Oxford & District saw their bid to win the Egham Trophy, the English national mixed inter-club championship, foiled 84-79 by Exonia, of Exeter, in the final at Desborough, Northants.

Howard Watts, with England international Kathy Hawes operating at No 3, set a scorching pace for Oxford, rocketing 13-3 clear of Kevin Phillips over the first eight ends.

Phillips, a Devon Middleton Cup-winning skip, clawed his way back, slashing the gap to 16-13 with four ends to play.

But Watts weathered the storm, drilling home a four and two singles on the run-in to win 22-14.

Ian Snowdon was poised to boost the Oxford cause when he led Bill Davis 14-7 after eight ends - and was still 20-14 ahead with five ends left.

The tenacious Davis hit back with a four, a double and a treble to inch ahead 23-22 at the penultimate end, but Snowdown rallied at the death to force a 23-23 draw.

Oxford's Glenn Allen was stunned as Nathan Farrant flew from the blocks into a 14-2 lead after 12 ends and stretched his advantage to 21-4 with five ends to go.

Allen let rip in the home straight with an amazing 1, 4, 2, 5, 3 charge, slicing Farrant's winning score to 21-19.

Indeed, Allen featured in the last match to finish, and had he scored a maximum eight at the last end, instead of a treble, the teams would have finished all-square at 84-84!

Unfortunately, such heroics would have been in vain, as Phillips had already beaten Watts at a pre-emptive extra end to take care of such possibilities.

On the remaining rink, Glenn Allen's father, Chris, was soon under the cosh as England international Simon Stevens raced 9-0 ahead after four ends and 17-5 after ten and the English and British Isles fours champion went on to win 26-15.