By Terry Shepherdson

NEW Earswick Indoor Bowls Club's Ospreys started the new year with a 75-66 win over local rivals York Romans.

Ospreys won three of the four rinks and picked up 12 points to the Romans' two in the Yorkshire County Indoors Bowls Association Seniors League division two encounter.

At home, Pete Davison, David Crane, Bruce Dobson and Eric Cookson were 10-8 behind C Arnot, Rod Knight, Tony Chapman and D. Clarke 10-8 after 14 ends.

But they went on to win four off the next five ends and, with a four at the 19th end, led 18-12. They dropped singles at the last two ends but won 18-14.

In a similar game, the other home rink of Andy Humphreys, Doug Carr, John Snowden and Ralph Tiplady were trailing Andy Lockwood, John Goodacker, Trevor Scott and Paul Milliner 13-10 after 14 ends but they also finished the stronger, picking up five twos and a single at the last seven ends to win 18-14.

At Thanet Road, Dave Hutchinson, Vic Thompson Brian Birch and Bill Waldie trailed P Simpson, John Sandle, D Bell and Mick Snowden 6-4 after seven ends but won seven of the next 10 ends - including fours at the 13th and 17th ends - to lead 21-11 before losing the last three ends in a 21-17 victory.

Gordon Johnson, Rodger Cann, Alwyn Anderson and Graham Lockwood led S Rainsbeck, J Walton R Munro and C. Robinson 13-7 after 13 ends but the York rink fought back and levelled the scores at 13-13 with a five at the 15th end.

The Ospreys had the better of the next four ends and led 17-14 with two ends to play before the Romans scored a three at the 20th to level the match again, then scored two at the last to win 19-17.