PROMOTION-SEEKING York Knights let their Yorkshire Over-55s Bowls League division two game against lowly North Cave Yellow slip away when they should have won comfortably

The Knights were third in the table and North Cave third-bottom, but the latter won 91-79, with York picking up only four points.

The away leg was played first and saw York end with a five-shot deficit.

Doug Mitchell, Bill Carter, David White and Geoff Walker had a high-scoring game which saw three fives and a four scored in the first four ends with the hosts leading 10-9. The game remained balanced at 21-21 after 14 ends before Walker's men won three on the trot, scoring seven shots, only to be countered by a four then a single.

The game went into the last end with the Knights leading 29-26 and they took the rink points when dropping only a two to finish 29-28.

Chris Reaston, Barry Walker, Pete Bradley and Tex Stevens trailed 11-5 after 11 ends before winning four in succession to take a 13-11 lead. However, they only scored two singles in the run-in and lost 21-15.

At home, while Charlie Arnett, Mal Rankeillor, Trevor Scott and Ray Clark were trailing 17-11, Harley Wenham, Dave Holder, Ray Calpin and Malcolm Thompson were coasting - with a two at the 16th end to go 20-6 up putting York ahead on aggregate for the first time.

However, the lead was short-lived as Thompson's men could not score any more and just held on to win their contest 20-19, while Clark's team, having endured bad luck, lost 23-15.

York Romans also lost to city rivals New Earswick Falcons. (See today's other bowls report on thepress.co.uk/sport for details.)

Tomorrow, new division one champions York Vikings complete their league fixtures against Hornsea Seagulls, starting at 12.30pm.

Meanwhile, today at 12.30pm, York Indoor Bowls Club hosts the crucial Midland Counties game between Durham and Nottinghamshire. Leaders Yorkshire are in action at Warwickshire and could win the title if they pick up maximum points and Durham lose three rinks.

Tomorrow at 12.30pm, the National Ladies Over-50s Triples Area final between York club-mates - Linda Harrison's team and Joan Jackson's team - takes place.

On Saturday, York hosts another National Area final as New Earswick's Paul Humphreys takes on Scarborough's Jack Bird in the Gents Singles at 11am.

On Sunday, Yorkshire IBA play their Singles and Senior Singles competitions at Thanet Road, starting at 10am.

* YORKSHIRE Under-25s were in top form as they beat last year's finalists, Lincolnshire, 41-28 in the EIBA U25s Double Rinks competition.

The home leg was played at Scarborough and saw John Hall, Matthew Bell and Jack Bird, of the host club, along with North Cave's Luke Nicholls, win 17-12.

York's Neal Macdonald and Kieran Earnshaw, along with Harrogate's James Frith and Cameron Legate, played the away leg in Boston.

They trailed 10-5 after nine ends before drawing level three ends later. They dropped another three over the next two ends but then won all but two of the remainder before the game was conceded with one to play and Yorkshire leading 24-16. The White Rose meet Suffolk in the semi-final on March 11.