NEW Earswick came off second best in an exciting game in the North Eastern Ladies Bowls League against Doncaster.

At home, Lynn Page, Moira Ellis, Margaret Pearson and skip Monica Morgan were 5-1 down to D Green’s rink after five ends.

However, they won nine of the next 11 ends, including picking up a six at the seventh end to be 21-10 up after 15 ends.

The home side only managed to pick up five shots against Doncaster's ten in the last six ends to win 26-20.

In the other home rink, Doramy Bellwood, Colleen Raw, Norma Davies and Margaret Morgan always had their noses in front until J Winchcombe’s Doncaster rink took the lead 17-16 after 18 ends.

Doncaster hung on to a one-shot lead to the end, finally winning 20-19.

In the away games, Lorna Tordoff, Gemma Broadhead, Carol Williams and Pat Walker fought out the closest match of the day against E Ramsay’s four.

After losing the first two ends, Walker's team won the next five ends to lead 7-3 after seven ends.

From then on, there was never more than three points between the two rinks, with first one side in the lead and then the other.

The scores were tied at 8-8, 11-11 and 16-16 after 19 ends, but Doncaster went on to win the rink 18-17.

In the final game, New Earswick got off to the worst possible start in the battle of the Watsons.

Majorie Watson’s rink of Kath Sykes, Kay Hutchinson and Sally Domville found themselves 19-1 down after 11 ends to Doncaster's Pat Watson.

However, a strong fight back saw them win eight of the last ten ends, including picking up fours at the 15th and 19th ends to lose 26-17.

Overall, Doncaster triumphed 84-79 and picking up eight of the ten points.