Crossgates A overcame a hesitant start in the final to win the WEST RIDING CUP after beating Lower Hopton A 220-210.

Lower Hopton opened up a seven-chalk lead after the opening four matches thanks to 21-12 wins from James Hanson and Robert Hitchen.

But Ira Jeffers produced a great 21-10 victory in reply and, with further wins for Terry Kelly (21-15) and David Lowe (21-19), Crossgates turned the deficit into a ten-point advantage after eight jacks.

Mark Hughes’ superb 21-9 win over Graham Higgins then left Crossgates on the verge of victory and, despite the last three games going Hopton’s way, they clinched the title by ten chalks.

Crossgates A 220, Lower Hopton A 210 (Crossgates A name first): Mark Taylor 12, James Hanson 21; James Wilcox 12, Robert Hitchen 21; Jon Wood 21, Ian Booth 15; Jon Wilcox 21, Lee Schofield 16; David Lowe 21, Graham Hickey 19; Peter Wilcox 19, Chris Brown 21; Terry Kelly 21, Craig Newton 15; Ira Jeffers 21, Roy Nicholson 10; Mark Hughes 21, Graham Higgins 9; Steven Gilroy 19, Adrian Leach 21; Kieron Smith 15, Liam Griffin 21; Nigel Cranston 19, Graeme Wilson 21.

Crossgates B were unable to make it a double as they lost 228-170 to Ossett Flying Horse in the PILLING CUP final.

Ossett were quicker out of the blocks, with Gary Amatt (21-6) and David Burns (21-11) giving them a 11-point advantage after four jacks.

Chris Firth (21-11) was the only winner for Crossgates in the middle four games as Ossett extended their lead to 24 points.

Ossett then finished off the contest in style, carding the last four winners with David Poole (21-6) the pick of them.

Crossgates B 170, Ossett Flying Horse 228 (Crossgates B name first): Adam Conlon 6, Gary Amatt 21; Desmond Kearney 11, David Burns 21; Warren Wilson 21, David Edwards 16; Gareth Lally 21, Mark Lewis 12; Kevin Larner 10, David Price 21; Steven Mason 13, Ray Devereux 21; Joe Cranston 17, Gary Foulkes 21; Chris Firth 21, Graham Blenkinsop 11; Jon Schofield 15, Kris Shuttleworth 21; Colin Scorah 15, Kevin Burns 21; Mick Wood 6, David Poole 21; Ashley Wilcock 14, Ian Shuttleworth 21.

* Bradford play Castleford in the VETERANS INTER-DISTRICT LEAGUE on Friday, with the home match taking place at Peel and the away game at Methley BC. Both matches start at 1.30pm.

Home: Alan Standing (Thornton), Nino Esposito (Ladyhill), Graham Oliver (Clayton), Paul Hillam (Eccleshill), Rod Bastow (Eccleshill), Brian Jennings (Crowghyll), Bill Hutchinson (Crowghyll), David Hodgson (Crowghyll). Reserves: Bill Robson (Clayton), David Bottomley (Crowghyll), John Ramsey (Ladyhill).

Away: Bob Baines (Littlemoor), Tony Riley (Clayton), Gerry Hird (Wyke), Mick Lambert (Wyke), Dennis Thorpe (Crowghyll), Len Hanson (Wyke), David Burns (Peel), Gerald Bromley (Peel). Reserves: Lawrie Walsh (Peel), Derek Carroll (Crowghyll), Ken Green (Wyke).

* Yorkshire’s ladies face Lancashire in their second COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP group game on Sunday and will be looking to build on their opening victory against South Staffordshire.

The home game is being played at Almondbury BC, with the away match to be played at Penwortham S&SC in Preston.

The Yorkshire home team is again made up of Huddersfield bowlers, while Lisa Rice (Harold Club), Louise Whiteley (Hove Edge), Marjorie Haigh (Heckmondwike), Debbie Davis (Pudsey), Sharon Gadd (West Park) and Helen Gilroy (Eccleshill) all appear in the away team.

Home: Judi Hollingworth (Meltham), Linda Gledhill (New Mill), Marie Lockwood (New Mill), Ann Hinchliffe (Lockwood Cons), Karen Whitefoot (Marsh Utd), Karen Gant (Meltham), Ellis Owen (Savile Park), Lynn Carter (Cowcliffe Libs), Jean Gee (Marsh Utd), Alicia Ormsby (Meltham), Lynda Drury (New Mill), Jacqui Roper (Meltham).

Away: Lisa Rice (Harold Club), Dawn Bray (Ossett Flying Horse), Louise Whiteley (Hove Edge), Amanda Hagen (Ossett Flying Horse), Karen Hill (Hanging Heaton), Marjorie Haigh (Heckmondwike), Debbie Davis (Pudsey), June Johnson (Ossett Flying Horse), Sharon Gadd (West Park), Suzanne Howarth (New Mill), Andrea Buckley (New Mill), Helen Gilroy (Eccleshill).

* The Yorkshire men take on Derbyshire in the BRITISH CROWN GREEN CHAMPIONSHIP on Sunday, with the home match taking place at Milnsbridge and the away leg at Ashbourne.

David Cooper (Littlemoor) stars in the home fixture, while Kieron Smith (Crossgates), James Hanson (ex-Pudsey), Liam Griffin (Pudsey), Mark Hughes (Crossgates), James Wilcox (Crossgates), Chris Mordue (Brighouse Sports) and James Davison (Eccleshill) all appear in the away contest.

