RESURGENT Hartlepool scored a magnificent victory over the powerful Stanley club in the Canada Life Denny Cup.

But the North-West Durham outfit must have been wondering what went wrong in the national inter-club competition after winning on three of the four rinks.

Hartlepool, down by 12 shots on the three losing rinks, had a superb 22-shot home success to thank for their progress.

The Hartlepool heroes were John Mansfield, Tony Macey, Mark Parvin and skip John Wells. Playing at home they had two five-counts in the first five ends.

In the early stages the rink skipped by England's John Leeman, at Stanley, had the Cliff Simpson unit trailing 14-5 at halfway, but the man who helped Durham win the Middleton Cup before announcing his retirement from the county scene, scored ten against two on the next five ends to finish just one shot behind.

Alan Theobald was always in control against the Joe Gibson quartet and contributed ten shots to the Stanley kitty on his home green. At Hartlepool Eddie Henry was always half a dozen shots up against Ian Jackson, but a late rally saw the Pool rink pull back to lose by a shot on the final end.

Scores (Stanley tirst) - At Stanley: John Leeman 19, Cliff Simpson18; Alan Theobald 25, Joe Gibson 15. At Hartlepool: John Thurlbeck 10, John Wells 32; Eddie Henry 18, Ian Jackson 17.

The Cramlington Cordordia club also went down on three rinks against Sunderland, but went through on the "long game" by five shots - 74-69. The four-rink Northumbrian club will now meet Hartlepool on December 9.

Thornaby were given a fright by Saltburn before winning 76-75 and will now face Blackpool Borough.

Durham County have made a bright start to the English Short Mat Bowling Association Northern Zone A League, losing narrowly to West Yorkshire 18-17 and beating Humberside A 18-14. They meet defending champions Cumbria at Brandon today (11am).

Short mat bowling is held every Wednesday at Spennymoor Town Hall (9.30am-12 noon) and newcomers are welcome. Further details on 0191 3734047.

English Bowling Association National Championships results:

Singles: G Skipp (Thornaby) 21, D Dowson (Great Aycliffe) 12; B Storr (Darlington) 21, J Gibson (Hartlepool) 16. Pairs: Tinkler/Kirtland (Darl) 25, Beveridge/Carmedy (G Ayc) 5; Grayson/Young (Darl) 8, Squirrell/Macey (Hart) 23; Taylor/Maddison (Ferryhill) 18, Anderson/Dunning (Gt Ayc) 19; Thompson/Wilson (Durham) 22, Barron/Attwood (Gt Ayc) 31; Hills/Moor (Darl) 12, Barnes/Jackson (Hart) 26; Black/Armstrong (Darl) 26, Palmer/Metcalf (Gt Ayc) 10; Hanmer/Pearce (Shildon) 21, O'Hara/Taylor (Hart) 20; T Addison?Partner (Thornaby) 16, T Frosdick/Partner (Thorn) 24; D Higgins/Partner (Dur) w.o. Triples: A Macey (Hart) 12, J Wells (Hart) 16. Fours: J Pearson (Ferryhill) 21, D Kilner (Hart) 17. Over-50 Triples: D Roberts (Gt Ayc) 25, J Appleton (Darl) 9. Mixed Pairs: McCarroll/Appleton (Darl) 19, Simpson/Storr (Darl)n 21; Donald/Beaston (Darl) 14, Kitto/Kitto (Dur) 20; Gibson/Gibson (Spennymoor) 22, Stephenson/Stephenson (Darl) 23