The County final of the national mixed four competition was held at Thornaby IBC on Saturday, January 24 between a rink from Ferryhill and a rink from Darlington.

The Darlington rink was led by Ann Anderson with Tracy Fairless second, Mark Jones third and had Alan Moore as skip. Ferryhill was led by Carole Jones, Renee Thompson second, Jason Taylor third and Bill Maddison skip.

It turned out to be a nail-biting final with both teams having their share of good and bad fortune.

The Ferryhill squad established a 4-0 lead after two ends and on the third end had a five-shot lie which Alan Moore converted to a one shot Darlington advantage with his last wood.

This started a Darlington recovery and after nine ends they led 8-6. Ferryhill were not to be put off, however, and took the next four ends to establish a 13-8 lead.

Back came Darlington and after 18 ends the scores were level at 14 each.

The best was yet to come with Darlington taking three shots on the 19th end, three up two to play. Ferryhill then too two on the 20th end to set up a superb final end.

Carole Jones, leading for Ferryhill, bowled a back toucher with her first wood, which Ann Anderson was unlucky not to dislodge with her first delivery hitting the jack but leaving it against the Ferryhill wood. Her second delivery, however, did remove the jack and run it towards her other wood. Two up to Darlington and three touchers out of four woods on the green. The second woods then built up the head leaving it with a four-shot advantage to Darlington. Jason Taylor at number three for Ferryhill then drew the wood of the match pushing the jack through the head for a two shot Ferryhill lie. Alan Moore seemed to have retrieved the situation with his last wood, which looked like picking up the jack all the way down the green but somehow slipped between the jack and shot bowl to run through the head. Result - a one shot win for Ferryhill - the first time a team from the club have reached this stage of a national competition. They now go to Northampton in February to compete in the national finals.

* Anyone interested in joining the club or taking up the sport can contact the secretary Colin Larcombe on (01740) 651010 or at the leisure centre most weekday evenings.

Area three national competitions

Over 60s pairs area final: K Lamb/B Metcalfe (Dton) 17, J Gibson/D Bell (Hpool) 16 (extra end).

Over 50s triples final: Phil Payne (Aycliffe) 20, Dave Barron (Aycliffe) 14.

Mixed pairs area final: Delacoe/Brooks (Redcar) 24, Ridpath/Kilner (Hpool) 8.

Mixed four area final: Bill Maddison (Ferryhill) 18, Alan Moore (Dton) 17.

Father and Son area final: M and K O/Riordan (Thornaby) 31, B and P Mosley (Thornaby) 8.

Other results: Singles: M O'Riordan (Thornaby) 18, A Kirtland (Dton) 21; A Ward (Hpool) 21, S Packham (Hpool) 18.

Pairs: Squirrell/Macey (Hpool) 18, Black/Bousfield (Dton) 20; Hudson/O'Neill (Thornaby) 26, Hills/Stephenson (Dton) 19.

Triples: A Stephenson (Dton) 22, P Stephenson (Hpool) 9; A Frosdick (Thornaby) 19, A Macey (Hpool) 11.

Fours: T Bousfield (Dton) 17, P Heath (Spennymoor) 27; A Frosdick (Thornaby) 26, A Stephenson (Dton) 9; I Brookes (Redcar) bt W Maddison (Ferryhill) no score to hand.

l Semi-finals to be arranged

Singles: J Pearce (Shildon v A Ward (Hpool); G Skipp (Thornaby) v A Kirtland (Dton).

Pairs: J Wells (Hpool) v P Mosley (Thornaby); A Bousfield (Dton) v V O'Neill (Thornaby).

Triples: K Tinkler (Dton) v S Burton (Dton); G Skipp (Thornaby) v A Stephenson (Dton).

Fours: P Heath (Spennymoor) v D Kilner (Hpol); I Brookes (Redcar) v A Frosdick (Thornaby)