This year’s Fours saw one extra entry over last year, with 27 teams playing across 5 groups. The winners, runners-up and the best 3rd placed team would make it through to the knockout stages.

Group Stages

For several groups it was a very similar story, one team dominating, and winning all their games, while second place was two or more teams winning only half their games, with shots being the deciding factor.

That was the case for Groups 1, 2, and 5 were won by teams who took maximum points (Barking B, Barking A, and Stutton B), with the runners-up having won just 2 games, and getting through by virtue of a higher shot count (Brockley, Hundon/Kelsale, and Stanningfield C).

Group 3 was little different, with Burstall taking the group with 3 wins, with runners-up Claydon B being one of 2 teams on 4 points.

The big exception was the 6 team Group 4, and was won by Elmsett A, who finished on a maximum 8 points, with runners-up Barrow were just a point behind. The group also produced the best 3rd placed team, Chelmondiston A, who finished on 5 points.

First Round (runners-up and best third, playing off to join the group winners in the Quarter Finals)

Hundon/Kelsale v Barrow was close all the way through, all square on the 6th end, and decided in Hundon/Kelsale’s favour on the last end, as they won 6-4.

Brockley’s game against Claydon B was settled thanks to Brockley picking up a 4 on the 4th end, as they took the game 8-4.

Stanningfield C took 3 on the first end against Chelmondiston A, but 3 ends later were 7-3 down, Chelmo going on to win 9-6.

Quarter Finals

Brockley won the first end against Stutton B, and just about kept their noses in front for the whole game, hanging on to win 5-4.

There was never much between Barking A and Hundon/Kelsale, which needed to go to an extra end to settle the match, Barking taking it to win 6-4.

Elmsett A overcame a 4 shot deficit after 2 ends to force an extra end against Barking B, but just lost out 6-5.

The one game which wasn’t close saw Chelmondiston A pick up a 6 on the second end against Burstall, going on to a convincing 13-2 victory.

Semi-Finals

Chelmondiston A got their noses in front early on against Barking B, leading 5-0 after 2 ends. Another 2 ends later it was back to 5-4, but the comeback ended there, as Chelmo took a couple of singles to win 7-4. Watch on YouTube

After a tight start, Barking A moved into a 5-1 lead over Brockley, and never relinquished it, taking the game 7-3. Watch on YouTube

Final

Barking (Tom, Pete & Rita Runnacles and Mick Watkins) v Chelmondiston (Adam & Karen Hubbard, Frank Wilkin and Bruce Miller)

Two teams who had taken a very different route to the final, with Barking not having dropped a point, while Chelmondiston had to come through as the final qualifier, having finished 3rd in their group.

And it was Chelmo who were off to the better start, opening with a 3, but Barking came back at them, levelling after 3 ends, and taking a 5-3 lead after 4.

Chelmo brought the deficit back down to just a shot on the next, but Barking took what looked like a decisive 3 shots on the penultimate end to lead 8-4.

However, there was a glimmer of hope for Chelmondiston as the jack was driven back, and while no woods were very close, Barking’s were now short, and so were their subsequent ones, leaving them 4, maybe 5 down.

And the fact that the jack was out in the open, was the key, it was begging to be whipped off the mat. Tom took his shot, but his wood went under, and with nothing for it to run up against, sailed off the end. Adam’s first was short to try and disrupt a second attempt, and he did that, getting on the line, and being far enough away to offer no help to Tom.

Tom could not afford to be short. He ran under the blocker, and just a touch less weight or a very slightly narrower line, could have run up against one of the oppositions counting woods, but it just kept on running, didn’t touch a thing, and was off.

Adam’s last should have made sure of a 5th, but managed to be shorter than his blocker. Still, it was a definite 4, and a measure, which went the way of Chelmo for 5, and an unlikely looking 9-8 victory.

A first Suffolk Championship for Chelmondiston, while Frank becomes the first player to retain a title, while playing for different clubs.

Watch on YouTube

Winners Chelmondiston

Runners-Up Barking

You can find all the day's results here.