HEREFORDSHIRE bowlers fell to a single point defeat (111-110) in their second Middleton Cup match of the season against Dorset.

Top performing rink Mike Ricketts, Kevin Jones, Russell Jones and Phill Williams clinched a 20-12 victory after storming into a 17-2 lead after 11 ends.

Dorset then bounced back by winning the next five ends to reduce the score to 17-10 before the Herefordshire rink secured the victory 20-12.

The county's second winning rink was Glyn Williams, John Wear, David Magness and Barry Payne who started slowly by going down 7-0 on three ends.

Once the jack was won on the fourth end the length was shortened and they won the next seven ends to take a 12-7 lead.

Dorset still favoured the long jacks and this finally resulted in a 21-17 win.

The only other rink to pick a point was Colin Walters, Alec Tandler, Tom Holmes and Martin Griffiths who took a early 11-0 lead and with eight ends to play were still lead 17-8.

However, Dorset produced the stronger finish winning seven of the ends including a critical three on the last end which won the game for Dorset.

In the first match of the season Herefordshire had managed a very good draw with Somerset.

The next match will be in two weeks time at the Ross-On-Wye Bowling Club.