YORKSHIRE Ladies held their nerve in a thrilling Atherley Trophy quarter-final to beat Nottinghamshire 133-107.

Playing at Gedling IBC, the White Rose picked up 24 shots while only dropping five over the last three ends to progress to the last four, where they will meet Cambridgeshire on March 2 at a venue to be confirmed.

At the finish, Yorkshire had four winning rinks out of six, with the most amazing coming from Angela Spilsbury, Pat Walker, Lesley Wheeldon and Helen Wood.

They lost 10 successive ends to trail 22-3 with eight ends to play but won the lot and sealed a 24-22 victory on the last with a four.

The biggest win came from the Hornsea quartet of Lydia Cutmore, Hollie and Katie Baxter and Danni Martinson who triumphed 38-13.

Cath Shaw, Jennifer Wright, Eva Dayes and Linda Harrison's team led 11-5 after eight ends and thereafter only singles were scored by both teams, apart from the last end where Harrison's side picked up a two to seal a 20-10 win.

Emily Clarke, Lynda Parker, Margaret Dykes and Jane Simpson trailed 13-10 with seven ends to play but won all but one to triumph 21-14.

Joan Jackson, Jenny Woolley, Maureen Walker and Carol Instone led 13-11 after 14 ends but three ends later they trailed 21-13 and finished losing 24-15.

Lesley Harris, Sue Armstrong, Jill Skinner and Sue Crocker were level at 11-11 but lost 24-15.

Meanwhile, York progressed to the last 16 of the EIBA Over-60s Double Rinks competition by beating Thornaby 40-25.

The game was harder than the scoreline suggests as both home sides had healthy leads.

In York, Alan Hampshire, Mick Cooney, Tony Horobin and Dave Stroughair only dropped singles in an easy 22-6 win.

In Thornaby, Alan Vowles, Phil Parsons, Jeff Normanton and John Whiteley trailed 15-4 after 10 ends before a winning run brought them to within one shot in a 19-18 defeat.

York now play Cumbria on February 5.

Tomorrow, York Vikings look to get back to winning ways in the Yorkshire Over-55s League division one after suffering their first defeat in nearly two years in their last game.

They meet Hornsea Seagulls at noon, at the same time as York Romans complete their game against North Cave Yellow.

On Saturday, York Ladies' quest to retain the Yetton Trophy continues as they meet Barwell in the quarter-final at the neutral venue of Newark IBC, starting at noon.

At Thanet Road that day, York entertain Selby in the Yorkshire League first division while their second string meet Thornaby in division two. The same venue also hosts the Denny Plate tie between Blackpool Newton Hall and Boston, with all three games starting at noon.

Next Tuesday at 12.30pm, Yorkshire play Durham in the EIBA Over-60s Liberty Trophy.

NEW Earswick 'A' beat Leeds 95-64 in Yorkshire League division two to pick up 12 of the 14 points available.

At home, Bob Elliot, Dave Kermode, Dave Clayden and Kevin Liddell led 16- 6 after 12 ends and, with a five at the 14th and a three at the 16th went on to win 27-12 win.

Andy Humphreys, Mick Head, Ralph Tiplady and Colin Pickup stormed 9-1 up after six ends en route to a 27-11 win.

At Leeds, Brian Gray, Rod Walker, Andrew Fothergill and Paul Dawson, despite dropping a four at the sixth end, led 16-7 after 12. Leeds fought back to 17-14 after 17 ends and, after Earswick scored a six, they replied with a four and a three. Earswick scored a three at the last, though, to win 26-21.

Paul Murray, Brian Birch, Gary Jones and Bill Waldie dropped a five at the second end and this turned out be the difference as they lost 20-15, despite being tied at 14-14 and 15-15.

New Earswick 'B' beat Doncaster 91-73 to collect 12 points.

At Huntington Road, Dave Imeson, Steve Hudson, Alwyn Anderson and Bob Barrett ran away with things after being 6-6 to win 32-9, aided by a seven at the 11th end, while Gordon Fratson, Barry Harrison, Graham Lockwood and Vic Thompson saw out a 24-12 win after leading 19-5.

At Doncaster, Dave Hutchinson, Dave Thompson, Brian Hutton and Eric Cookson started with a four and never looked back in a 30-10 win, but Joe Barker, Bill Nuckey, Nigel Steels and Dick Osguthorpe suffered a heavy 36-5 defeat.

Meanwhile, New Earswick Falcons were pipped 82-80 by North Cave White in Yorkshire Over-55s League division two - despite winning three of the four rinks.

At home, Eric Cookson Vic Reed, Paul Murray and Kevin Liddell led a close game 16-14 after 17 ends and, although Cave went ahead with a four, they won the last three ends for a 22-18 success.

Graham Lockwood, Bill Nuckey, Dave Sykes and Barry Johnson trailed 8-0 after four ends and 13-6 after nine. They won six of the next seven ends to take a 18-15 lead and, although they lost the next three to go 19-18 behind, they won the last two for a 21-19 victory.

At North Cave Dave Imeson, Bob Barrett, John Taylor and Ralph Tiplady led 9-3 after eight ends but dropped a seven and a four. They scored two threes and a single to go 18-16 ahead and, after being tied at 18-18 and 22-22, they scored a single at the last for a 23-22 win.

Bob Elliot, Dave Kermode, Brian Birch and Mick Head, however, went down 23-14.

New Earswick picked up six of the 14 points.