YORK Indoor Bowls Club just overcame local rivals New Earswick in a thrilling North Eastern Ladies League derby.

Three games were close, effectively leaving Pauline Cooper's rink as York's match-winners in a 75-70 victory.

Lorna Tordoff, Kay Hutchinson, Irene Warrington and Majorie Watson had led them 9-3 after seven ends on their New Earswick patch, but they only managed to pick up two more threes in the last 14 ends, Cooper's side winning 25-15.

Also at New Earswick, the home club's Kath Hardcastle, Moyra Ellis, Sally Domville and Norma Davies were level at six-all with Pat Bracken’s rink after nine ends and again at 17-all with one end to play, the lead having changed hands several times.

New Earswick then picked up a four to win 21-17.

At Thanet Road, New Earswick's Doramy Bellwood, Gemma Broadhead, Margaret Morgan and Megan Morgan got off to a flier against Brenda Martin’s rink, leading 11-4 after nine ends and later 17-8 after 15.

But the York team took the last six ends, including a five on the penultimate end, and won 18-17.

Earswick's Denise Elliot, Margaret Pearson, Lynn Page and Kath Sykes dropped four at the first end and remained behind against Hayley Robinson’s rink until levelling the scores at 10-10 after 13 ends. They went on to win 17-15, but York had the average, to claim six points to Earswick's four.

Meanwhile, York enjoyed a commanding victory against Leeds in the Egham Trophy, taking all four rinks.

Paul Mooring and Dave Stroughair’s rinks dominated the home fixture, while Matt Clarke’s and Craig Newton’s rinks took an easy victory in Leeds.

Elsewhere, York Vikings held their nerve in a close finish to win their Yorkshire Over-55s League division one match against Harrogate.

York had been down after the away matches - Tex Stevens' rink struggled for the first six ends and lost 29-16, while Geoff Walker’s held on for a 22-16 victory - leaving everything to play for in the home ties.

Graham Brooke’s rink survived a fightback - losing nine shots in the last four ends - to win 22-20, meaning York would win if Phil Parsons' rink could win by six.

It all went down to the last end, where York looked like securing victory as, despite a two-shots deficit, they lay four.

Harrogate killed the end but, when it was replayed, York got the three they required, Parson’s rink taking a 20-13 win.

There was a similar affair for York Knights in division two against Scarborough.

Losing both away matches - Allan May and Ron Munro’s rinks going down 16-23 and 14-21 respectively - York needed a strong response from Gordon Walker and Mike Snowden’s rinks.

Walker’s led from start to finish, taking a 23-8 victory. Snowden's, meanwhile, led 19-17 before a strong finish took them to 31-20, making sure of the overall aggregate.

On Saturday at noon, York face Leeds in the Denny Cup and Scarborough in the Yetton Trophy, a competition in which the Thanet Road club were runners-up last year.