WEST MOORS, who finished a place above the relegation zone last year, are jostling for the Section One leadership after the opening two weeksk, reports David Briers.

The rejuvenated Memorial men and Branksome Park are setting the pace on 26 points - but the reigning champions hold top spot by a single shot on shots difference.

Following their 12-point kick-off against Alexandra Park, West Moors became the first top-flight team to top 100 shots in a game this term with a 14-0 (102-56) eclipse of Ringwood.

Although Ringwood had started encouragingly themselves the previous week, the 2001 Section Two kings proved no match for the home side whose high-fliers were Bob Lemar, Dave Hockaday, Paul Beards and Ron Brown (31-13).

Meanwhile, Branksome Park were sprinting to a full house of their own (89-55) at Poole Park where Don Payne, Trevor Broad, Scott Golding and Tony Golding (32-11) took centre stage.

Just how much West Moors have improved will be tested on Saturday when they visit Branksome Park.

Don Hawkins, Geoff Halstead, Harry Dunbar and Paul Debnam (28-8) steered Argyll home 10-4 (80-69) against Boscombe Cliff A whose response was led by Frank Wells, Ray Daniels, Mike Proctor and Tony Gabb (24-15).

Boscombe Cliff's first team were indebted to Michael Hutley, Alan Geary, Colin Garment and Chris Martin (30-12) for setting up the 12-2 (89-73) triumph over Wimborne who were steadied by Ray Steele, Ian Napleton, Bob Tappin and Mark Tomberry (24-16).

Although Ralph Johns, John Reeves, Dennis Perrior and John Plomer (27-9) scored the game's biggest rink win, Bournemouth still tumbled 12-2 (80-77) to Alexandra Park, Jim Cotton, John Smith, Eric Hames and Pete Willats (25-11) shining for the winners.

This tussle produced the comeback of the day with Paul King's Bournemouth rink hitting back from 19-5 down at 10 ends to lose just 23-22.

Relegated Richmond Park showed they have the ability to rise out of Section Three at the first time of asking with a second convincing victory.

Following the opening-day maximum at Bournemouth A, they slammed Lymington - the team who came down with them last summer - 12-2 (89-66) with Colin Gray, Max Field, Vernon Dillon and Wally Draper in peak form (32-6). Bryant Middlecote, Terry Green, Arthur Baker and Roy Richardson responded (19-13) against Colin Johnson.

Transport continued their rousing start with an 11-3 (81-71) success at Swanage. Graham Ward, Len Tolladay, Tony Clarke and Brian Collick (27-14 against John Mansell) were Transport's aces and John Thompson, Ray Seacombe, Ted Curtis and Ron Emmitt (27-21) grabbed the Swanage win.

Bournemouth A soothed memories of their first-day disaster by thumping Alexandra Park A 12-2 (90-56). Jim Dustan, Roger Hunt, Bert Mitchell and Gerry Potts (29-7) headed the rampage with Harry Barnett, Robin Pullman, Tom Watson and Alec McGregor (21-14) saving Alex from a whitewash.

George Whittle, Jim Baker, Lloyd Haslam and Ron Taylor (38-10) were Ferndown's prizeguys in the 12-2 (98-59) pounding of Poole Park A who were underpinned by Mark Connor, Ted McIndoe, George Legg and Peter Martin (21-13).

Moordown recorded their second 10-point haul with a slender 81-78 success against Redhill Park. John Maidment, Tony Short, Bob Grimsey and Gary Menday (18-14) teed up victory and Dave Hart, Edgar Kerley, Ron Hollington and Jeff Bliss (24-22) tried to turn the tide Red-hill's way against Bob Affleck.

The intriguing fact about Section Five is that all 10 matches so far have been home wins. Therefore, Fordingbridge - the only team to have two games on their own patch - are top dogs after two 12-pointers. Their latest effort was 90-63 against Milford who came back to earth with a jolt having whitewashed Ringwood on day one.

Colin Ives, Des Jarvis, Mike Lugg and Derek Purse (29-12) led the 'Bridge parade and Derek Newland, Allan Edmonds, Don Henry and Ray Taylor (20-13) struck Milford's blow.

Although Ringwood's first string crashed to West Moors, the tussle of their respective A teams went the opposite way, the New Forest men finishing 12-2 (93-66) up with Dennis Newham, Brian Tester, Don Moss and Paul Mayoss (26-12) their star foursome. Dave Fuller, Frank Billett, Peter Brown and John Savage (21-19) picked up the crumbs for West Moors.

Winter arrivals from London Tony Powlesland and his son Ray combined with Joe McGrath and skip Colin Plow-man (30-16) to fire Poole Park B to a 10-4 (83-70) victory against Argyll A who were best served by Seton Smith, Dennis Winfield, Peter Morgan and Colin Jay (20-16).

Ferndown's 29-10 verdict by Ken Shrubsall, Geoff Percival, John Oakley and Dixie Dean may have been the best of the match but it was only a consolation in their 12-2 (84-76) defeat at Redhill Park A where Sid Atkins, Brian Walters, Fred Wiseman and Reg Colborne (28-13) shone for the hosts.

Eddie Boyt, Harry Lawrence, Ron Hutchings and Ron Walford (27-20) guided Iford Bridge to a 12-2 (81-69) success against Branksome Park B whose lone reply came via Peter Hayward, Wally Barker, John Freeborn and Stan Tucker (16-14).

Bert Sadler, Derek Miles, Bill Bedford and John Price (32-8) helped send West Moors Memorial B hurtling to a Section Six maximum (95-48) against Southbourne B, while George Chandler, Ron Parrish, John Hillesdon and Ron Prigg (34-11) shone as Swanmore A sunk Highcliffe A 12-2 (92-65). Gordon Healey, Alan Perkins, Stuart McCall and Ernie Thorne (21-17) netted the losers' consolation.

Thanks to Bob Grimsdale, Dennis Liles, Colin Colebrook and Arnie Ashton (26-9), Kings Park also recorded a 12-pointer (98-75) at Lymington A whose lone blow was landed by Eric Marks, Ted Priddice, Bill Rance and Brian Marchant (28-16).

The first week they won by four shots and this time it was five as Pelhams A outbattled Boscombe Cliff B 12-2 (79-74). Charlie Moore, Brian Openshaw, Brian Sparrowhawk and Roy Pearce (25-12) were again the Pelhams' class act with Cliff's Roger Anthony, Norman Pankhurst, Albert Toulouse and John Jupp (24-12) faring almost as well.