YORK Indoor Bowls Club were made to hang on for victory after a late Selby fightback in their Yorkshire Double Rinks clash.

York looked to be coasting as they led 33-21 with three ends at each venue to play, but Selby came close to nicking victory before going down 34-32.

At Selby, York's Graham Instone, Graham Brooke, Craig Newton and Mark Clarke led 12-6 after ten ends and still held a 14-10 advantage with three to play, but the home rink fought back to win 19-14.

At Thanet Road, the scores were level at 8-8 after nine ends before four winning ends from the next five put York's Alan Vowles, Phil Parsons, Paul Mooring and Dave Stroughair 19-9 up.

But John Phillips' Selby side came back to 19-13 and, with the other rink having finished, the aggregate score gave York only a one-shot advantage.

Phillips then laid two shots on the last which would have given his team the match, but Dave Stroughair's final wood was perfect, splitting the two Selby woods and giving his side the winning shot and the game.

Meanwhile, York Vikings rose to second in the Yorkshire Over-55s League division one as they beat North Cave White 86-77, picking up 11 of the 14 points at stake.

Away, York's Tony Hopcutt, Trevor Wilford, Malcolm Lewars and Phil Parsons took a five at the first end and this proved the difference with three ends to go as they led 22-17. However, they lost all three to come away with a still creditable 22-22 draw.

Dave Dale, Andy Humphreys, Jim Robertson and Graham Instone led 13-9 after nine ends but then dropped 11 shots over the next three. They came back well to turn a 21-15 deficit into a 24-21 lead, only to lose the last three ends and go down 27-24.

York's home rinks turned things around.

Alan Vowles, Allen Clapham, Roger Ford and Geoff Walker kept the Vikings' interests in the game alive as they led 11-6 while Derek Walker, Eric Hodgson, Malcolm Harrison and Tex Stevens were losing 12-8.

The former picked up a six to lead 17-6 and put York ahead on aggregate. With three ends to play, York had a three-shot lead and this was increased as Walker's team picked up a two then a single before finishing 24-12.

Stevens' rink also scored a four then a single to go into the last 16-15 ahead before settling for a draw.

York 'B' went into their Yorkshire League division two fixture against Thornaby as underdogs - and came away elated they had put up a great performance yet disappointed they missed out on an amazing win, losing 81-79.

After ten ends, York led 45-38 but this disappeared as they trailed 73-66 after 18.

Going into the last end, they lay the shots which would have given them a draw, only for Thornaby to move the jack with their last wood to take a single.

Away, Doug Mitchell, Ron Munro, Ken Simpson and Tony Hopcutt took a 16-15 lead with a two on the 17th end only to immediately concede a five. Their fine performance was rewarded as they won two of the last three ends to only go down 22-18.

Gordon Fennell, Noel Mallen, Allen Clapham and Mal Bulmer trailed 29-9 going into the last end but importantly for the aggregate they picked up a three to finish 29-12.

At home, Pete Riley, Pete Grosvenor, David White and Geoff Walker led 18-4 after only ten ends and finished by scoring a three then a single to win 26-16.

Charlie Arnett, Gordon Walker, Jim Robertson and Tony Bryan led 23-13 going into the last end and laid two shots before the decisive final Thornaby wood took the aggregate score away from them.

York 'B' sit fourth in the league.

* TODAY at 12.30pm, York IBC hosts the Midland Counties game between Durham and Lincolnshire.

Tomorrow at noon, York play North Cave in the Mason Trophy while York Knights complete their Over-55s division two fixture against Selby.

On Saturday, Thanet Road hosts the Denny Cup quarter-final between Cumbria and Spalding, starting at 11am, while York's ladies travel to South Forest IBC (Mansfield) to face Spalding in the Yetton Trophy last eight, starting at 12.30pm.