Billy Holdsworth defeats David Knights in Dukes Park Open Singles final

There were 54 entries and, by using both greens for the early stages of the competition, early games were played off scratch going to 3 on the card from the semi-finals as time was pressing.

In the first round Dave Wright (Bridlington Bay) won 21-16 against one of the three juniors who had entered, Connor Chilvers (North Cliff) and this was also the score when Barrie Watson beat Jo Leeman.

Paul Morgan won an all-North Cliff game against Ian Richardson 21-14 while Sue Purcell pushed home bowler Geoff Price before finally going down 21-18.

Kenny Wale won an all-Whitby clash against Steve Dover 21-13 to face Mark Harrap (Castleford) who beat Albert Beggs 21-9.

Andy Deighton (Dukes Park) was not troubled in a 21-11 win against Andrew Walker (Bridlington Bay) and next faced Billy Holdsworth who had a 21-15 win against Lynn Gates (Borough).

Stuart Thompson (Pontefract) faced the second of the juniors, Leela Chilvers (North Cliff), who did very well to only lose 21-15 while Tony Chambers (Castleford) beat Pauline Allison 21-13.

Dave Moment also won 21-13 against David Muir to set up a game against Ian Winning who won an all-Bridlington Bay game against Mel Dale 21-19.

Kevin Gates (Dukes Park) eliminated Sue Emmerson (Whitby) 21-14 and Rita Bland had a fine 21-13 win against Adam Chilvers (North Cliff).

Alan Landers destroyed his North Cliff clubmate Mally Kay 21-5 while Callum Malone was even more destructive in another all-North Cliff affair beating Pam Moment 21-2.

Paul Hallatt (Sheffield) won 21-19 against Scott Wardman (North Cliff) to face Jo Gates (Borough) who had a big, 21-4, win against Ed McCormack (North Cliff).

In the final pair of games in the round Emmo Emmerson won 21-18 against Ashley Brunton-Douglas and Ray Leeman (Whitby) had a fine 21-14 win against Robert Child.

The second round opened with Sue Holdsworth beating Gary Thornton 21-10 and Mo Chambers (Castleford) winning 21-4 against the third junior, Alix Stallard (Hunmanby).

Ronnie Noble only just made it through 21-20 against Judith Rose (Bridlington Bay) to face David Knights (Sheffield) who cruised through 21-7 against home bowler Keith Davis.

Larry Dixon had a very good win, 21-10 against Tim Purcell while Barrie Watson won 21-11 against Wright.

Price beat Morgan 21-14 to face Wale who won 21-13 against Harrap.

In the other half of the draw Oldham was pressed by Dalby but held on for a 21-19 win while Billy Holdsworth was taken even further by Deighton before winning 21-20.

Thompson cruised through 21-4 against Tony Chambers to face Dave Moment who beat Winning 21-12.

Kevin Gates ended Rita Bland’s hopes with a 21-10 win to set up a game against Landers who beat another clubmate, Malone, 21-15.

Finally Jo Gates won 21-19 against Hallatt while Emmo Emmerson won the all-Whitby game against Ray Leeman 21-16.

In the third round Sue Holdsworth won 21-15 against Mo Chambers to face Knights who had a big 21-8 win against Noble.

Watson had an even bigger win, 21-6 against Dixon to face Price who beat Wale 21-14.

Billy Holdsworth put paid to his clubmate Geoff Oldham 21-12 while Thompson won 21-14 against Dave Moment.

In the final pair of games Landers also won 21-14 against Kevin Gates and Jo Gates just made it through to the quarter finals beating Emmo Emmerson 21-20.

Knights won the first quarter final 21-6 against Sue Holdsworth and Price joined him with a 21-20 win over Watson.

Billy Holdsworth had a close 21-19 win against Thompson to face Landers who won 21-13 against Jo Gates.

Knights then won 21-17 against Price to set up a final against Holdsworth who beat Landers 21-12.

The final started evenly with the score being 5-5 after 4 ends. Holdsworth then eased into a lead of 8-5 and the 11-6 after 10 ends.

Knights pulled 1 back but Holdsworth then pulled away to lead 16-7 after 14 ends, including one “dead” end.

Knights then staged a comeback bringing the scores back to 18-15 after 22 ends only for Holdsworth to take the next 2 ends for a 21-15 win.

On Friday there is an Over-60s Doubles at North Cliff and on Sunday there is an Open Singles at Whitby. Entries in advance to the relevant Merit Secretaries.

It was a Yorkshire Cup weekend. In the Hutchinson Cup it was not a good weekend for our three teams.

Borough travelled to Castleford to play Scholes (Leeds District) and went down 234-202 (9-3).

Whitby took on Morton House (West Riding District) at Magnet Sports, Tadcaster and lost 224-185 (7-5) and then Hunmanby faced Eccleshill (Bradford District) at Pontefract and were just beaten 209-202 (7-5).

In the Derrick Radley Cup Bridlington Bay faced Littlemoor (Bradford District) at Colton (Leeds District) and were crushed 252-127 (12-0).

Elsewhere there was better news as Dukes Park travelled to Wayside (Harrogate District) to play Swillington 2 (Castleford District) and won 229-200 (8-4).

Finally North Cliff faced West Bradford at Ossett C&BC (Wakefield District) and had a big win 240-155 (10-2).

They now face Dukes Park at a venue to be confirmed but probably a local green.

This means we are guaranteed a semi-finalist in this competition.

On Monday Paul Morgan (North Cliff) represented the District in the Yorkshire Merit at New Mills WMC, Holmfirth Huddersfield.

Unfortunately he got a tough first round draw against Kez Smith (Crossgates, Leeds) and lost 21-11. The competition was won by another Crossgates bowler, James Wilcox, a five-times winner of the Gambart Baines Challenge Cup.