In the Durham County Men's Inter-club League Championship Darlington proved more than a match for Stanley at the Morrisons Centre with outstanding performances.

Eric Ramsdale, Neil Hodgson, Ian Prentice and skip Ken Lamb represented the Quakers team in some style against a very experienced and determined Stanley four. Reflecting their dominance after an even steven start they impressively registered 14 shots to 1 against D Elliot, R Wharton, K Nevin and skip Derek Craig. Ken Lamb's rink won by 27-13 over a full 21 ends with most teams playing very well.

In the same convincing style Barry Hodgson, Mark Ralphs, Ken Tinkler and skip Brian Metcalf lead by 9-1 after five ends. A change of fortune for the Stanley four skipped by B. Gregory yielded them 9 shots to 2 at half-way.

Darlington scored a four at the 15th to lead by 17-12 and finish strongly winning by 26-14 whilst collecting a final five at the 20th.

The third rink for Darlington included Adam Mortimer, John Appleton, Mike Baines with one of the Quakers' top skips Graham Peacock at the helm,

Graham was up against skip Ray Newton alongside K Ridley, L. Crawford and R Logan. Stanley dominated the Quakers throughout in an intense 18-end battle for shots. They started with a four and after five ends led by 10-2 and again after ten ends by 16-5. Surprisingly and unusually Graham lost 25-8.

The all-around talent and experience of Mick Tompkins, John Hills, Alan Lambert and skip John Lynch travelled to Stanley to take on top bowler Alan Theobald. The Quakers trailed for most of their game by 4-14 after 12 ends. Deservedly they engineered a valuable six shots on the 13th end and did well to go down away from home by only three shots on 13-16.

Allen Moore skipped Jack Grayson, Ken Coates with Colin Young at third wood and did very well to lead by 10-7 in a hard fought battle of technique, tactics and team play. Things went wrong for Darlington at the tenth when conceding a five and with it the lead. Stanley took advantage of this lift and registered four shots at the very next end to take up the lead to 16-10.

To the credit of Alan's rink they collected three successive twos. However they lost a four at the sixteenth and eventually went down 17-24 in a hard game against Stanley including Steve McCauley, P Coulson, world champion player Brett Arkley and the experienced Northern Counties skip David Webb.

Alan Stephenson, Stan Burton, Nigel Evans and skip Barrie Armstrong were up against the England international John Leeman. The Quakers four made a disastrous start and surprisingly never scored for the first eight ends whilst lost out by 12-0.

Darlington won just three ends through the three hours finishing adrift by 5-24 leaving Stanley the clear winners in this six-rink encounter for county league honours.

However in the Veterans Seniors County League game Darlington B beat Stanley on all three rinks collecting a maximum of five points with a decisive 59-36 win.

Teams and scores: E. Brabam, D Richards, S. Summers and G. Lamb (capt) 19, R Newton 15. I Ablott, G. Grindsley, R. Fort, T Horner 23, W. Bell 11. G Bearpark, J. Fothergill, F. Davis and J. Green 17, R. Wilby 10.

Congratulations go to John Wells from Hartlepool, one of the most successful bowlers over many years throughout the North of England in winning his way through to the national finals of the Singles Champion of Champions.