THE 2018 York Amateur Bowls League season is under way, with a key clash already taking place.

The first round of matches saw the top two in division one last year - Holgate WMC and RI Corinthians - meet up, with the champions coming out on top 6-2 after a super fightback.

In a very close-fought contest, the Holgate outfit took the aggregate by only two shots, with the rinks being shared.

Corinthians' Tony Thornton got the better of Phil Emmerson and Mal Bulmer took a win over Gary Lewington.

However, a comeback from Alan Smith over Pete Godwin and a win for Steve Lea over Andy Brookes saw Holgate WMC clinch the spoils having been 12 shots down with a quarter of the game to play.

Osbaldwick, promoted to the top tier last year, took on Haxby Road at Clarence Gardens with the newcomers coming out on top with a 6.5-1.5 victory.

Rowntree visited Dunnington in the other game, with the away side winning 5.5-2.5.

No result has been received from the Dringhouses versus Selby game.

In the second round of matches, Holgate WMC enjoyed an 8-0 win over newly promoted Hull Road Park, who travelled with an under-streath team.

RI Corinthians suffered a second defeat, losing to Osbaldwick at Glen Gardens, Osso enjoying a positive start to live in division one.

Dunnington entertained Selby and came out 7-1 winners, while a mightily close contest at Ashton Lane saw Dringhouses pip RI Amateurs by one shot, 57-56, the visitors going home with 5.5 points to 2.5.

Haxby Road bounced back from their opening-day defeat to whitewash Rowntree 8-0.

In division two, Clifton, who were relegated last year from the top flight, got off to a perfect start in their bid to bounce straight back thanks to an 8-0 victory over Retreat, and they followed it up with a 7-1 home win over West Park.

Poppleton got theit campaign off to a strong start with a 7.5-0.5 win over Poppleton Road WMC and likewise backed it up with an 8-0 win over Scarcroft.

Stamford Bridge also had a solid start to the season with a 7-1 win over West Park and an 8-0 whitewash of Copmanthorpe.

Shipton, the other team relegated last term, beat Copmanthorpe 6-2 and then pipped Harrogate 56.5-52 on aggregate. This was Gate's first game following the postponement over their match against Scarcroft on the opening day.

Meanwhile, the York Amateur Bowls Association representative team retained the George Williams Trophy for a fourth successive season by beating their York Club & Institute Union counterparts 142-94.

Despite the wet weather during the winter, the Railway Institute maintenance staff had their green in magnificent condition for this opening match of the CIU season on a sunny afternoon.

The YABA side won all six rinks with a 48-shot difference.

John Cooper's rink looked to be CIU's only hope of avoiding a whitewash as they led for most of the match and at one point had a lead of 11 shots but they lost their last four ends. A four dropped on the last gave YABA skip Paul Craven the lead for the first time as they won the rink.

The cup was presented by Chris Harris, CIU captain, to Graham Bell, the YABA president for the 2018 season.