FRANK Turner and Graham Brooke missed out on winning the Tom Forbes Trophy for the third time in the last four years at York Indoor Bowls Club.

They were beaten 20-19 in a thrilling final by outsiders Malcolm Thompson and Ray Calpin.

Turner, who has won the tournament five times in the last six years, and Brooke tried to open big leads but were countered each time.

They were 9-5 ahead after nine ends but were pegged back to 9-9 one end later. The turning point came when the holders couldn't capitalise on a three-shot lead at 18-15 with four ends to play.

Thompson and Calpin responded with a single, then a two to level only to drop a single. But their never-say-die attitude came good on the last end as they picked up two crucial shots to take the trophy for the first time.

The York Hospice competitions also threw up some good finals with Turner and Brenda Love holding off the challenge of Mal and Sheila Turpin to win the mixed pairs event for the third time since 2002.

Carol Instone, partnered by Sue Kirkpatrick, beat Pat Bracken and Maureen Robinson to take the ladies title for the fourth time in a row, winning 7-2, 7-5, 3-7, 7-0.

The men's final, reduced to the best of three sets, proved to be a tough match as Ken Patterson and Terry Hague fought it out with Gordon Smith and Ken Hutson, who eventually won the competition for the first time, taking the last set 7-5.

York's New Year's Eve pairs competition proved a huge success.

Stuart Smith and Ray Wynn won the group stages on shots difference with a 100 per cent record. But they lost 6-5 in the semi-final to Dennis Haw and Ernie Elvidge.

In the other semi, Don Tyson and Michael Allen edged past Gordon Fennell and Val Thornton 6-5.

In the final, Haw and Elvidge dropped a two on the first end then only lost one more and won comfortably 10-4.

It was an all-family affair in the plate final, where Kevin Liddell played against his son Adam. Liddell senior partnered Pete Grosvenor while Liddell junior was with Graham Herridge.

Liddell junior and Herridge had a great start leading 6-1 after only three ends but did not score again as Grosvenor and Liddell senior won the next four ends for an 11-6 triumph.

Selby's Michael Mansell plays Hornsea's Scott Burrell in the National Under-25s singles area final tomorrow at York Indoor Bowls Club, starting at 6.30pm.