YORKSHIRE Over-55s League division one champions York Vikings made a disappointing start to the season as they lost 74-65 to last year's runners-up Redcar.

The Vikings finishing with only one winning rink.

The away leg saw Alan Vowles, Mick Cooney, Mal Lewars and Tony Horobin slip from a lead to lose 16-13. Ken Griffiths, Dave Cowsill, Alan Hampshire and Jeff Normanton only won five ends in their 26-8 defeat.

At home, John Jennison, Gordon Fennell, Dave Dale and Graham Brooke slipped from 12-10 up to lose 18-15. Harley Wenham, Malcolm Harrison, Roger Ford and Phil Parsons's 29-14 win was the only consolation.

York Knights are the Vikings' opposition tomorrow at noon, the same time as the York Romans take on Scarborough in division two.

It was honours even between York IBC 'C' and 'D' teams in Yorkshire League division two, though the 'C' team collected 10 points with a 77-66 aggregate victory.

Charlie Arnett, Wally Darbyshire, Ken Robinson, and Gordon Walker made their winning ends count, picking up 27 shots while only dropping 12 against John Munday, Ian Mackland, Dave Berwick and Keith Moore.

The 'C' team's Andy Lockwood, Mal Rankeillor, Norman Ellis and Dave Clarke started well to beat Ray Wynn, Dave Snarr, John Sandle and Allan May 22-15.

The 'D' team's winning rinks came from John Headley, Steve Elsey, Dennis Walls and Peter Jensen, who put in a great finish to win 20-14 against Pete Waring, Vic Woolley, Paul Craven and Jim Robertson.

Rod Knight, David Maughan-Brown, Noel Mallen and Ron Munro led from start to finish in a 19-14 win over Alan Braithwaite, Jack Parsons, David Clough and Tony Bryan.

York 'A' start their Yorkshire League division one season on Saturday at 10am against New Earswick. At noon, York 'B' play Doncaster in division two and York 'D' play Leeds 'B'. Yorkshire Ladies League champions York start their new campaign against Redcar.

Meanwhile, New Earswick Falcons got off to a flier in a 101-63 (12 points to two points) victory over New Earswick Ospreys.

Bill Nuckey, Bob Elliot, Dave Clayden and Paul Dawson beat the Ospreys' Gordon Fratson, Stuart Moore, Dave Counter and Colin Ellis 28-18. The Falcons' rink of Dave Imeson, Rob Dunhill, Rod Walker and Mick Head beat Dave Crane, Al Edington, Alan Shearer and Bob Barrett 26-12.

Dave Sykes, Derrick Clarke,Graham Lockwood and Ralph Tiplady finished strongly to beat Ospreys Brian Harton, John Raw, Phil Whitehead and Steve Connolly 26-11.

Despite Falcons John Harrison, Brian Birch, Eric Cookson and Barry Johnson leading 9-0 after six ends, Ospreys Vic Reed, Dave Toms, Doug Carr and Alwyn Anderson closed strongly to win 22-21.

New Earswick’s Yorkshire League season started with the 'B' team beating the 'C' team 102-61 (14 points to 0 points).

The players held a minute's silence before the game in memory of Brian Gray, a well-known New Earswick & York bowler who passed away this week.

The 'B' team rink of Dave Imeson, Dave Counter, Rod Walker and Gary Stockton dominated the first 15 ends against Barry Harrison, Pete Waddington, Barry Shipley and Alwyn Anderson and led 29-6. The 'C' team finished strongly but went down 31-16.

Mick Head, Steve Hudson, John Snowden and Colin Ellis' 'B' team rink led Peter Lee, Andrew Fothergill, Derrick Clarke and Dave Sykes 11-1 after seven ends and went on to a 26-8 victory.

In a back-and-forth thriller, the 'B' team of Brian Harton, David Crane, Graham Lockwood and Eric Cookson fought back from 10-6 down after 10 ends to lead Tom Robinson, Matt Brown, Mickey Warrington and Andy Nicholson 21-10 after 14 ends only to lose 25-19.

The closest rink of the match, 'B' team Vic Reed, Charles Twissell, Steve Connolly and Brian Hutton led Stuart Moore, Paul Webster, Roger Cann and Alan Shearer 11-6 after 10 ends but the 'C' team fought back to lead 11-14 before losing the next three ends to go 16-14 down before eventually falling to a 20-18 loss.