YORK Indoor Bowls Club ladies fell out of the national Vivienne Trophy after losing to Leicester despite an excellent comeback.

Trailing 45-31 after 10 ends, they surged 65-62 ahead with three ends to play only to go down 78-74.

At home, Sheila Clargo, Joan Knight and Brenda Martin were 9-2 behind after five ends before a four then a five put them in front, and they went on to win 27-14.

Janet Walker, June Ogden and Jean Williams led 3-1 after three ends before losing 10 on the trot to trail 20-3 on their way to a decisive 28-6 defeat.

In Leicester, Eva Snarr, Kath Pepper and Maggie Pallister put in an excellent performance to come from 11-10 down after 10 ends to lead 26-13 five ends later and win 26-17.

Sue Jeffrey, Maureen Robinson and Pat Bracken also put in a good display and only lost 19-15.

In brighter news, York beat Redcar after an amazing finish to remain top of the Yorkshire Ladies' League.

The game was slipping away as a slender 37-34 advantage after 10 ends disappeared with three ends to go as Redcar led 53-51. But they hit back to edge a 62-61 success, picking up seven points to Redcar's three to extend their lead at the summit.

Carol Banks, Maureen Walker, Pauline Cooper and Linda Harrison's home rink won a tight game 15-9.

Also at home, Jean Williams, June Ogden, Sheila Turpin and Melanie Brooke led 11-9 with three ends to play, then trailed 12-11 going into the last, before picking up a deserved leveller.

In Redcar, Janet Walker, Pauline Armitage, Sue Kirkpatrick and Helen Walker lost their way between the 12th and 15th ends when the score went from 17-12 to 26-12 to the home side, and it finished 28-14.

With three rinks having finished and the aggregate score 61-58 to Redcar going into the contest's final end, the result rested with Joan Jackson, Pat Potter, Betty Richardson and Carol Instone.

They had done well to lead 17-12 going into the last but still needed to win it by four to take the aggregate.

They laid three and, although Instone's last wood looked as though it had just fallen short, after a measure it gave them the four shots required and an impressive 21-12 victory.

* TOMORROW at noon, York Vikings complete their Yorkshire Over-55s League division one fixture against Doncaster, having played the away leg today.

On Saturday, York play Selby in Yorkshire League division one and York ‘B’ take on Scarborough ‘B’ in division two, both games starting at noon.

On Sunday, the men’s Yorkshire Knockout semi-finals take place at York’s Thanet Road headquarters, starting at 9.30am.

* FOLLOWING last month’s successful hosting of the British Open, York & District IBC have been asked by the Short Mat Players Tour to host the tournament again in 2019. It is to be held on the weekend of January 12 and 13.