 20-7 up on 14 ends, was made to fight all the way before beating John Wells (Southend) 25-21.

In the consolation mixed fours final J Adams (Shoebury Park) will take on J Fairbairns (Prittlewell). Play started today in the pairs event.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.