York Indoor Bowls Club go top of Yorkshire League

The West Yorkshire outfit looked as though they were going to win with a 15-shot advantage as the game reached its latter stages.

The away rinks, who were three ends ahead of their Thanet Road team-mates, came back well to score nine shots to only two over their last three ends.

Malcolm Thompson’s team were 22-12 down with two ends to go, but scored a single then a four to finish 22-17.

Phil Emmerson’s team trailed 23-13 with three to play, but a brace of twos then a dropped single reduced their loss to 24-17, which more importantly gave the home rinks hope.

David Stroughair’s team were level at 11-11 with five ends to play and won the lot to triumph 21-11.

Paul Mooring’s side went into their last end leading 17-13 and, with the other rinks already finished, York held a two-shot aggregate advantage.

With the skips each having one wood left the home rink laid two shots, but if Featherstone managed to trail the jack then they would pick up three and win.

Mooring fired at the opposing woods and hit them perfectly to take them both out leaving his opponent only one choice – to kill the end.

John Whiteley sent a beautiful wood down only to miss by a whisker giving York the victory which put them in pole position from Featherstone on superior shots advantage.

However, Featherstone virtually sealed the Hebden Trophy after a 13-5 points victory over York.

At halfway, York had a promising 45-34 lead with the away rinks of Brian Thomas level at 8-8 and Tony Bryan 11-7 down. At home Fred Clayden’s team trailed 9-8 though Geoff Walker’s led 25-6.

But then the game changed and went away from York’s reach.

The away rinks only scored two more shots each with Bryan’s going down 36-9 and Thomas’s 29-10.

At home, Clayden bagged a share of the spoils, while Walker’s team were York’s only winners.

York have to prevail in their final encounter to secure a place in the end of season Hebden Challenge Cup.