KEVIN LIDDELL won a trophy double at New Earswick Indoor Bowls Club's knockout finals - but missed out on the Gents' Singles title by a whisker.

Liddell and Dave Clayden, both big winners in last year's in-house competitions, won the Australian Pairs final 26-15 thanks to an early 16-2 lead and a six at the 16th end.

The duo had earlier taken the Any Triples crown, too, alongside Dave Sykes. They led 16-6 after 13 ends before opponents Bob Elliot, Dave Kermode and Dick Osguthorpe fought back, the final scoring being 16-14.

But Liddell had less luck in the singles showdown, being pipped 21-19 by Paul Humphreys in a first-to-21 contest that took 29 ends to find a winner.

Liddell led 16-11 but Humphreys levelled at 18-18. Liddell inched back ahead but, in a finale which could have gone either way, Humphreys picked up three singles to win 21-19.

Elsewhere, the Ladies Singles final was, conversely, one-sided, with Irene Warrington beating Claire Domville 22-6 in just 14 ends.

In a dramatic Ladies Pairs final, Barbara Thompson and Anne Peacock, with the help of two fives and a four, led Rebecca and Veronica Connolly 18-11 after 14 ends.

The Connollys hit back to go 20-19 up with two to play but Thompson and Peacock went on to win 23-22.

In the Men’s Singles Plate final, Andrew Fothergill saw off Rob Dunhill 21-12.

Forthergill also won the Two Wood Pairs final alongside Pat Walker, the due seeing off Veronica and Steve Connolly 23-6.

In the Over-60s final, Brian Gray led Paul Murray 11-4 but Murray stormed back to lead 14-12 and ultimately won 21-18 with a single.

A flying start helped Gordon Smith, with a plus-3 handicap, beat Steve Hudson (-2) 21-5 in the Handicap Singles final.

In the Gents Pairs final, Barry Johnson and Ralph Tiplady led Dave Kermode and Bob Elliot 18-4 after eight ends, thanks to an eight at the second end.

Kermode and Elliot pulled it back but conceded after 20 ends with the score at 27-19.

In a dramatic Mixed Pairs final, Eric Cookson and Lorna Tordoff led Clair Domville and Dave Clayden 12-3 after seven ends but the teams went into the last at 18-18. Cookson and Tordoff won it with a single.

Meanwhile, Easter Saturday saw New Earswick IBC's first open bowls drive, with 20 teams of four taking part on a successful day.

A home rink of Leslie Nuckey, J Taylor, D Booth, B Nuckey and B Barrett came third. Maureen Walker and Sheila Turpin, from York IBC, and Earswick's Clayden and Liddell came second. A team from Leeds came first.