MOSTERTON Merlins just failed to take the Yeovil League’s Div-ision One title – finishing on 468 points, only 11 behind winners Barrington.

By winning 16 matches, Merlins actually scored one win more than the champions.

The player averages show the all-round strength of Merlins. Richard Trim’s elegant style gained him an impressive 67 per cent, while Andy Mitchell was close behind on 63 per cent.

Chris Glover (59 per cent), whose lobbed defence and incredible retrieving ability won many unexpected victories, and block-shot exponent Derrick Dawson (56 per cent), made up a formidable rearguard.

In their final match, Mosterton’s second-string side Marauders avoided the wooden spoon by overtaking Westland Whips by two points.

There was little to choose between attackers Mike Tuffin (36 per cent) and Stefan Fry (34 per cent), who was playing in his debut season at the top.

Fry perhaps gets the accolade because he played a few more games than Tuffin.

Phil Stringer (25 per cent) had a relatively poor season for Marauders, as did Mir-anda Edwardes (21 per cent), although both managed to defeat some players well above them in the averages. Bob Pearson (52 per cent) helped out as reserve.

Mosquitoes, runaway winners of Division Four, could hardly fail with stalwart Peter Billingham (90 per cent) confounding just about everybody. He was ably assisted by Simon Reichter (62 per cent), whose tearaway style livened up proceedings, and newcomer Ross Baker (33 per cent). Eric Horniblow (76 per cent) and Margaret Pearson (17 per cent) played in a few games for Mosquitoes to keep the points ticking over.