The Prittlewell quartet of Phil Bowyer, son Mal-colm, 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 yesterday.

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.