Ryedale's Mark Walton made it a hat-trick of wins in the finals of the area national indoor bowls championships when his triples team beat Cliff Holmes' Hull side.

They got off to a good start leading 9-1 after five ends before the Hull trio countered to go 12-11 in front.

Walton retook the lead with singles on the next three ends but then was hit by a three to go into the last end 15-14 down. With one wood to play and Hull laying shot, Walton moved the jack to give his team a 16-15 win and a place in the next month's finals at Melton Mowbray.

Walton had already succeeded in the pairs with a 26-4 demolition of Dave Tooley's Hull team, the final being conceded on the 18th end.

And in the fours at New Earswick, Walton's team beat York's Ray Calpin's side 23-8 thanks to a run of six winning ends out of seven.

The only final to elude Walton was surprisingly the singles in which York's Gordon Smith beat him at Ryedale in the semi-finals.

Smith faced Featherstone's John Whiteley in the final at Huntington Road, where in a nip and tuck tussle Smith got to within one point at 18-17 down only for the first three of the duel to clinch a 21-17 triumph for Whiteley.

Meanwhile, York Ladies increased their chances of retaining the Yorkshire League championship when they beat Hornsea 98-65 to collect eight points.

At home, Sheila Turpin's side had the edge and were rewarded with a five and a single on the last two ends to win 22-15, while Carol Instone's rink fought back from 16-3 down after ten ends before narrowly losing 21-18.

At Hornsea, Linda Harrison's four had an outstanding first 15 ends when they led 29-7 helped by a six on the seventh end en route to a 29-14 victory. Melanie Brooke's side also had an excellent 29-15 win, coming from 6-3 down.

Updated: 10:14 Thursday, March 02, 2006