The Darlington Lady bowlers turned in yet another impressive team performance this week when facing up to the strongest of local derby challengers in the All England Yetton Trophy Inter-Club Championship.

The Quaker girls knew they had to be at their best throughout this 3 hour encounter against an experienced Thornaby team.

The match played on a home and away basis over a total of 84 demanding ends attracted a great deal of attention with a real local derby atmosphere throughout.

At the Morrisons Centre Sadie Lynch, Dorothy Donald, Maureen Whitton and the Ladies Club Captain Marjorie Bousfield as skip took a deserved early lead with the back end recovering head after head very well to craft a 7-4 score in their favour after five ends.

They collected a four at the seventh end and a good three at the tenth to lead by 15-7. Darlington Ladies won four of the next five ends to impressively establish a 21-9 lead going into the sixteenth end.

As expected S Ginty, V Henderson, I Gillespie and skip Betty Nicholson hit back for Thornaby winning the next four ends. The front end bowlers for the home side came really good making a solid all round rink difficult to beat.

Like all good teams the Quaker bowlers finished strongly capturing a late three and a two to impressively win at home by 26-15.

The other home rink excelled themselves with a good all round and consistent performance coming from Peggy Clark, Mary Armstrong, Ann Simpson and the experienced Dulcie Harbin as skip.

Darlington won on all of the first five ends to open up a 11-0 early lead. However as expected M Berry, J Godley, E Gill and National Champion Judith Frosdick at skip recovered well to score seven shots over the next four successive ends.

The Quakers four all came good again to lead by 17-9 and piled on the pressure scoring a 3-4 to joyously record a 27-13 victory. A good team job was very well done.

At Thornaby Shirley Andrews, Barbara Watson, Rene Gordon and skip Ann Anderson trailed by five shots at the half way stage against W Turley, M Long, J Jones and skip Joan Mason.

Darlington came good and picked up a 2-3-4-3 to lead 18-14 after 15 ends. They scored six shots against two going into the 21st end and won 24-19.

Joyce Stephenson's rink including Kitty Robinson, Audrey Cairns and Olive Harris were on the back foot throughout their game against N Stephens, M Millward, V Mitchenson and skip Beryl Alderson. Joyce for Darlington trailed by 5-11 7-14 13-19 and 14-24. At the 21st end Darlington picked up a late four and eventually lost by six shots in a very interesting game.

With three winning rinks out of four the Quaker girls finished in front by 95-71 and they stay on course for the Yetton Trophy Championship.

The Darlington six-rink team to play Gateshead Ladies in the Durham County Championship includes: Alison Joyce, Joan Winter, Mary Armstrong, Marjorie Bousfield, Peggy Clarke, Olwyn Kitching, Joyce Weston, Doris Rewcastle, Barbara Watson, Vi Johnson, Maureen Whitton, Ann Simpson, Kitty Robinson, Margaret White, Audrey Cairns, Joyce Stephenson, Eileen Mitchell, Joan Hamer, Rene Gordon, Ann Anderson, Tracey Fairless, Edith Dunn, Sadie Lynch, and Dulcie Harbin.

The Darlington six rink team have to play the holders Durham City and then Hartlepool in the chase for the league title.