BRADFORD came within a bowl of making it to the final of the Federation Champion of Champions event held at Roe Lee Park in Blackburn.

In their first season in the Federation, Bradford qualified by winning a play-off against Fylde B after heading Division Six at a canter.

Bradford were in a group with Division One winners Leeds A, Division Three victors Colne Valley and Division Five champions Liverpool-St Helens.

First up were Liverpool-St Helens and Bradford made the better start, with Jordan Brown (Wibsey) 21-10 and Daniel Metcalfe (Shipley Club) 21-13 winning impressively.

The game then looked to be swinging the way of Liverpool until Scott Bloodworth (Ladyhill) carded a seven break to run out from 20-14 down – and when Craig Fenton (Shipley Club) edged home by the same scoreline, Bradford had ensured a winning start by taking it 7-3.

Bradford 155 (7) Liverpool-St Helens 144 (3) (Bradford names first): Richard Bloodworth 14 Peter Jones 21, Trevor Benn 21 Cliff Massey 18, Jordan Brown 21 Alan Catterrall 10, Daniel Metcalfe 21 Denise Hodge 13, Scott Bloodworth 21 Ken Bowen 20, Craig Fenton 21 Carl Doyle 20, Mark Cunningham 19 Aidan Kenny 21, Neil Tordoff 17 Wayne Jevons 21.

Bradford knew next opponents Leeds A would be smarting from their 8-2 defeat against Colne Valley and were ready for a backlash.

Kez Smith (Crossgates) 21-8 and Simon Walder (Whitkirk) 21-7 got Leeds off to the perfect start, although Bradford stayed in the game as Fenton starred again with a 21-10 success.

Leeds continued to dominate, with Gaz Lally (Crossgates) 21-4 and Mark Hughes (Crossgates) 21-6 ensuring victory.

Bradford replied through Richard Bloodworth (Ladyhill) 21-10 and Metcalfe 21-6 to give them a respectable three points, while Colne Valley made it two wins from two with a 7-3 victory over Liverpool-St Helens to put them on the verge of the final.

Bradford 103 (3) Leeds A 131 (7): Scott Bloodworth 8 Kez Smith 21, Craig Fenton 21 Rob Lloyd 10, Mark Cunningham 7 Simon Walder 21, Neil Tordoff 15 Steven Gilroy 21, Richard Bloodworth 21 Chris Firth 10, Trevor Benn 6 Mark Hughes 21, Jordan Brown 4 Gaz Lally 21, Daniel Metcalfe 21 Kevin Siddle 6.

Bradford's final game was against unbeaten Colne Valley and anything less than an 8-2 win would see Bradford heading home.

Starring again in the first four was Brown 21-11 and Metcalfe 21-14, with the match score standing at 2-2. Leeds A and Liverpool-St Helens was also at 2-2 at halfway, so everything was still to play for.

Colne Valley knew that one more winner would see them progress to the final but Bradford were up in three games and down in one and when Tordoff won 21-8, Bradford were sniffing victory.

Things quickly got much better when Scott Bloodworth ran out from 18-11 down, with Bradford just ahead in the other two games.

But just when Bradford were ready to celebrate, a wonder bowl defeated Fenton 21-20, Mark Cunningham (Shipley Club) then finishing the match off with a 21-18 success and a 7-3 over a relieved Colne Valley.

News came through that Leeds A had defeated Liverpool-St Helens 8-2 to pip Bradford into second place, based on their head-to-head game.

Bradford 149 (7) Colne Valley 132 (3): Richard Bloodworth 13 Andrew Heaume 21, Trevor Benn 11 Daniel Teale 21, Jordan Brown 21 Mark Richardson 11, Daniel Metcalfe 21 Michael Martin 14, Neil Tordoff 21 Ray Whitwham 8, Scott Bloodworth 21 Nathan Jenkinson 18, Craig Fenton 20 Terry Brook 21, Mark Cunningham 21 Mark Atkinson 18.

Colne Valley went on to defeat Barnsley 7-3 in the final but Bradford can be proud of their Federation achievements this year and will be looking for promotion again next season as they take on Bolton, Menai, Leeds B and Warrington in Division Five.