SWITCHING the Hospital Handicap to the new venue of Hove Edge proved highly successful, with almost 70 bowlers taking part.

It was held at Horton Park for the last two years and has previously been at, among others, Lister Park, Eccleshill, West Bradford and Greengates.

Entries have dwindled in recent years in all Bradford competitions and, with over 50 clubs in the Bradford League, they should be higher.

Asa Briggs cannot be blamed, however, as they had an impressive 20 entries, and one of their number – Stuart King – won it, after defeating Joe Stockdale (Guiseley) 21-9 in the final.

King thus became only the third bowler form the club to lift the trophy, following Gary Whelan in 1996 and Bob Hiley in 2010.

It was all youth in the semi-finals as King beat Josh Mordue (Brighouse Sports) 21-14, while Stockdale defeated younger brother Ben 21-10.

The final was fairly one-sided as King played a green-edge mark that had been kind to him all day – but Joe Stockdale will surely be in the winners' enclosure soon.

* The 2014 Pudsey Classic, sponsored by AD Sports Supplies Ltd, gets under way tomorrow evening with week one of qualifying.

Adam Marsden (Shipley Club) and Danny Fountain (Brighouse Sports) are the sole Bradford League representatives in action.

Marsden opens up against Adrian Kenyon (Elland C&BC), while Fountain faces Mark Bramall (Netherton Cons) in the first round.

Week one qualifying draw: Alan Broadbent (Rastrick) v Chris Brown (Lower Hopton) Darren Plenderleith (Tamworth) v Karen Hill (Hanging Heaton), Andy Sorsby (Thongsbridge) v Dave Greenwood (Elland C&BC), Aaron Tapper (Cheslyn Hay BC) v Paul Dudley (Radcliffe), Adrian Kenyon (Elland C&BC) v Adam Marsden (Shipley Club), Jack Clark (Thongsbridge) v Lee Kington (Kings Heath Park), Danny Sillitoe (Dearne Sports) v Ian Booth (Lower Hopton), Danny Fountain (Brighouse Sports) v Mark Bramall (Netherton Cons).

* Tomorrow it is also the first qualifying round in the £5,300 Brighouse Classic sponsored by Lime Grove Leisure.

Wayne Ditchfield (Eccleston), last year's runner-up, has a tough opening game against previous Classic winner Nick White (Sheffield).

Crossgates have numerous players in action, with Jon Wilcox in the top half of the draw and Peter Wilcox and Mark Hughes in the bottom half.

Draw (tomorrow, 6.30pm): Robert Dunford (Wakefield) v Gareth Jones (Barrow), Nick White (Sheffield) v Wayne Ditchfield (Eccleston), Jon Wilcox (Leeds) v Gareth Coates (Halifax), Natalie Hughes (Leeds) v Andy Webb (Castleford), Peter Wilcox (Leeds) v John Reilly (Barrow), Paul Bailey (Sheffield) v Graham Hunt (Conwy), Richard Jackson (Sheffield) v Dean Scarth (Hanging Heaton), Mark Hughes (Leeds) v Barry Lowden (Barrow).

* Phil Lee (Merseyside) and Graham Hickey (Halifax) were week four qualifiers in the Spen Masters, sponsored by P&I Hopkins Butchers.

Lee qualified with wins over Craig Newton (Wakefield) 21-6, Carl Armitage (Warrington) 21-14 and Scott Fisher (Denby Grange) 21-16, while Hickey was just as impressive in beating Stuart Goodwin (Warrington) 21-9, Paul Rooks (Eccleshill) 21-10 and Danny Walker (Denby Grange) 21-16.

