YORKSHIRE got off to a 114-106 winning start in their Northern Counties game against Northumberland with a team that included nine York and district players and the Yorkshire captain Anthony Scruton, from New Earswick.

Three rinks were played at York where Iain Boyle's team, which included Phil Parsons, Graham Brook and Mick Parker, had a tremendous 30-13 victory.

Paul Mooring, partnered by Graham Instone and John Emmerson raced into a 9-0 lead before being pulled back but scraped home with a 19-18 victory.

David Stroughair was joined with Mal Harrison and Scruton and also included Yorkshire secretary Tony Horobin, and were the only losing home rink going down 17-15.

The away leg at North Shields saw the visitors lead in two rinks and by three shots after 18 ends but then lost their way losing 15-4 over the last three ends with only Alan Croft's team winning 22-17.

York continued in their quest to win the Yorkshire group of the National Top Ten competition with a 85-47 aggregate win over Selby.

Paul Mooring and Russ Barton struggled at home against Eddie Howcroft's knowledge of the carpet and lost 19-12 in the pairs, but David Stroughair, John Emmerson and Mal Harrison won easily in the triples. The York trio scored 12 shots without reply after seven ends, going on to win 25-8.

At Selby, Stuart Bryan made short work of his game in the singles winning 22-4 allowing his opponent to only score from three ends.

Iain Boyle, Dave Hewick, Michael Bruce and Frank Turner gained maximum points with a 26-16 win in the fours scoring a six on the eighth end to lead 11-10.

York picked up another valuable 13 points to go with the 14 they picked up the previous week.

New Earswick started their debut season in the competition against Metrodome.

It was only possible to play the pairs and triples with the singles and fours disciplines to be played in a fortnight.

Mick Stannard and Bob Edwards were beaten 19-17 but Johnny Allen, Barry Harrison and Bob Howland had an excellent 18-8 victory to give New Earswick a seven aggregate advantage.

Champions York and District started their Yorkshire Over 55s League campaign against one of their main rivals Thornaby with a 76-67 win.

Thornaby put out a strong team for their home leg but Alwyn Redhead's rink won 20-17 after trailing until three ends to go when they were two behind at 17-15.

It was a case of damage limitation for Brian Thomas's link after they lost 11 shots between the 16th and 18th ends but they got a single on the last two to lose 24-11.

Going in to the home leg two days later, York were faced with an aggregate ten shot deficit which was soon cleared by Peter Littlewood's rink who won 25-14.

Fred Clayden's rink kept the momentum going for the champions with a comfortable 20-12 victory and York won the game by nine shots.

Yorkshire's run in the EIBA Under 25 Championship didn't last long at New Earswick when they were defeated by Cumbria.

The rink which included the hosts' Stephen Long and York and District's John Walker won 19-16.

Updated: 12:14 Thursday, October 25, 2001