YORK Indoor Bowls Club’s two-year unbeaten run in the Vivienne Trophy came to an end as they lost 90-67 to Chelmsford side Falcon in the semi-finals at Melton Mowbray IBC.

The game started well for York as they were up in three rinks after five ends, but down in one. The following five ends proved to be crucial as they dropped 32 shots while only scoring nine and were down in three rinks.

They got within 12 shots but the Essex side pulled away again to win comfortably.

York had two successful teams.

Sue Jeffrey, Janet McManus, Tina Robinson and Pat Potter scored a three followed by a five on the 11th and 12th ends to lead 16-10 and kept the advantage to the end as they finished 25-18 winners.

Pam Richardson, Doreen McCowan, Maggie Pallister and Pauline Armitage also put in an excellent display as they led from start to finish. A three then a single helped them win 20-14.

Maureen Robinson, Dot Hill, Jean Williams and Pat Bracken failed to get onto the board until the 12th end, when they scored a single to make the score 17-1.

They won six of the last nine ends, but the damage had already been done and they lost 26-11.

Audrey Micklethwaite, Jenny Darrell, Joan Knight and Barbara Dawson, who have been one of the most reliable rinks throughout the campaign, led 7-3 after five ends.

Then it was all downhill, as they lost 32-11.

Meanwhile, Dot Kennelly and Linda Harrison made it a hat-trick of wins for York’s ladies in the County Champion of Champions knockout competitions as they came from 7-1 down to beat Harrogate 27-17.

They will now play Redcar in the final at North Cave on Sunday, April 12.

On the same day, Carol Banks, Betty Richardson and Helen Wood play their triples final against Doncaster, while Joan Jackson, Maureen Walker, Zoe Eagles and Helen Walker play their fours final against either Scarborough or Selby.

Yorkshire Over-60s were disappointed as they won three and drew one of the six rinks played in their Liberty Trophy semi-final against Northamptonshire, but lost 114-113 on an extra end.

However, reaching the semi-final was a fitting tribute to Yorkshire Seniors secretary Graham Lockwood, who is retiring after eight years service to the county.

Quartet of derby falls

York Press:

CONCENTRATION:New Earswick’s Moyra Ellis

POINTS eluded New Earswick after they lost 86-61 to Selby in the Yorkshire Ladies League.

Doramy Bellwood, Eve Firn, Annette Prosser and Moyra Headley recovered from a slow start against Jane Simpson’s rink to trail by 15-13 only to then fritter the finale and lose 22-14.

The other home rink of Lynn Page, Moyra Ellis, Sally Domville and Majorie Watson won 12 of 21 ends against C Birkinshaw but were pipped 16-15.

At Selby, Lorna Tordoff, Jackie Toms, Carol Williams and Norma Davies were 18-4 in arrears only to rally and trailed 23-21 going into the last end. But a bid to com - plete the comeback faded and they lost 26-21.

Margaret Pearson, Coleen Raw, Maureen Wilson and Monica Morgan were regularly out-scored on the way to a 22-11 reverse.

York Press:

DERBY DUEL: York ‘A’, in green and yellow, line up against New Earswick, in red, in the Yorkshire Over-55s League encounter

YORK ‘A’ sealed New Earswick’s relegation as they won their Yorkshire Over-55s Bowls League division one game 101-55, winning all four rinks.

At Thanet Road, Ray Calpin, Chris Bishop, Eric Hodgson and Geoff Walker gave Mick Head, Bruce Dobson, Dave Elcock and Brian Birch a tough time as they won all but five ends up to the 19th where they led 34-7. Head’s men won the last two to finish 34-11.

Bill Waldie, Paul Murray, Gordon Fratson and Graham Lockwood looked to be on course for victory as they led 9-1 after eight ends, but Dudley Williams, Gordon Walker, Tex Stevens and Malcolm Thompson slowly clawed their way back, going ahead for the first time on the 17th when they picked up a two to make the score 14-13.

They then dropped a two, but won the last three ends to win 19-15.

At Huntington Road, Alan Vowles, Andy Humphreys, Malcolm Harrison and Graham Brooke took control against Barry Johnson, Dave Imeson, Dave Moorhouse and Terry Bellwood when they went from 4-0 down to 14-5 up at ten.

With two ends to play, the visitors had a 23-9 advantage before the home side scored twos to lose 25-13.

Dave Dale, Barry Walker, Jim Robertson and Graham Instone got off to a good start, leading 19-6 after ten ends before Ralph Tiplady, Keith Little, Bob Elliott and Colin Ellis countered, winning five of the remaining ends while only dropping singles to go down 25-16.

York’s quest for an immediate return to Yorkshire League division one was put on hold as Huddersfield beat them 99-73 on aggregate, winning all four rinks.

They remain top with one game to play, against New Earswick on Saturday.

At home, Vowles, Humphreys, Instone and Paul Mooring recovered from dropping an eight on their second end to lead 22-16 with four ends to play. However, they lost them all and the game 27-22.

Neal Macdonald, Thompson, Phil Parsons and Phil Emmerson pulled back from 17-10 down to 17-16 with three ends to play.

They dropped threes on the next two ends to need a seven on the last for a draw, but they could only manage a three.

In Huddersfield, Phil Herridge, Stevens, Brooke and Adam Liddell led 13-10 after 14 ends before losing six on the trot en route to a 20-15 defeat.

Dudley Williams, Nigel Macdonald, Mark Clarke and Dave Stroughair scored a six on the ninth end to lead 11-6 but then only won two more ends and lost their game 29-17.

York ‘B’ beat New Earswick ‘B’ 90-78 to move into third place in the league and enhance their chances of qualifying for the end of season Challenge Cup.

At home, Harley Wenham, Norman Ellis, Gordon Walker and Geoff Walker came from 10-6 down to beat Gordon Storey’s team 37-16.

John Birch, Julian Crabb, Paul Craven and Ken Robinson were 7-1 down to Dave Firn’s team after seven ends, but ended up winning 21-11.

At New Earswick, John Butler, John Richardson, Colin Sharpley and Ron Munro led Gary Jones, Pat Inwood, Barry Shipley and Terry Bellwood 12-5 after ten ends but lost 26-16.

Alan Potter, Alan Yoward, Allan May and Eric Hodgson trailed 25-11 but a four then a single on the last couple of ends helped York ‘B’ secure the aggregate points.

York ‘B’ complete their season on Saturday when they play Leeds ‘B’.