YORK'S 'A' team won the inaugural Brian Fernley Trophy played between the top two teams in the first and second divisions of the Yorkshire Over 55s League.

All the games were played at Scarborough on a "round-robin" basis with York 'A' beating York 'B' in the opener 62-36.

Only the 'B' rink of Dennis Haw, John Headley, Alan Clapham and Keith Turner stopped the 'A' team gaining a maximum eight points when they rallied from 11-3 down to beat Eric Hodgson, Barry Walker, Noel Mallen and Ken Hutson 15-11.

The 'A' team then defeated Selby 50-26 with three of the four rinks winning, only Frank Turner, Peter Long, Tex Stevens and Dudley Williams losing after dropping singles on the last two ends.

Going into the last match, York 'A' had an advantage of four points and a better shots difference over Thornaby, who had beaten York 'B' 41-33.

The 'A' team cruised to a 45-39 victory with Frank Turner's side, which included Barry Walker in place of Peter Long, cantering to an easy 20-7 win, while Hodgson's rink, which included John Emmerson in place of Walker, won 11-7.

Peter Littlewood, Alwyn Redhead, Tom Ellis and Gordon Walker lost their 100 per cent record after losing 12-6 and another unbeaten record went when Fred Clayden, Dave McCowan, Noel Cammidge and Ken Patterson lost 13-8 after leading 7-5.

The 'B' team finished their programme by beating Selby 45-38, Haw's rink going through the day unbeaten after a 14-4 win.

Five-year wait is over

York and District Indoor Bowls Club play-offs were graced by Dennis Haw, Fred Clayden, Frank Turner and Alan Storey winning the veterans' fours for the first time in five years.

They came back from 11-7 after 13 ends to lead 16-12 with two ends to play. Two two's brought Alan Johnston, Mick Smith, Geoff Oglesby and Ken Patterson level, taking the game into an extra end where Haw's side came through with a single.

In the mixed pairs Maureen and Brian Thomas denied Charlie Bateman his sixth win out of the last seven years.

Bateman, partnering Marjorie Elvidge, led 7-1 after six ends, but a four put the Thomas' back into contention. They rallied further to wipe out a 15-13 deficit to take the title for the first time.

Doris Bradburn and Norma Reed gave Carol Instone and Brenda Love a jolt with an 11-0 lead in the ladies pairs final, but Instone and Love hit back to win 22-20.

Paul Mooring and Michael Bruce had little trouble overcoming Graham Brooke and Malcolm Harrison 19-17 to win the men's pairs for the second year in a row.

Phil Parsons, Frank Turner, Sonia Turner and Diane Mansell retained their mixed fours title, beating Ray and Gill Clark, Sue Grosvenor and Alwyn Johnston 19-17.

Fred Clayden, Dennis Haw and Alf Sunman made a real fight of it in the veteran's triples. After being 11-1 down they pulled back to 14-14 en route to a 21-17 win over Alf Cahill's side of Frank Turner, Eddie Howcroft and John Burton.

Carol Instone, Melanie Brooke and Joyce Chelin overturned a 14-3 deficit after nine ends to win 17-16 against Pat Bracken, Maureen Robinson and Sue Jeffrey in the ladies triple final.

Peter Littlewood, Barry Walker and Noel Cammidge found themselves 10-7 down after ten ends in the Eric Hopwood Trophy final against Frank Turner, Eddie Howcroft and Alan Storey. But they won four of the next five ends to hold on to the trophy for the third year running.

CIU team for York Amateur Bowling Association v CIU match at Bert Keech Bowling Club on Monday, May 3 (meet 2.15pm, start 2.30pm).

Rink 1: P Lawrence, J Kelly, F Davison, J Bone (skip).

Rink 2: D Preece, T Wheatley, M Bulmer, A Dunbar (skip).

Rink 3: C Sharpley, N Spence, B Clark, K Nelson (skip).

Rink 4: T Mathews, M Thewliss, D Marshall, P Watson (skip).

Rink 5: L Unwin, A Hoe, A Bruce, B Howland (skip).

Rink 6: J Annett, J Bartnett, G Storey, P Wilson (skip).

Reserves: M Crowe, D Tyson, T Hopcutt, B White, P Parkin (Acomb), B Brookes (RI).

Updated: 10:08 Thursday, April 29, 2004