NEW Earswick Falcons ended their relegation season in Yorkshire Over-55s League division one with a heavy derby defeat, losing 90-58 to York Vikings.

York won all four rinks to bag 14 points and, with other results going their way, went third in the table to bag a place in the end-of-season Challenge Cup.

The Vikings made the game safe between the 10th and 15th ends, scoring 32 shots to Earswick's 10 to make the score 72-28.

At Thanet Road, the hosts' Ray Calpin, Chris Bishop, Eric Hodgson and Geoff Walker led Dave Imeson, Gordon Fratson, Mick Head and Bill Waldie 12-1 after nine ends.

The visitors won the next three, scoring four shots, but York countered with six over the next four to lead 18-5 with five to play. Waldie's men won four for a respectable 20-14 scoreline.

York's Dave Dale, Barry Walker, Jim Robertson and Tex Stevens were level at 8-8 with Pat Inwood, Alwyn Anderson, Eric Cookson and Tony Abbot before pulling away with a two then a six. The game finished 22-14.

At New Earswick, York's Graham Instone, Trevor Wilford, Malcolm Lewars and Phil Parsons stormed 22-5 ahead after 16 ends against Graham Lockwood, Paul Murray, Dave Osgudthorpe and Barry Johnson. The game finished 26-11.

Alan Vowles, Andy Humphreys, Roger Ford and Graham Brooke turned around a 5-2 deficit to lead 22-9 with four to play.

Earswick's Bob Elliot, Barry Harrison, Dave Sykes and Colin Ellis won all four to make the final score 22-19.

The Challenge Cup will be at New Earswick on April 6, with Hornsea, Featherstone Jets and Selby also involved.

In division two, New Earswick Ospreys regained some local pride by beating York Knights 87-70, picking up 11 of the 14 points.

At Earswick, Howard Darrell, Alan Price, John Taylor and Bob Barrett pipped M Snowden's Knights 19-18.

It was 15-15 after 17 ends, before the Ospreys won the next two to lead 19-15 and held on over the last two.

John Quinn, Doug Carr, Ray Mawson and Kevin Potter trailed T Scott's rink 19-9 but took the next three ends including a five at the 20th to cut the gap to two going into the last. York managed a single to win 20-17.

At Thanet Road, Earswick's David Booth, Bill Nuckey, Vic Thompson and Brian Birch scored a seven at the second and a six at the eighth but only led 14-10 after 10 ends. They then ran away with things to win 33-12.

Jim Robinson, Vic Wooley, Dave Hutchinson and Terry Bellwood scored singles at the first four ends but lost the next six to trail Gordon Walker's team 11-4. The Knights also led 15-8 after 14 before the Ospreys scored nine shots over the next four to go 17-15 up. York hit back and it ended 18-18.