St Neots Indoor Bowls Club have captured a major crown for the third time in their 42-year history.

Their terrific ladies lifted the Yetton Trophy, a national team event played across four rinks, after beating Spalding 66-62 in the final staged in Bristol yesterday (Sunday).

The rink of Michelle Barlow, who won the national singles crown at the beginning of April, triumphed 22-7 while June George led her quartet to a 21-9 triumph.

But it was a different story on the other half of the green where the teams of Hayley Felce and Hazel Wright were beaten 15-23 and 8-23 respectively.

The key bowl of the entire match was delivered by Felce in the penultimate end as she drew a fine delivery when her Spalding opponents held three shots.

That would have put them ahead overall, but Felce’s fine effort stretched her side’s advantage to 65-62 and George then grabbed a single with the final ball of the final end to seal St Neots’ success.

St Neots, who also won the Yetton Trophy back in 1983 and 1991, beat Sussex club Arun 67-55 at the semi-final stage.

Rink honours were shared, but it was the margin of a victory for Barlow’s quartet which did the damage.

They triumphed 25-12 while George’s rink won 15-14. Felce’s squad were pipped by that scoreline while Wright’s side went down 17-13.

RESULTS

Semi-final:

St Neots bt Arun 67-55

(St Neots names first)

Rebecca Moorbey, Lesley Wood, Emma Felce, Michelle Barlow bt Liz Curtis, Eileen Fitch, Sheila Jones, Sue Miles 25-14.

Rebecca Thatcher, Robyn Hall, Wendy Hayden, June George bt Diana Mitchell, Bridget Collins, Betty Spicer, April Janman 15-11.

Hannah Felce, Sandra Baxter, Bev Thatcher, Hayley Felce lost to Chris Hobbs, Jane Taffurelli, Margaret Phillips, Denise Latter 14-15.

Christine Goodwin, Veronica Brown, Sally Anstee, Hazel Wright lost to Viv Greenaway, Sheila Stocker, Gill Conley, Wendy Adams 13-17.

Final:

St Neots bt Spalding 66-62

(St Neots names first)

Rebecca Moorbey, Lesley Wood, Emma Felce, Michelle Barlow bt Freda Lyon. Maisie Belding, Betty Deaton, Sylvia Wade 22-7.

Rebecca Thatcher, Robyn Hall, Wendy Hayden, June George bt Pat Crampton, Judy Jackson, Rebecca Simpson, Annie Dunham 21-9.

Hannah Felce, Sandra Baxter, Bev Thatcher, Hayley Felce lost to Danielle Wild, Val Bowker, Barbara Hurst, Gloria Haney 15-23.

Christine Goodwin, Veronica Brown, Sally Anstee, Hazel Wright lost to Ruby Hill, Gill Needham, Louise Catchpole, Chelsea Tomlin 8-23.