THE York Indoor Bowls Club team of Phil Parsons, Tony Horobin, Malcolm Lewars and Alan Vowles reached the semi-finals of the National Over-60s Fours competition before bowing out.

In the finals at Nottingham, they came from 10-5 down in their last-16 clash against Victory IBC, of Portsmouth, to win 17-13.

And there was even better fightback in the quarter-finals against Yeovil as they trailed 16-9 with three ends to play but won 17-16 with a four and two twos.

The following morning they met the host club Nottingham and again pulled back a deficit from 8-1 down to 8-7 but this time they lost 20-9.

Nottingham went on to beat Leicester 18-16 in the final.

York's Linda Harrison, Melanie Brooke and Dot Kennelly struggled to get into their Over-50s Triples last-16 game against Mote Park IBC (Maidstone) and lost 17-7.

Club-mates Helen Walker and Lynda Parker, however, won the Yorkshire Champion of Champions Pairs title.

They had to keep coming from behind in the final against Jennifer Wright's Harrogate team, from 5-2 to level at 5-5, then from 10-7 to 10-9, then from 11-9 to win the last four ends and triumph 19-11.

York ladies went into their final Yorkshire League game against nearest rivals North Cave needing to win only two rinks to take the title.

However, they lost 70-60, winning only one rink, and finished as runners-up.

At home, Brenda Love, Ann Donaldson, Pauline Cooper and Helen Walker were on top form and won 21-9.

Carol Banks, Bar Saville, Sue Kirkpatrick and Helen Wood looked on course for a victory after coming from 12-6 down to lead 16-14 with two ends to play. But they lost both and their game 17-16.

Away, Tina Robinson, Pat Potter, Sheila Turpin and Melanie Brooke also came from behind to lead 13-9 but lost the last four ends to fall 17-13.

Joan Jackson, Jen Brown, Pauline Armitage and Carol Instone trailed 19-1 after only eight ends en route to losing 27-10.

Meanwhile, York IBC's in-house finals continued with Craig Newton and Zoe Eagles taking the Gents' and Ladies' Singles titles respectively.

Dave Stroughair seemed on course for the Gents' title he last won two years ago as he led 15-8 but Newton hit back to win 21-16.

Eagles was the ladies' champ for the eighth time and third on the trot after beating Helen Wood 21-16 in a good contest.

The Under-25s competition produced an exciting game between Neal Macdonald and Kieran Earnshaw, both fresh from their National U25s title success with Yorkshire.

Macdonald led for most of the game but could not shake Earnshaw off. A 19-12 lead was cut to 19-18 and, although Macdonald inched up to 20-18, Earnshaw hit back with a three to win 21-20.

The Vets final was shaping up into a good game as Alan Vowles led 9-8 but then Tony Horobin stormed clear to win the title for the first time, 21-9.

In the Gents Knockout Triples, Stuart Smith, John Harris and Alan Smith led 15-2 but Pete Waring, David White and Shaun Elliott fought back to 19-15. Chasing a four to level they dropped a single to give the title to Smith's side.

Nigel Macdonald and Lynn Tattersall were on top form as they beat last year's Mixed Knockout Pairs winners and current Yorkshire champions at this discipline, Alan Vowles and Helen Wood, 21-11. A six at the penultimate end was crucial.

Lynn Tattersall, Pauline Cooper and Brenda Love led 10-0 and 16-6 in their Ladies Knockout Triples final against Jen Brown, Maggie Pallister and Michelle Ellis, with Brown's team conceding with two ends to play.

Dave and John Stroughair won the Gents Simpson Pairs trophy for the 12th time as they beat Mike Snowden and Dave Clarke 21-13.

Last season, Nigel Macdonald won the Gents Singles Plate. This season, his son, Neal, won it with a 24-3 thrashing of Graham Instone.

York's domestic finals continue today starting at noon with the Eric Hopwood Triples between Harley Wenham team and Phil Parsons' teams.

At 2pm, the Ladies Langford Pairs see Lynn Tattersall and Pauline Cooper meet Carol Instone and Joan Jackson.

the Open Pairs League play-off final between Tony Horobin's team and Farrars Favourites starts at 6.30pm.

On Monday at 10am, York stage their Vets Triples and Vets Fours League play-off finals and at 7pm the Gents Pairs and Gents Fours League play-off finals take place.

The Gents Triples and Mixed Triples finals follow on Tuesday at 7pm.