LANCASHIRE revived their hopes of winning the Daily Telegraph Northern
Counties League for the first time since 2008 when they beat Yorkshire 10-8
at Moortown.
It left them level on points with their Roses rivals who have a superior
"goal average" but the destiny of the title will hinge on the final fixtures
of the season on September 8.
Yorkshire face a tough encounter against Cumbria at Ulverston while
Lancashire would appear to have a less daunting task against Durham at
Clitheroe.
Bill Bromilow's men looked to be heading for a fall on the other side of the
Pennines after losing the foursomes 5-1 but, unlike at Formby last year when
they trailed by the same margin and lost the match, they won nine points out
of 12 in the singles to turn the tables on their opponents.
"I never expected that," admitted skipper Bromilow. "All I was
concerned about after the morning's play was avoiding a landside but the
lads really pulled together."
Bromilow, in the last of five years at the helm, played his ace card when he
selected former professional Sean Doherty, from Bury, who only regained his
amateur status this season.
"I remember him winning the Moortown Masters a few years ago so I chose him
instead of his younger brother Ciaran," he explained.
And Doherty did not let him down as he eclipsed Abbeydale's Tom Perry 3&1 to
settle the outcome.

FOURSOMES: Daniel Wasteney (Bondhay) & Paul Lockwood (Hessle) bt Ian
Kenwright (Haydock Park) & Mark Young (Longridge) 2&1; Chris Halley (Malton
& Norton) & Martin Brown (Pike Hills) bt Richie Blundell (Hillside) & Paul
Howard (S&A) 3&2; Jamie Bower (Meltham) & Matt Daley (Hainsworth Park) bt
Adam Andrews (Ashton-in-Makerfield) & John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot) 5&4;
Adam Frontal (Cookridge Hall) & Richard Law (Low Laithes) bt Paul Kinnear
(Formby) & Sean Towndrow (S&A) 4&3; David Appleyard (South Leeds) & Julian
Taylor (York) lost to Michael Hunt (Pleasington) & Jon Hurst (Pleasington)
2&1; Jamie Harrison (Rotherham) & Tom Perry (Abbeydale) bt Sean Doherty
(Bury) & Steve McGlynn (Blackburn) 3&2.

SINGLES: Wasteney lost to Young 2&1; Lockwood bt Howard 5&4; Bower lost
to Carroll 1h; Brown lost to Andrews 3&2; Halley lost to Kenwright 2&1;
Daley halved with Kinnear; Law halved with Hurst; Taylor lost to Blundell
1h; Frontal lost to Hunt 6&4; Perry lost to Doherty 3&1; Harrison bt
Towndrow 6&5; Appleyard lost to McGlynn 4&3.

Meanwhile, Cumbria moved up to third and level on points with Yorkshire and
Lancashire but they have an inferior goal average. They were fortunate to
take the spoils at Sandiway against defending champions Cheshire after the
outcome was decided on the foursomes results because of a thunderstorm.
An exasperated David Peel, the host's captain, said "We were only a point
behind at lunch and were up in four of the singles when the hooter sounded
to abandon play."
The result left Cheshire rooted at the foot of the table without a point.
Elsewhere Durham, despatched Northumberland 10-8 at Tyneside.

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