Week four qualifying – First round: Bill Burlinson (Warrington) 14, Scott Fisher (Denby Grange) 21; Steve Baskerville (Altrincham) 21, Neil Simpson (Keighley) 8; Carl Armitage (Warrington) 21, Danny Barwise (Merseyside) 9; Craig Newton (Wakefield) 6, Phil Lee (Merseyside) 21; Kevin Wainwright (Warrington) 12, Paul Rooks (Eccleshill) 21; Stuart Goodwin (Warrington) 9, Graham Hickey (Halifax) 21; John Hanson (Preston) 6, Mike Tunstall (Merseyside) 21; Danny Walker (Denby Grange) 21, Tommy Johnstone (Warrington) 18. Second round: Fisher 21, Baskerville 10; Armitage 14, Lee 21; Rooks 10, Hickey 21; Tunstall 14, Walker 21. Third round: Fisher 16, Lee (draws number 13 on finals night) 21; Hickey (draws 16) 21, Walker 16.

Draw for week five qualifying (Saturday, August 2): Alan Hill (Manchester) v Simon Tyler (Wales), Alec Heeps (Warrington) v Kez Smith (Crossgates), Alan Ball (Preston) v Joe Stockdale (Bradford), Callum Wraight (Shropshire) v Lee Kington (Sheffield), Ritchie Goddard (Shropshire) v Ashley Tattersley (Huddersfield), Dan Hughes (Wales) v Dean Scarth (Batley), Michael Robinson (Liversedge) v Richard Stockdale (Bradford), Darren Plenderleith (Sheffield) v Lee Johnstone (Warrington).

* Finals day for the Howarth Cup and Supplementary Cup takes place on Sunday at Spen Victoria, with eight teams in each competition and the finals themselves.

Preliminary-round matches took place last Friday, with Eccleshill and Asa Briggs A overcoming Brackenhill and Wibsey B respectively to progress in the Howarth Cup, while Salts edged out Greengates to qualify in the Supplementary Cup.

Preliminary-round scores – Howarth Cup: Brackenhill (50) 125, Eccleshill (0) 164; Wibsey B (50) 162, Asa Briggs A (10) 174. Supplementary Cup: Greengates (20) 162, Salts (60) 177.

Draws – Howarth Cup quarter-finals (10.30am start): Eccleshill (0) v Asa Briggs A (10), at Hove Edge; Harold Park (40) v Clayton A (0), at Asa Briggs; Wibsey A (30) v Shipley Club A (10), at Woodvale; Clayton B (30) v Birkenshaw (50), at Shelf. Semi-finals (about 1pm): Winner of quarter-final 1 v winner of quarter-final 2, at Wyke; winner of quarter-final 3 v winner of quarter-final 4, at Hightown. Final (about 3.30pm): at Spen Victoria (bottom green).

Supplementary Cup quarter-finals (10.30am start): Salts (60) v Tyersal (50), at Hipperholme & Lightcliffe; Shipley Club B (40) v Wyke (30), at Birkenshaw; Horton (60) v Hove Edge (30), at Cleckheaton Moorend; Bradford Moor (55) v Asa Briggs B (40), at Drighlington. Semi-finals (about 1pm): Winner of quarter-final 1 v winner of quarter-final 2, at Cleckheaton Moorend; winner of quarter-final 3 v winner of quarter-final four, at Birkenshaw. Final (about 3.30pm): at Spen Victoria (top green).

* The second round of the Kolorco (Printers)-sponsored Four-A-Side Knockout takes place tomorrow, with matches starting at 6.45pm.

Draw – At Drighlington: Harold Park v Shipley Club B, Wyke B v Asa Briggs C; at Greengates: Asa Briggs A v Drighlington, Wyke A v Hightown; at Asa Briggs: Salts v Birkenshaw A, Wibsey A v Tyersal; at Wibsey: Brackenhill A v Asa Briggs B, Birkenshaw B v Brackenhill B.

The winners will take part in finals day on Sunday, August 3. While the quarter-final venues are still to be confirmed, the semi-finals and finals will be played at Pudsey BC.

It is hoped that the quarter-finals will be at West Royd and Pudsey Littlemoor, with two matches played simultaneously.

* Shipley Club are taking entries for their Indoor Bowls League, which runs from October through to March.

Anyone interested in getting a team together should contact John Preston on 07460-51570.