EDDIE Howcroft, Alan Storey and Alwyn Redhead staged a tremendous comeback in the Eric Hopwood Triples Trophy bowls final against last year's winners, Peter Littlewood, Barry Walker and Noel Cammidge. But it was all in vain.

Howcroft's side trailed 14-1 after only seven ends, but then they gained five singles on the trot before scoring a four, followed by a two and then another single to leave them only one behind at 14-13 with three ends to play.

A single gave a cushion to Littlewood's team, but this was countered with another single to make the score 15-14 going into the last end.

Howcroft laid three shots. With Littlewood unable to draw the winner he played with weight to nudge the jack to the back where Howcroft didn't have any woods and scored a vital single to win 16-14 and retain the title.

In the John Smith's League play-off finals, Alf Cahill's veterans' triples side won a thrilling finish to their match against Brian Thomas' team, who recovered from 12-6 down to draw level at 13-13 with two ends to play.

Cahill's team scored a single to give them the edge for the last end and then got a three when Thomas just failed to draw in for a shot to take them to an extra end, Cahill's team winning the title 17-13.

In the veterans' fours, Peter Littlewood's team were trailing 13-10 to Alan Johnston's side before going 21-13 up. Johnston's team reduced the score to 21-19 before dropping a four to give the initiative back to Littlewood's team, who went on to win 29-20.

In the men's fours, Brian Gray's team easily beat John Stroughair's, 21-17 even though they dropped five shots on the last two ends.

After 11 ends of the men's pairs final, Charlie Bateman led Mick Corringham's team 9-8, but then a run of six winning ends out of seven put the game beyond doubt and Bateman won 21-10.

In the men's triples final, Geoff Mooring's team won all but three of the first 11 ends to lead Mick Parker's side 18-6. Parker's side hit back but Mooring's team won the last four ends and the game 23-13.

Ena Neal and Carol Instone saw a 10-2 lead turn into a 16-10 deficit in the ladies' pairs final against Dot Kennelly and Linda Harrison, who led 19-14 after 16 ends before Neal and Instone levelled the scores with a single followed by a four.

But that was it for them as Kennelly took the title after scoring eight shots over the last three ends to win 27-19.

Linda Harrison also had success in the ladies' triples final against Carol Instone's team. The key stage was the eighth and ninth ends when they scored a four and a six to turn a 6-5 deficit into a 15-6 lead. Instone's team got within three shots at 16-13 but Harrison's team cantered home 22-13.

Charlie Bateman won the mixed pairs title for the second year running as he and Ena Neal easily beat Brian Gray and Joan Jackson 26-5.

Ken Robertson's team strolled home in the mixed triples final, winning 23-8 against Terry Hague's team, who declared after 14 ends.

Phil Parson's team, 9-7 down in the mixed fours final against June Clayton's team after 11 ends, stepped up a gear, scoring a four, followed by two singles. Clayton responded with a single to make the score 13-10, but Parson's side won all the remaining ends to take the game and the title 22-10.

The last knockout final of the season at New Earswick saw Stephen Long beat Rob Domville 21-15 in the junior singles final.

Domville won three of the first four ends to lead 4-2, but Long hit back with five shots without reply and went on to lead 15-11. Domville then got singles on four successive ends, but a two followed by a single, another two and another single gave Long victory.

Updated: 12:04 Thursday, May 01, 2003