TRUE grit and potential was displayed by York Indoor Bowls Club when they too three rinks in beating Yorkshire League champions Featherstone 77-72 in the Denny Cup.

At home Alan Vowles, Ray Calpin, Phil Herridge and Adam Liddell's flying start was capped by a five on the fifth end to go 12-0 up, a lead built on to triumph 26-13.

Dudley Williams, Nigel Macdonald, Phil Parsons and Phil Emmerson led 4-0, 9-4 then 13-9 but each time their score was clawed back and at 13-13 they went behind for the first time. But York responded well, scoring eight shots without reply over the next four ends to win 21-15.

In Featherstone, Andy Humphreys, Tex Stevens, Graham Brooke and John Harris countered from a 6-1 deficit and, after the lead ebbed and flowed, a single on the last end yielded a well deserved 20-18 victory.

Neal Macdonald, Chris Bishop, Paul Mooring and Dave Stroughair, however, lost 26-10.

York are now Yorkshire’s sole representatives in the last 32 stage in which Cumbria are the next opponents a week on Saturday.

Success was also York's in the Egham Trophy, where they edged out Hornsea 86-82.

The away legs started earlier than the home games and saw Melanie Brooke, June Clayton, Graham Brooke and Paul Mooring coming from 18-10 down to draw level at 18-18 before they fell away 22-20.

Hayley Macdonald, Sue Allen, Parsons and Phil Emmerson staged a superb comeback to come from 17-5 down to just 19-18 in deficit. But with five to play they lost three and the game 25-20.

At home, Vowles, Carol Banks, Helen Walker and Liddell trailed 5-0 after three ends. But they rallied winning all but four of the remaining ends to take the game 29-11 and narrow the aggregate scores margin.

Joan Jackson, Nigel Macdonald, Helen Wood and Dave Stroughair were up against an inspired skip in Pete Oliver who led his team to a 22-9 lead after 13 ends.

Again York fought back and by the penultimate end, with the other three rinks having finished, York led 84-82.

Hornsea then produced three close winners and with defeat looming Stroughair`s experience showed. His last wood connected perfectly moving the jack to two home woods and an overall 86-82 win.

York will play Harrogate in the last 32 stage on Sunday, December 21.

DAMAGE was done between the tenth and 15th ends for York to tumble against Hornsea in the North East Ladies League.

The York deficit went from 34-27 to 59-34 before York responded for an overall 79-64 loss.

Audrey Micklethwaite, Margaret Sempers, Hayley Macdonald and Pauline Armitage's home rink scored a seven on the 20th end to take the lead for the first time at 19-17 before holding on for victory.

Pam Richardson, Jenny Darrell, Maggie Pallister and Pat Potter’s away rink were just denied a fine win having to settle for an 18-18 draw after losing a single on the last end.

Sue Jeffrey, Doreen McCowan, Maureen Robinson and Pat Bracken rallied from 19-6 down to lose 22-15.

York’s next game is against Scarborough on Saturday at noon.

A SUPERB display underpinned a 67-60 triumph for York 'B' over their Featherstone rivals in the Yorkshire Over-55s League second division.

At home, Charlie Arnett, Colin Sharpley, Noel Mallen and Alan Clapham won their last six ends to win 18-9, while Harley Wenham, Peter Sorby, Dave Clayton and Bob Blackburn roared back from 16-13 down to win all but the last seven ends for a 20-17 success.

In Featherstone, Tony Butterfield, Ray Wynn, Richard Jessop and Ron Munro lost six ends on the trot but only by the slightest margin to eke out a merited 15-15 draw, but Alan Potter, Dave Snarr, Ken Hutson and Allan May lost 19-14.

York 'B' play their home leg against Leeds tomorrow at noon, the same time as the 'A' ranks complete their division one game against North Cave White.
 

YORKSHIRE strolled to a 141-96 EIBA O60s Liberty Trophy tie win over Cumbria, winning five of the six rinks to earn a game against Lincolnshire.


VIVIENNE Trophy holders York play Lincoln home and away today, the games starting at 12.30pm.