HOLGATE came up just short as they were beaten in the final of the inaugural York Railway Institute Two Wood Triples bowls competition.

The York trio of Nigel Macdonald, Ken Robinson and Tex Stevens lost 8-2 in the final of the 20-team tournament, with the trophy going to Colin Wallace, Craig Watson and Dennis McKeown of Jack Hatfield in Middlesbrough.

The eight best-placed teams from the morning session qualified for the knockout stages of the Co-Operative Funeralcare Shield, with the next four teams competing in the Plate competition.

In the Shield, there were quarter-final victories for Macdonald, Robinson and Stevens and fellow York bowlers Neal Macdonald, Hayley Macdonald and Paul Humphreys.

That set up a family affair in the semi-final, which Stevens’ team won by a single shot 8-7.

The other semi-final saw Watson, McKeown and Wallace take on Catherine Patrick, Graham Patrick and David Hall, of Harrogate, with Wallace’s team stretching away to win 12-5.

The final between the Jack Hatfield trio and Stevens’ Holgate rink ebbed and flowed and Wallace’s team had to withstand the threat of a late comeback to secure their 8-2 victory.

Pat Flannery, Pete Riley and Pete Godwin, of RI Corinthians, made full use of home advantage to secure the Plate competition, defeating Jill, Dave and Joseph Newsome, of North Duffield, 9-5 in the final.

Godwin’s side had earlier edged past Steve Atkinson, Stuart Clark and Janet Farnsworth 6-5, while the Newsome trio survived a test from Jean Franks, Carol Hart and Dot Turpin, of Minster Ladies, in their semi-final before prevailing 13-8.

Tournament organiser Malcolm Britton said: “It’s been a fantastic first tournament for York RI BC and we couldn’t have done it without the help of a number of sponsors and volunteers.

“Everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves. We will definitely be running this again next year.”