GLOUCESTERSHIRE were handed a baptism of fire in their first Middleton Cup group game against Devon at Topsham Bowling Club near Exeter on Saturday.
Gloucestershire's men battled away but lost all six rinks and went down by the wide margin of 161-86 shots.
Gloucestershire team manager Rob Griffiths had selected a side based on experience as well as youth for the clash.
However they soon found out what a strong Devon side were and what they were up against because, by the conclusion of the first five ends, Gloucestershire were trailing by 39 shots to 20 shots.
Plugging away on their rink, Shaun Morris, Mike Prosser, Pete Stichcombe and Stuart Hodges were only two behind at the halfway stage of their contest whilst Brian Burleigh, Paul Nelmes, Nick Holliday and John Roach were three down at 11-8.
Ben Coldrick, Graham Griffiths, James Speller and Steve Knight were only one shot behind, while Adam Smith, Jack Daniels, Chris Roach and Chris Davies were at the other end of the scale, struggling at eight down.
Nathan Kitchen, Dave Smith, Russ Mellerup and Matt Cuthbert were losing 11-4.
John Smallwood, Andy Locke, Nigel Cansdale and Paul Bryant were 13-7 down.
Five ends later, it was going to be an uphill climb for Bryant who trailed 22-7 and in the end went down 30-13.
Knight was only down 13-11 to England international Sam Tolchard but could not hang onto the tough opponent as Tolchard ran away with the match to win 22-15.
Cuthbert was 14-7 adrift but fought back although it was in vain to lose 25-13.
Roach was forced to make up five shots in the last six ends or lose but saw the opposition turn up the heat and storm away to win comfortably by 33-12.
Davies tried very hard to give Gloucestershire at least one win during the match and, having been behind 21-10, he grabbed eight shots in the last four ends but it was not enough and he was beaten 23-18.
Griffiths said: “The lads had a real go but we were given a lesson.
"I was proud of the team and confident we had players to step up at this level.
"We knew what to expect and we were under no illusion that we all had to be at our very best.
"I back our players to bounce back against Cornwall and Herefordshire in the next two games.
"Hopefully even the most experienced players we have will be able to take positives from our defeat, as I do. No team likes to lose by that many shots, however I am not pushing the panic button.”