Bowls: Rampant York close in on Yetton Trophy triumph

The game started well for York as they led 23-16 after five ends.

They then opened up a gap over the following five ends, extending their lead to 50-29 and keeping the momentum going to the finish.

At home, Joan Jackson, June Clayton, Helen Wood and Carol Instone won nine of the first 11 ends to lead 20-2 on their way to an excellent 26-13 victory.

Hayley Macdonald, Betty Richardson, Melanie Brooke and Sue Allen won their first three ends to lead 7-0.

They were pegged back to 7-5 before winning seven of the following ten ends to lead 21-10 and they finished up winning 23-16.

Away, both rinks put in excellent performances.

Carol Banks, Lynda Parker, Zoe Eagles and Helen Walker came from 15-14 down after 16 ends to win three of the following four ends and lead 21-17.

The game came to an early conclusion as Lincoln conceded.

Dot Kennelly, Sheila Turpin, Sue Tomlinson and Linda Harrison were level at 13-13 after 15 ends.

They scored seven shots over the following four ends and the premature finish came with York leading 20-16.

York will play Desborough in the semi-finals at Darlington IBC on Sunday, April 19.

Lincoln got their revenge the following day as their mixed team proved to be too strong in the Egham Trophy, winning 98-63.

York’s only success came from Jackson, Instone, Mark Clarke and Dave Stroughair, who were playing England international Billy Jackson’s rink.

The home side got off to a great start, leading 14-3 by the 11th end.

Jackson’s team came back well, but York held on for a well deserved 20-16 victory.

Alan Vowles, Phil Parsons, Eagles and Walker also played well and led 17-14 before a run of twos cost them in a 22-17 defeat.

Away, both rinks had a tough time, with Phil Emmerson’s side going down 31-12 and John Harris’ losing 28-14.

York’s Adam Liddell enjoyed his England Under-25s debut as he won two of the three games he played to help them finish in second place in he British Isles Championships in Glasgow.

Against Wales, Liddell played as second to skip Ryan Atkins and they turned a 4-0 deficit into a 21-4 lead on their way to a 25-18 victory, with the England team winning 99-60 overall.

Against eventual winners Scotland, Liddell played third to Perry Martin.

They found themselves 12-0 behind after five ends but they recovered and only lost 21-15 as the team went down 102-59, all four rinks losing.

Liddell went back to playing second to Atkins in the third game against Ireland and they transformed a 10-2 scoreline into a 25-18 victory as England took the honours 102-62.

York’s Dave Dale played well in the Yorkshire senior singles qualifiers.

He beat Doncaster’s Dave Atkins 21-12 and then North Cave’s Geoff Blun 21-14. Dale will now play Harrogate’s Dave Spilsbury in the final next month.

This Saturday, York will play only their second game of the season in the Yorkshire Ladies League when they face Harrogate, starting at noon.

On Sunday, the Civil Service triples qualifiers for the national finals take place at Thanet Road, at 10am.

YORK are looking like favourites to make a quick return to Yorkshire Bowls League division one.

The Thanet Road side top the league following another emphatic display in beating Thornaby 111-66, picking up 14 points.

At home, Alan Vowles, Malcolm Thompson, Phil Parsons and Phil Emmerson led the way as they only lost four ends in a 48-4 victory.

Ray Calpin, Malcolm Harrison, Graham Instone and Paul Mooring had a tougher game in which they got off to a poor start, trailing 10-1 after six ends.

They were then chasing the game and got to within two shots at 10-8 and five at 19-14, but lost 26-20.

Away, Phil Herridge, Tex Stevens, Graham Brooke and John Harris were 8-2 down after five ends but came back well to take the lead at 12-11 on the 11th end. They only lost three more ends as they ran out 27-14 victors.

Nigel Macdonald, Chris Bishop, Mark Clarke and Dave Stroughair were 19-6 down after 12 ends before winning seven on the trot to pull the score back to 19-16 with two to play. However, they went down 22-16.

York play second-placed Huddersfield on Saturday, February 28.

York ‘B’ had a tough game against Leeds’ first team and did well for most of the game, leading 56-54 on aggregate with six ends to play.

However, they lost 88½-71, picking up only four points thanks to Harley Wenham, Gordon Walker, Jim Robertson and Geoff Walker’s home rink.

This quartet led all the way and finished in style, picking up a seven on the last end to finish 29-13 victors.

John Birch, Ken Hutson, Alan Clapham and Ken Robinson were 14-2 down after ten ends.

They matched their opponents in the second half of the game, but the damage had already been done and they lost 24-11.

Away, Paul Craven, John Butler, Ron Munro and Eric Hodgson were leading 13-2 before one of the opposing players had to retire due to an injury.

Two of the remaining players had three woods and a quarter of the score deducted, which seemed to disrupt the York players more than the home side, who won all but five of the remaining ends.

Leeds scored a two on the last end to make the final score 18½-18 in their favour.

Alan Potter, John Richardson, Alan Yoward and Allan May were 12-3 down with only four ends gone and, despite winning ten ends from then on, they lost 33-13.

York ‘B’ will look to get back to winning ways when they play their rearranged game against Harrogate ‘B’ on Sunday, at 12.30pm.