YORK Vikings made a successful start to their Yorkshire Over-55s Bowls League division one campaign as they beat Redcar 84-71.

The away leg saw an impressive 24-23 victory from Alan Vowles, Jim Robertson, Trevor Wilford and Jeff Normanton, edging it on the last end with a single.

Graham Instone, Mick Cooney, Malcolm Lewars and Tony Horobin were also level at 16-16 with two to play but lost both to fall 20-16.

Both home rinks got off to good starts, but only one won.

After 14 ends, Dave Dale, Tex Stevens, Malcolm Harrison and John Whiteley led 20-3, finishing 28-6.

Nigel Macdonald, Barry Walker, Phil Parsons and Graham Brooke led 15-5 but were stunned as they dropped 14 shots over the following four ends and did not recover in a 22-16 defeat.

In division two, York Romans' away teams trailed by 33 shots on aggregate to North Cave Yellow and, while they won both home rinks, the gap was too big.

Raymond Wynn, Ken Robinson, Dave Preece and Allan May put on a good show and led 20-9 with four ends to play before finishing 22-16.

Keith Moore, John Butler, Gordon Walker and Ron Munro were 16-15 down with two ends to play but a two put them in front. Cave laid two shots on the last but Munro used his last wood to perfection, splitting the two Cave woods to lay two and giving the visiting skip little chance of changing the head.

On Saturday at noon, York play Harrogate again in the Yorkshire Ladies' League. On Sunday at noon, York meet Hornsea in the Egham Trophy first round.