YORK Indoor Bowls Club got off to a winning start in the North Eastern League as they bid to go one better than last year’s runners-up finish.

It was tight for the Thanet Road club as they beat North Cave 78-75, picking up six points from their two winning rinks.

The individual rink scores were anything but close as the smallest gap was eight shots and the best was 19.

Barbara Dawson’s home team had gone 11 ends and led 13-0 before their opponents got on the board.

They came back to 16-8 before Dawson’s side pulled away again to win all but one of the last six ends to finish 29-10.

The home rink led by Irene Paylor were made to pay for a poor start where they trailed 15-4 after 11 ends.

They came back well to reduce the deficit to three shots at 16-13 before dropping a single. On the next end, they laid four shots with one wood to go, only for it to be decisive and drop another single.

They went on to lose the remaining ends – and the game 22-13.

Away, Pat Bracken’s team finished well. After being 13-12 down with eight ends to play, they only lost two more and came away with a well deserved 24-16 victory.

Pat Potter’s team gave themselves a slim chance when they picked up a four on the 14th end to make the score 15-10.

However, they were unable to score again and lost 27-12.

New Earswick had a tough first encounter against reigning champions Selby.

The game went the way of the form book as Selby won comfortably, 80-54, picking up eight points from their three winning rinks.

Tomorrow at noon, York ‘A’ conclude their Yorkshire Over-55s League division one game against Harrogate after playing the away leg today.

Next Thursday, newly-promoted New Earswick play Redcar starting at 12.30pm.