Brian Gray lifts York Amateur Bowling Association singles title (From York Press)

Brian Gray lifts York Amateur Bowling Association singles title

10:32am Thursday 23rd August 2012 in Sport

BRIAN GRAY emerged as the winner of the York Amateur Bowling Association singles competition after a 21-8 victory over Selby ’s Tony Longfield.

Gray reached the final after coming through a tight semi-final, edging past Clifton club-mate John Birks 21-19.

Longfield was a 21-8 last-four victor over another Clifton player, Peter Waddington.

The pairs title went to RI Corinthians’ Dave Preece and Mal Bulmer, who beat Poppleton Road WMC duo Keith Nelson and Rob Smith 26-6 in the final.

The Selby trio of Pete Heslop, Trevor Quainton and B Roberts won the triple competition, beating Scarcroft’s John Cooper, Terry Wheatley and Harry Marshall 29-3 in the final.

Arthur Dunbar and his RI Corinthians rink of K Mercer, G Harris and A Thornton won the fours title, beating G Bell’s Hull Road Park side 21-18 in the semi-final before toppling Haxby Road’s John Butler, John Stroughair, Phil Reeves and Ken Harrison 28-22 in the final.

Meanwhile, Harrogate avoided the drop from division two by winning their last two games.

Needing to pick up eight points to preserve their status, Harrogate beat Bootham 6½-1½ and Heworth Cons 8-0 to finish fourth from bottom and leave Osbaldwick in the drop zone.

The division one campaign ended with two draws, runners-up RI Amateurs having a 4-4 stalemate with Dunnington and Holgate holding third-placed Holgate WMC 4-4.

The final game in division three saw Vickers inflict an 8-0 defeat on basement side Dunnington, their 13th defeat of the campaign.

Dringhouses finished the Ladies Evening League division one season winless after a closing 7-1 defeat by Nestlé Rowntree.

Runners-up Copmanthorpe were 8-0 winners at Shipton to close to within two points of Dunnington, who had already been crowned champions.

Division two champions Railway Institute ended their season unbeaten after an 8-0 win over runners-up Harrogate and a 4-4 draw with third-placed Poppleton.

CLARENCE have been crowned champions of the York C&IU Bowls Evening League.

The Clarence Street club won their last two games – 8-0 at Acomb and 8-0 at home to St Clement’s – to keep second-placed Railway Institute at bay.

Railway Institute’s challenge stalled as they beat Poppleton Road 6-2 but lost 6-2 at Huntington .

South Bank are bottom after 6-2 defeats at home to Huntington and at Holgate.

Third-placed Burton Lane have one game remaining but are unable to overhaul Railway Institute after losing 6-2 at Tramways and beating visitors Acomb 6-2.

South Bank clinched the Afternoon League title – but they left it late to win their final game against Holgate. They were behind throughout the early stages of the match but scored four shots on the 17th end to draw level.

They then picked up two shots on the last end to win and deny Burton Lane ‘A’, who looked likely champions after winning their final game against St Clement’s ‘B’ at the same venue.

With their match completed, they were watching as South Bank made their remarkable comeback and snatched the title.