The round-robin stage saw strong performances from teams from Heptonstall, Denholme, Whinswood, Luddenden Foot, Allan Park, Mytholmroyd, Ackroydon Victoria and a team from Wharfemeadows BC in Otley, all battling through to the knockout stages.

In the semi-final the last four triples, from Wharfemeadows, Whinswood, Allan Park and Luddenden Foot split into pairs and singles to continue the struggle.

This brought out impressive individual performances from Wharfemeadows’ Dave Rankin beating Whinswood’s Sue Finnie 21-8 with a superb display of corner bowling; and Foot’s Gareth Swain giving Allan Park’s David Helliwell no room and triumphing by 21-5.

Their team-mates playing concurrently in the pairs format bowled tightly to ensure a Wharfemeadows v Luddenden Foot final.

The final was a nerve racking affair starting with the Otley men establishing leads in the singles and pairs games. Dave Rankin found line and length again in his favourite corners to leave Gareth Swain struggling and with a lead of 10-5 looked to be taking the trophy in the direction of Otley.

Meanwhile, in the pairs game an early lead taken by Chris Lodge and Colin Rhodes, the Otley men, was gradually pulled back by the Foot pair of Paul Fisher and Dennis Hartley.

At the halfway stage the contest could not have been closer. Gareth, now looking more assured started leading well and pulled back the deficit levelling the score at 12-12. His partners, Paul and Dennis stuck to their task and levelled their match at 8-8.

Gareth then held the jack and taking advantage of his opponent’s loss of length, established a 16-12 lead only to see his team mates lose the jack and go 9-12 down.

With the pairs match standing at 12-12 and the Foot men having the jack, things were looking good for Dennis and Paul but a poor lead was punished by the Otley men.

With one wood left Paul delivered a good wood to limit their score to one but a forcing wood from Chris Lodge ran the jack to score the three needed to win their match 15-12 at the 15th end.

The focus now shifted to the singles game, which was reaching its climax. At the 24th end Gareth was standing 20-16 and needed only one point to claim victory for his team but Dave claimed a point with a 6 inch wood to give him the end and the jack.

The Otley man, now needing only two more points to assure victory for his team, sent the jack into his favoured corner and after his second wood had the two shots needed for victory. With one wood remaining Gareth could afford no mistakes.

As the enthusiastic crowd watched in silence he delivered a perfect wood which picked up the jack and gave him the final point to take the game 21-17 and give his team victory by the narrowest of margins, just one point.

Club secretary, Derek Williamson thanked the sponsors Lloyds TSB and the tireless team of volunteers at Old Town who had helped to make this a successful day..