* The first rounds of the YORKSHIRE CUP, HENRY TAYLOR CUP, ERIC HUTCHINSON MEMORIAL TROPHY and DERRICK RADLEY TROPHY competitions take place on Saturday. The full draws are:

Yorkshire Cup: Crosshills & District v Old Town, at Wibsey Park; Marsh Utd v Almondbury Lib A, at Newsome WMC; Horbury WMC v Moldgreen Cons, at Mirfield Old Bank; Greengates v Brighouse Sports A, at Horton Park; Alverthorpe WMC v Almondbury BC, at Greenroyd; Clayton West v Wyke BC, at Millbridge Park; Clayton Victoria v Slaithwaite BC, at Morton House; Mirfield Old Bank A v Cowcliffe Libs, at Denby Grange; Golcar Lib v Borough BC, at Sherburn BC; Crossgates B v Lockwood Con A, at Slazengers; Pudsey Littlemoor v Hemplow A, at Ossett C∾ Brockholes BC v Crossgates A, at Hove Edge WMC; Pudsey BC v Cononley, at Old Town; Morton House v Milnsbridge BC, at Halifax BC; Lindley Lib v Linthwaite Hall C&BC, at Brockholes BC; Netherton Con A v Cross Roads, at Holbeck Ltd; Grange Moor v Kirkheaton Con, at Linthwaite Hall; Spen Victoria B v Cleckheaton Sports A, at Cleckheaton Moor End; Eccleshill v Longwood BC A, at Akroydon Victoria; Sandal BC v Sowerby Bridge Hillcrest, at Slaithwaite BC; Spen Victoria A v Tadcaster BC, at Pontefract BC; Lockwood Con B v Crosland Moor B, at Huddersfield RUFCBC. Byes: West Yorkshire Sports, Lindley BC B, Milnsbridge Lib A, Roundhay Park, Asa Briggs, Thongsbridge BC A, Lower Hopton WMC A, Hemsworth Con, Rastrick PSBC, Elland C&BC.

Henry Taylor Cup: Kirkheaton C&BC v Canalside SC B, at Almondbury BC; Shepley BC v Crossgates Rec, at West Yorkshire Sports; Netherton Con B v Castleford Town, at Brighouse Sports; Lockwood Con C v Guiseley, at Sowerby Bridge Hill Crest; Jackson Bridge v Lindley BC A, at Almondbury Lib; Farnley Tyas v Chapel St BC, at Castleford Town; Lower Hopton WMC B v Netherton Con C, at Broad Oak. Byes: Outlane, Springwood BC, Broad Oak BC, Milnsbridge Lib B, Heptonstall, Almondbury Lib B, Swillington Welfare, Hemsworth Welfare, Kingston, Skipton Broughton Road, Crosland Moor A, Brighouse Sports B, Wibsey Park, Hemplow B, Greenroyd, Longwood BC B, Newsome WMC, Canalside SC A, South Leeds Cons, Bradley & Colne, Cleckheaton Sports B, Allan Park, Thongsbridge BC B, Mirfield Old Bank B, Linthwaite Hall.

Eric Hutchinson Memorial Trophy: Boston Spa v Eccleshill, at Chapel St BC; Garforth Rec B v Skipton Craven, at Outlane BC; Aberford v Ripponden Park, at Cononley; Royds Park (Liv) v Golcar Lib, at Wyke BC; Newsome WMC v Settle, at Asa Briggs; Peel Park v Magnet Sports, at Ossett Flying Horse; Birkenshaw Park v Rufford Park B, at Bilton Dragon; Bilton Dragon v Thornhill C&BC, at Clayton Victoria; Pudsey Littlemoor v Colton, at Bradley & Colne; Meanwood Park v Armley Park, at Crossgates; Clayton Victoria v Holbeck Ltd, at Alverthorpe WMC; Whitby v Castleford Town, at Boston Spa; Glasshoughton Welfare v Horsforth Woodside, at Hightown Lib; Hunmanby v The Hollies S&SC at Aberford; Hanging Heaton v Cleckheaton Moor End, at Linthwaite C&BC; Cowcliffe Lib v Oxenhope, at Birkenshaw Park; Garforth Rec A v Shipley Club, at Rastrick PSBC; Rastrick PSBC v Savile Park (Cas), at South Leeds Cons. Byes: Guiseley, Horbury WMC, Cranmore, Ossett Flying Horse, Dukes Park Bridlington, Skelmanthorpe Central, Kirkheaton Con, Overthorpe Sports, Asa Briggs, Pudsey BC, Hove Edge WMC, Slazengers, Hightown Lib, Grove Hill.

Derrick Radley Trophy: Ossett C&AC v Cowcliffe Lib B, at Royds Park (Liv); Heckmondwike BC v Whitkirk, at Grove Hill; Crowghyll Park v Almondbury Lib B, at Savile Park (Cas); Drighlington Park v Halifax BC, at Marsh Utd; Denby Grange v Broad Oak BC, at Spen Victoria; Cleckheaton Sports v Tadcaster BC, at The Hollies S&SC. Byes: Shepley BC, Millbridge Park, Northowram, Pontefract BC, Sherburn BC, Brockholes BC B, Huddersfield RUFCBC, Akroydon Victoria, Hemplow, Almondbury BC, Almondbury Lib A, Harold Park, Dalton BC, Rufford Park A, Allerton Bywater, Scholes, Thorner, Bradley & Colne, Spen Victoria, Marsh Lib, Horton Park, Wakefield BC, South Kirby MW, Bridlington Bay, Morton House, Brockholes BC A.

* Tomorrow is the closing date for entry to the BRADFORD PAIRS MERIT, sponsored by Martin S Lonsdale Estate Agents, which is to be played at Wibsey on Sunday, May 13 with a 10.30am start.

It costs £4 per pair and anyone interested should contact Norman Lickley on 01943-884323.