ANDY Thornton (Barrow-in-Furness) battled the snow and a very determined Frank Griffin (Mirfield Old Bank) to win the seventh Spen Winter Sweep.

Thornton, who also won in week two, trailed Griffin 20-15 in the last 32 only to wriggle out of his grasp before going on to beat Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports) 21-8 in the semi-finals and Chris Mordue (Pudsey) 21-10 in the final.

Mordue defeated Paul Burke (Leeds) 21-14 in the other semi-final.

On a bitterly cold day that started fine but then deteriorated, Mordue – playing for the first time in six weeks due to a back complaint – led his semi-final 7-2.

Burke fought back to trail only 10-8 and 15-14 as snow fell steadily and bowls were caked with a quarter-of-an inch of ice, making true running impossible, but Mordue finished his man off with two singles and two doubles.

In the other semi-final, Thornton went from 4-4 to 9-4, but Regan proved tenacious and was in touch at 11-7, 15-13 and 19-18 before two singles ended his campaign in what had been an excellent contest.

A combination of an in-form Thornton and an off-colour Mordue gave the visitor from Cumbria a flying start at 10-0.

Mordue kept on fighting, however, and pulled back to 13-7 but he eventually ran out of steam in what were difficult conditions.

A full-house draw has been confirmed for week eight on Saturday.

Spen Winter Sweep week seven – Preliminary round: Kez Smith 21 Paul Holt 8, Mally Fowler 21 Paul Ingleby 6, Brian Lee 7 Josh Brown 21, David Burns 19 Ash Tattersley 21, Adam Mellor 13 Mark Regan 21, Chris Bly 21 Michael Sweeney 7, Josh Mordue 21 Suzy Ladbrooke 15, Danny Sillitoe 21 Gareth Coates 9. First round: Richard Brook 21 Marc Armitage 19, Les Oddy 3 Karen Hill 21, Connor Davis 14 Paul Burke 21, Neil Slattery 21 Garry Walker 12, Alan Forrest 10 Andy Fleming 21, Warren Wilson 15 Danny Fountain 21, Lorraine Hirst 20 Gordon Bradford 21, Chris Mordue 21 Andy Gallagher 16, Andy Hodgson 14 Duncan Reeves 21, Nigel Marshall 21 Scott Bloodworth 15, Chris Firth 20 Joe Cranston 21, Andy Thornton 21 Frank Griffin 20, Smith 21 Fowler 8, Brown 19 Tattersley 21, Bly 16 Regan 21, J Mordue 21 Sillitoe 16. Second round: Brooke 16 Hill 21, Burke 21 Slattery 20, Flemming 21 Fountain 19, Bradford 10 C Mordue 21, Reeves 14 Marshall 21, Cranston 19 Thornton 21, Smith 21 Tattersley 16, Regan 21 J Mordue 6. Quarter-finals: Hill 14 Burke 21, Flemming 4 C Mordue 21, Marshall 16 Thornton 21, Smith 8 Regan 21. Semi-finals: Burke 14 C Mordue 21, Thornton 21 Regan 18. Final: C Mordue 10 Thornton 21.

Week eight field for Saturday: Marc Armitage, Scott Bloodworth, Gordon Bradford, Richard Brook, Paul Burke, David Burns, Joe Cranston, Connor Davis, Jon Edmondson, Chris Firth, Danny Fountain, Mally Fowler, Andy Gallagher, Frank Griffin, David Hemsley, Karen Hill, Lorraine Hirst, Andy Hodgson, Paul Holt, Paul Ingleby, Stuart King, Suzy Ladbrooke, Brian Lee, Nigel Marshall, Adam Mellor, Chris Mordue, Josh Mordue, Les Oddy, Duncan Reeves, Mark Regan, Colin Scorah, Danny Sillitoe, Neil Slattery, Kez Smith, Michael Sweeney, Scott Tattersley, Danny Teale, Garry Walker.

* Winter Sweeps at Brighouse will hopefully be resurrected after the festive period as recent numbers have been low due to Christmas shopping etc.