For the seventh year running York Indoor Bowls Club's women moved into the Yetton Trophy Zone Final after beating neighbours New Earswick 108-76 on aggregate.

Carol Instone, Sue Kirkpatrick, Brenda Love and Joan Jackson drew level on the fourth end with a four for 4-4 then pulled away as they trounced Brenda Keller, Shirley Hopwood, Peg Walker and Dot Kay 33-9.

In the other rink at Thanet Road, it was a real struggle for Linda Harrison, Sue Tomlinson, Betty Richardson and Dot Kennelly. They needed two sixes to get back into the game.

The first was posted to put them 19-17 ahead to lead for the first time and the next decisively took their advantage to 25-20 over a resolute Margaret Moss, Gill Clark, Diane Hardy and Margaret Blows en route to a 26-23 success.

Lyz Jerrum, Maureen Wood, Moyra Headley and Pat Walker rallied from a nightmare start at Huntington Road, where they trailed 18-0 after only eight ends against Trish Harrison, Maureen Walker, Brenda Martin and Joyce Chelin. But they bounced back, taking eight of the next ten ends to claw the deficit to just one point. After levelling the scores they took the lead for the first time on the last end to take the game 26-20 with a four.

In the other rink, Jeanette Coulson, Kath Sykes, Chris Beavers and Pat Storey were always on the back foot trailing 12-3 to Melanie Brooke, Maureen Thomas, Lynda Parker and Trish Stevens, who kept up the pressure to win 27-18. But that final loss was not enough to prevent York earning a tie against Blackpool Newton Hall on Thursday, January 20.

York made it a good week with an 86-76 victory over Ryedale in the Egham Trophy third round.

But it was anything but easy as Ryedale led for most of the way thanks mainly to a one-sided game between Mark Walton's four and York's Phil Emmerson's side at Thanet Road. Emmerson took an early 7-0 lead after four ends only for Walton to rattle up 18 shots without reply over the next eight ends and also taking the last five ends to win 30-13.

David Stroughair's rink were also facing an uphill struggle when they trailed 11-5 at the half way stage. But a solid fight-back put them in front at 15-14 with four ends to play before eventually winning 24-16.

At Ryedale, Paul Mooring's team turned round a 6-5 deficit after eight ends into a healthy 21-9 lead before winning 25-13.

Gordon Smith's four had an amazing finish. Trailing 17-11 with four ends to play they scored a five, a single, a three and then a four to beat a stunned Nigel Watson's team 24-17. York now play Blackpool Newton Hall on January 23.

Vivienne Trophy holders York received a walkover into the last 16 when opponents Cumbria ceded the game after the Carlisle club was flooded out by the recent storms.

Updated: 11:20 Thursday, January 13, 2005