DURHAM contestants suffered early disappointments in the EIBA National Championships at Melton Mowbray.

Darlington quartet, Ken Tinkler, Mark Jones, Allan Moore and Andrew Kirtland went out in the first round of the Four Championship, losing 24-14 to Chipping Norton, while Sunderland also fell at the first hurdle, bowing out 25-16 East Dorset.

There was a brighter start, however, in the Triples Championship, when John Hills, Alan Stephenson and Brian Metcalfe, also from Darlington, made progress with a first round 19-14 success over Blackpool Newton Hall, only to lose 23-13 to Brighton club Preston.

Strong Stanley trio, led by international John Leeman, went out in the first round, losing 20-8 to Torquay United.

The Pairs Championship saw the Stanley international combination of Chris Palmer and John Leeman gain a 27-20 first round victory over Christie Miller (Wiltshire), but Great Aycliffe duo Barry Attwood and Dave Barron failed to make progress, losing 21-11 to City of Ely. But Stanley then went out of narrowly losing 18-17 to Cumbria.

*l Tomorrow is the day of destiny for the Domnic Hunter Durham County senior and junior teams - seniors facing Devon, while the juniors play Kent.

* Hartlepool defeated The Parks 112-106 in the Durham County Inter Club League.

Score (Hartlepool first) - At Hartlepool: J Wells 22, D Stuart 14; K Brallisford 17, P Dawson 15; T Barnes 20, M Groundwater 17.At The Parks: A Macey 19, G Watson 18; C Simpson 11, C W Boyle 31; P Hartley 23, M London 11.