York's Ladies came through their tough Yetton and Vivienne Trophy games against Cumbria with flying colours.

They won 78-74 in the Yetton Trophy and face South Shields next Thursday (12.30pm).

Melanie Brooke, Maureen Thomas, Norma Reed and Trish Stevens turned a 9-3 deficit into a 23-14 victory.

The other home rink of Trish Harrison, Maureen Walker, Lynda Parker and Marilyn Andrews let a 15-9 advantage slip on the 14th and 15th ends when the Cumbrians levelled.

With two ends to play the visitors led 19-16. Harrison's team levelled with a three but dropped a single to go down 20-19.

Carol Instone, Sue Kirkpatrick, Joyce Chelin and Brenda Love came back from being 15-10 down after 16 ends to win 18-16 in Cumbria. Linda Harrison, Sue Tomlinson, Betty Richardson and Dot Kennelly trailed 15-2 after six ends but managed to level at 17-17, but ran out of steam and lost 24-18.

The 78-75 Vivienne Trophy victory put York into the quarter-final for the third time in four years and they will play either Lincoln or Cambridge.

The home rink of Margaret Smith, Irene Paylor, Sylvia Walker and Pat Ellis were coasting at 15-6 after four ends, but when the score stood at 21-9 they dropped a six followed by a single to make the final score a deceptive 21-16. Anita Haw, Clarice Johnston, Liz Worling and Ann Sharpley were involved in a drawn-out game after the Cumbrian skip's many visits to the head.

But the home side remained patient and came through thanks to a three followed by a two on the 19th and 20th ends which put them 21-17 ahead. That left the visitors a four to get on the last to take the game into another end, but they only mustered a single.

At Carlisle, Doreen Rodgers, Ella Armitt, Carroll Pink and Pat Lofthouse led 9-1 with only five ends gone. But the home side pulled back and reduced the arrears to 11-10 after 15 ends. But Rodgers' side weren't to be outdone and eventually won 16-13.

Pat Bracken, Maureen Wallace, Mavis Puckering and Maureen Robinson made a determined effort pulling five shots back over three ends to go into the last trailing 24-20 but dropped a four and lost the game 28-20.

York made it a hat-trick of victories against the Cumbrians in the space of three days by winning the Egham Trophy Zone final 89-78.

Paul Mooring, Amy Monkhouse, Graham Instone and Trish Stevens came from 5-4 down after seven ends to lead 20-6. Cumbria scored five shots on the last two ends but the home side won 27-14.

Iain Boyle, Eddie Howcroft, Carol Instone and Brenda Love were trailing 21-19, but came back to draw 24-24.

Michael Bruce, Graham Brooke, Michelle Mooring and Dot Kennelly were also involved in a tight game which saw the lead swapping over. York lost 22-20.

York now play Hebburn in the last 16 of a competition they last won in 2000.

Maximum plunder

New Earswick's Ladies picked up the maximum ten points after a comprehensive 98-42 victory over Doncaster.

Jeanette Coulson, Maureen Wood, Ann Thompson and Pat Walker had their 36-9 home win wrapped up by the ninth end when they led 21-0.

Brenda Keller, Lys Jerrum, Margaret Pearson and Mavis Clare were never troubled as they won 25-9.

In Doncaster, Gill Clark, Diane Hardy, Maureen Wilson and Kath Hardcastle came from 9-7 down after 13 ends to win 20-10 while Margaret Moss, Peggy Walker, Barbara Brigham and Pat Storey crucially got a single on the last end to win 17-14 just as the home side were threatening to pinch the game.

Yorkshire League champions York continued to make heavy going of their title defence.

They only just beat North Cave 79-78 after the scores were level at 78-78 with only Paul Mooring's rink to finish.

Playing away, they had been leading 14-8 after eight ends only to find themselves 27-14 down with four ends to play. On the last end with the score stood at 27-19 and the aggregate scores level, Mooring trailed by three and killed it, only to take full advantage by picking up the all important single when it was played again.

In the second division, New Earswick were also involved in a thriller in their match against Selby which saw the Huntington Road side leading for most of the way on aggregate only to be held 81-81 draw, each side picking up nine points.

New Earswick comfortably beat Metrodome 82-81 in the Hebden Trophy but it was a close game as the Barnsley side made a determined push towards the end but to no avail as York picked up 14 points to Barnsley's four.

York continued their good run by beating North Cave 99-53 picking up 16 points to take over at the top of their group from North Cave.

Updated: 09:38 Thursday, January 29, 2004