YORK Indoor Bowls Club's ladies team lost their Vivienne Trophy crown when they blew a big lead and were beaten 74-68 on aggregate by Acle.

At the half-way stage of the semi-final York led 47-27 with three rinks well in front and the other drawing.

It all went wrong between the 11th and 13th ends when the Norfolk team won all 12 ends to go in front and York could not recover.

On the 16th end the team led by Joyce Gee laid six shots with one wood to go, only for the Acle skip to take the jack and turn the deficit into a one-shot lead, going on to win 21-16. Clarice Johnston's team lost 11 successive ends between the tenth and 20th ends dropping singles on each except for a two on the 15th.

York's winning rinks came from Margaret Smith's team who led from start to finish and kept the hopes alive for the other rinks as she won 19-12 and Pat Bracken's team who won 23-21 victory.

New Earswick's ladies were left to wait and see if they had done enough to win the North Eastern League after controversy surrounded second-place Selby's game against Scarborough.

Selby's away team travelled to the coast and the two home rinks turned up only to find their opponents didn't show at either venue.

At the start of the day, New Earswick topped the table by one point and thrashed South Leeds 101-55, winning three rinks and picking up eight of the ten points at stake. Now it is up to the Yorkshire Ladies Committee to decide on whether to award Selby the maximum ten points giving them the title, or to make Scarborough fulfil the fixture.

Peggy Walker's rink made the game safe at Huntington Road during the last four ends as she scored eight shots without reply to win 23-14. Maureen Wood romped home 35-6.

At Leeds, Margaret Moss converted a 13-1 lead into a 24-14 win. The only defeat came from Gill Clark's team, who lost 21-19 after trailing 19-7 after 14 ends.

Third-placed York finished their season with a flourish beating Hornsea 110-57. Clarice Johnston's home team won all but two ends winning easily 40-8 and Joyce Gee was never troubled winning 31-13.

At Hornsea, Kath Pepper's four trailed 4-3 after six ends but came out on top, 20-11. Margaret Smith's team lost 25-19 thanks to an awful start which saw them 15-1 down after only seven ends.

New Earswick lost 81-72 to Thornaby in the final Yorkshire Over-55s League fixture. But it was enough to ensure first division survival by picking up six points thanks to the home rinks.

Bob Edwards's team won 26-11, while Bob Howland's four always had the upper hand and despite dropping four shots on the last two ends ran home comfortable 22-19 winners.

At Thornaby, both rinks were well beaten with Jim Bone's losing 25-13 and Barry Johnson's 26-11.

York's 'B' team must wait for the league's governing body to rubber-stamp their 18-0 points victory over Hull after the Humbersiders couldn't raise a team for their last game.

If the points are awarded then Hull will be relegated along with either Selby or the York 'B' team depending on Selby picking up 15 points from their last game against Featherstone.

This weekend sees the conclusion of the Yorkshire Under-18s League with the Challenge Cup at New Earswick. In the semi-finals York play Thornaby 'B' and Thornaby 'A' take on South Leeds. Games start at 10am with the final at 1pm.

Updated: 08:50 Thursday, March 17, 2005