ESSEX Invitation Petanque League players Nikki Parrish and Trevor Blows secured a top-ten finish at the National Mixed Pairs in Exeter.

They played well to beat teams from Northern, Leicester and Kent in the morning session to top their qualifying group.

In the afternoon, the Essex pair lost out to a pair of current Great Britain internationals from Southern but still finished a very creditable ninth out of 60 teams from across the country.

Meanwhile, Carolyn Acland and Kim Speed played at the Air Ambulance charity event at Bury St Edmunds and came 14th.

In the league, there was a resounding 3-0 win for Broomfield FC over Three Elms Q.

In the triples Dave Bird, Trevor Blows and Tracy Chambers played well to win 13-3, with Chambers gaining the winning point in her first competitive game.

Bird and Denise Blows took the pairs 13-3 and Trevor Blows beat landlord, Peter Thomas, 13-2 to complete a good night for the new Broomfield team.

Blackwater U3A inflicted the first defeat of the season on Wethersfield Jetts.

On the promenade, Peter Harden, Ron Martin and John Guiver took the triples 13-10 for the home side and while the Jetts took the pairs 13-8, Harden secured the match win with a 13-7 victory over Terry Whiting.

Bocking Poachers continued their good form with a 2-1 win at Billericay Meadows.

Having lost the triples, the Poachers team of Mark Williams, Paul Griffin and Pat Brown took the pairs and singles to seal the match win.

The Cock travelled to Three Elms G and lost 2-1.

Steve Tooley and Graham Hill gained a point for the Cock with a 13-3 win in the pairs, but the hosts took the triples and singles.