Skipton Devon win cup after thrilling final (From Craven Herald)

Skipton Devon win cup after thrilling final

8:47am Thursday 12th August 2010 in

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The Slaters Arms Clarkson Cup final at Broughton Road was a gripping encounter watched by a good crowd.

Fortunes fluctuated throughout before Skipton Devon A defeated Silsden Playing Fields A 207-205.

With Silsden receiving a 20 points lead it was important for Devon A to get a good start.

Their prayers were answered as once again Martin Lee came up with a 21-4 win in 16 ends.

Peter Clark followed with a 21-12 win to give Devon the perfect start.

Silsden soon replied with wins for skipper Alan Pennington 21-19 and Paul Kay 21-15.

Significantly for Devon, their captain Danny Moore pulled back six valuable points when Pennington was on 20.

The middle four games saw Silsden take command as Nigel Breadley produced their best performance with a 21-6 win.

Devon’s Nick Squires bowled well to reduce the arrears with a 21-12 win.

The match turned in Silsden's favour when Richard Baker was leading 12-6 for Devon.

Opponent Derek Metcalfe ran the jack to make two and never looked back as he won the game 21-17.

Craig Carpenter – leading 13-11 for Devon – suffered a similar fate as Bob Taylor turned the game round with a great finish winning 21-15 and setting up an 18-point lead for Silsden.

Devon needed a good return from the last two matches if they were to lift the trophy.

Steven Lofthouse was leading well and looking likely but Silsden’s Andy Woolner hit back to reduce the final deficit to 21-13.

It meant that Silsden led by ten points with only the final match to be completed – and that meant Devon were relying on your correspondent Peter Haworth to pull the game out of the fire.

Things looked promising for Devon when Haworth established a 13-9 advantage over Kim Ramsden.

But the next point went to Ramsden meaning just three more points were required for Silsden to lift the trophy.

Haworth went 15-9 up as Ramsden struggled to find a scoring wood.

A double made it 19-9 as the tension mounted on and off the green.

Both bowlers looked to be feeling the pressure but a two for Haworth sealed victory for Devon.

League president Anthony Walsh and sponsor Phil Cooke were there to present the trophy to Devon Captain Danny Moore.

Broughton Road was the venue the previous day for the John Rycroft Trophy Final.

Three locals had qualified, but Richard Hargreaves went out in his first game to Simon Coupe 21-11. However, Trevor Hargreaves beat Darren Holt 21-19, and David Leeming defeated Gareth Gwilliam 21-9.

Hargreaves and Leeming met in the quarter finals with Leeming winning 21-13.

Horsforth's Liam Griffin proved to be too strong winning for Hargreaves in the semi-final winning 21-11.

The other semi saw Dean Ferris beat Ian Nicholson 21-10. Griffin won the final 21-13. Oxenhope have made a good start to their membership of the Skipton & District Bowling Association by winning the Skipton Glass Division Two title in their first season.

The victory which wrapped up the championship was an 8-4 win at second-placed Gargrave A.

Devon B won at home to Colne Whinfield B who return to the Third Division after one season .

Addingham A look likely to join them. They have only managed nine points from their last four games and travel to Oxenhope for their final match.

The Inter District Juniors travelled to Bradford B in their latest game and suffered an 8-2 defeat with just Robbie Ellis 21-6 and T Johnson 21-20 winning.

Ellis made his Yorkshire Junior debut in the county junior semi final against Warwick and Worcester in Birmingham.

He came up with a good performance winning 21-15 and helping the team to a two-point victory, putting them into the final where they will meet Wales on Sunday, September 12.

The Skipton and District JACS League Merit takes place at Colne Cricket club this Sunday with a 1.30pm start.

The 16 finalists are: D Jacques, G Bottomley, I Bernard, M Swarek, D Hemsley, A Keighley, M Loftus, A Walsh, J Parkin, C Wilson, D Leeming, M Barker, T Hargreaves, R Hargreaves, A Ripley and P Clark.