NEIL SMITH became the first Westlecot player to book his place in the Area 16 finals of the English National Indoor Championships.

A finallist three times in the previous five years Smith reached the singles final again for the third year in a row with a comprehensive 21-5 victory in just 14 ends.

He easily outgunned Bristol's David Constant, 63, the former county cricketer and England Test umpire, who was a beaten semi-finallist in this year's national Over 60s singles championship finals.

Smith was in awesome form and started with counts of 3, 2, 3 and 4 to lead Constant 12-0 after only four ends.

Six successive singles were then shared as Smith moved 15-3 ahead.

Constant scored a two on the 11th end but Smith then closed out the match with scores of 2,3 and a single for an easy victory.

In the area final Smith will meet Bristol's Ryan Collier who beat North Wilts' Steve Remington 21-8.

The quartet of Mel Biggs, Jamie Titcombe, Mark Dyer and Neil Hope are through to the Area 16 Fours final but only after a tough scrap.

In the all-Westlecot area semi-final they came from behind to beat Kyle Anderson, who is only 11 years-of-age, Ron Salisbury, John Anderson and Dan Bluett 29-19.

Bluett's rink raced 8-1 ahead after four ends and were still ahead at 15 ends as they led 18-15.

But their vastly experienced opponents killed the game with two five's on the 16 and 17th ends to move 25-18 in front and eventually win 29-19.

But Biggs, Dyer and Hope are out of the triples beaten 19-17 in the area semi-finals at Thornbury by Paul Bryant's trio.

Westlecot still have hopes of a representative in each of the four national area 16 finals singles, pairs, triples and fours.

In the pairs Barry Sictorness and Dyer have to travel to Whitchurch to face Richard Turvey, while Graham Hatherall and Mike Jackson are drawn away in the other semi-final at Whitchurch against Keith Williams.

Jackson and Hatherall are also drawn away together with Ian Jefferies in the triples semi-finals at Clevedon against Chris Messer's trio.

In the fours John Thomas, Jackson, Hatherall and Smith will be looking to make it an all Westlecot area final.

They have home advantage in their semi-final against Tim Lock's quartet from Nailsea on Sunday, February 6.