COLIN KING took the York C& IU League's Singles crown off Gary Bunce after beating him by five shots in the final.

Clarence ace Bunce was aiming to lift the trophy for a fourth consecutive year but King flew into an eight-shot lead.

Bunce retaliated and scored two fours on the trot to go in front with a two-shot lead, but the Railway Institute man recovered his composure and went on to win the game 21-16.

Holgate duo Peter Jackson and Alan Phillips retained the Four Woods Pairs trophy after beating club-mates Chris Lea and John Crowe 18-14 in the final.

The Holgate club also had success in the Veterans' Pairs final - Steve Lea and Brian Birch beating South Bank's Alan May and Mal Dewhirst 23-10 to keep hold of the trophy.

Lea and Birch had only returned from Leamington Spa the previous day, having been members of the Holgate team that lost in the quarter-finals of the Over-55s National Bowls Finals.

They were worthy winners of their local league trophy, though, against a South Bank pair who put up good resistance. Lea in particular had an outstanding game, turning losing heads into winners.

Meanwhile, St Clement's surprise win at Clarence scuppered the hosts' chances of being York C& IU Evening League champions in the York.

Saints won 5-3, leaving Clarence nine points behind champions elect Holgate with only one game left.

Holgate went top after being gifted eight points from Tramways from their outstanding game and gaining a narrow 6-2 win over Burton Lane, both teams having been three players short. The winning margin was just 3.75 shots.

Railway Institute took maximum points from South Bank and still have a chance to be champions should they beat Poppleton Road 8-0 and Holgate slip up in their match with St Clement's.