Thorpe Bay's Percy Boxall was later today hoping to retain the triples title at the Midland Bank sponsored Southend Men's Open Bowls Tournament at Priory Park.

In yesterday's quarter-finals Boxall, with the same line-up that reigned supreme last year, beat George Applin (Southend) 16-12.

However, his route to the final this time faced a considerable hurdle in the shape of Murrayfield's R Blenkinsop.

His trio disposed of Maurice Fry (Woodside) 15-9 and top form Shoebury Park man Kevin Watkins 17-16 before overcoming Gordon West (Wickford) in the quarter-finals.

This was an extraordinary affair with West, skipped by Carreras' Bert Newman, 9-0 up after only four ends. However, they could only manage two more over the next 14 and Blenkinsop won 21-11.

Before suffering defeat at Blenkinsop's hands, Watkins had pulled off a 21-15 win to end the hopes of Ken Devaliant, whose first title success goes back to 1967. He was teamed with his son and Benfleet's Keith Wood.

Castle Point's Dick Dorrington has been a redoubtable character in the Southend Tournament for many years. Teamed with his usual line-up of Castle Point colleague Joe Lawrence and South Benfleet's Albert Wiltshire, he eventually made the last four - but not without a fight.

In fact the South Benfleet line-up of R Tully, W Blackshaw and R Keep looked set for quarter-final success when they led by two with one end to go before Dorrington and Co grabbed a five on the last to win 17-14.

Dorrington had earlier disposed of Rochford's John Welton 14-11. In round three Welton had taken on Rochford team-mate John Staines and won 24-10.

Dorrington's semi-final opponent J Pleasant won through 17-14 against F Sellman (Gidea Park).

After today's (Friday's) singles, triples and consolation triples final, attention was switching back to the mixed fours on Sunday.

Then next week's play concentrates on the pairs and fours with these finals going ahead a week today.

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