PAT Bracken inspired York and District Indoor Bowls Club to a dramatic sudden death shoot-out victory over Colchester to clinch a place in the final of the English women's national team bowls championship.

After their sensational 77-76 victory at Northampton, where they trailed Colchester by 25 shots, York will now face Egham (Surrey) in the final of the Vivienne Trophy at Desborough (Northants) on Sunday.

Bracken, Doreen Arnett, Ella Armitt and Maureen Robinson unleashed a spectacular finish against Sheila Whitehorn, who led 12-10 after 12 of the 21 ends.

Eighteen shots amassed over eight successive ends saw Bracken surge past the winning post 28-13 clear.

They went in to the last end leading 28-12 but with the other three rinks having finished they lost a crucial single, taking the game into an extra end with the teams locked together at 76-76.

York put two woods on the jack and two into space where the jack could go if it was moved. Whitehorn sent her last wood down, taking one wood out - and only just missed the other - to give York the crucial winning shot.

York skip Margaret Smith was another star, advancing from 8-7 up at halfway, with 11 shots over nine ends, against Renee Stannard to win 19-15. Smith was backed up by Irene Paylor, Sylvia Walker and Pat Ellis.

Anita Haw and Joyce Gee both tasted defeat, but Haw, Clarice Johnston, Liz Worling and Ann Sharpley collected 15 valuable shots in the second half in their clash against Margaret Earey's quartet, rallying from 18-3 down to finish just seven shots adrift at 25-18.

Gee, Doreen Rodgers, Carroll Pink and Pat Lofthouse were also in trouble early on, trailing 12-4 to Jenny Hughes, who stayed in command to win 23-11.

York celebrated winning the Yorkshire Over 55s League division one crown when they beat neighbours New Earswick 98-69 at Huntington Road to pick up a maximum 18 points.

Ken Harrison, Barry Harrison, David Pearson and Brian Hardcastle had the edge for most of the game and led 18-12 with four ends remaining but visiting quartet Frank Turner, Tex Stevens, Noel Mallen and Dudley Williams rallied to win 21-18.

Eric Hodgson, Barry Walker, Keith Turner and Ken Hutson beat New Earswick's Barry Johnson, Bill Waldie, Graeme Watson and Ray Bowman 22-18 despite a late spurt by Johnson's side which brought ten successive shots.

Earswick now await the Hornsea v Thornaby result before knowing if their first division status is secure.

York's second division team gained promotion when Doncaster only picked up three points from their match against South Leeds. The two York teams will play each other in the play-offs at Scarborough on April 17.

York Ladies' hopes of more glory vanished as their North Eastern League title dreams disappeared with an 81-71 defeat against Selby in the last game of the season.

Margaret Smith, Irene Paylor, Mavis Puckering and Pat Ellis had to fend off a late surge from Jean Simpson's team before scraping home 24-23 after Simpson trailed 21-15.

York's only other winning rink saw Clarice Johnston, Brenda Martin, Ella Armitt and Ann Sharpley win 16-13 at Selby.

New Earswick's campaign ended with a 94-68 defeat against North Cave with their only winning rink being Brenda Keller, Diane Hardy, Barbara Brigham and Margaret Blows, who won five of the last six ends on the way to a 21-18 victory.

Updated: 10:51 Thursday, March 18, 2004