YORK Indoor Bowls Club booked a date with Hartlepool in the Egham Trophy after beating Hornsea 81-66.

The Thanet Road club were favourites to triumph, but it was far from easy as Hornsea pushed them all the way.

Leading 26-13 after five ends, it looked as though York were going to win comfortably, but their opponents hit back to make the aggregate score 36-32 after ten ends.

After 15 ends it was 54-47 but York then pulled away to make the game safe between the 15th and 18th ends, when they scored 19 shots to only five against.

At home, John Harris’ side stormed into a 10-1 lead after five ends but, by the 13th, the difference was only two shots at 13-11.

The York team won five out of six ends to go into the last 23-16 in front and the game finished 23-17.

Dave Stroughair’s team got off to a slow start as they trailed 11-9 after 12 ends. Then they stepped up a gear and only lost three more ends to triumph 22-15.

Away, Phil Emmerson’s team only won two of the opening seven ends but they levelled at 6-6 before going on a run of winning nine out of 11 ends to lead 19-8. That was enough to help clinch an excellent 20-13 victory.

Dave Attwood’s team were involved in a tight game. They were only two shots behind at 16-14 with five ends to play, but they lost three on the trot.

York picked up two singles on the last two ends to make the final score 21-16 in the home side’s favour.

York will take on Hartlepool in the next round on Sunday, December 22, with the game starting at noon.