Royal continues reign at Yarmouth

Stowmarket's Mark Royal won the the prestigious Aylsham Bathroom and Kitchen Centre's Singles title for the third successive year with a

22-11 victory over Stephen Ellis (North Walsham).

Two threes for Royal on the fifth and sixth end put him 10-5 up, but Ellis won the next two ends to close the gap to 10-8.

Another three for Royal, followed by a 2-1 for Ellis, kept the scores tight at 13-11.

Royal then scored a 3-2-3 to take the trophy for the third year 21-11 and the fourth time in six years.

Ellis had earlier caught team-mate Derek Shorter cold in their quarter-final to lead 11-0 after seven ends. But the ex-champion won the next four ends to trail 11-7. Ellis then won the next four ends but thought they lost the next three ends still led

19-12. Two singles to Ellis and one single to Shorter saw the score 20-13 and Ellis clinched his place in the semi finals with a three to win 23-13.

The dark horse of the competition from Reepham, Richard Egglington, enjoyed a 22-11 quarter-final victory over Sprowston's David Ramsey, who had never progressed past the first round in his previous two attempts.

The semi-final between Egglington and Ellis was an exciting battle, which the large crowd thoroughly enjoyed, and was level at 17-17 after 21 ends.

A poor end for Egglington saw hime trail 20-18 up with Ellis holding game. Egglington played his last wood to perfection to draw the shot to tie the game at 20-20.

Ellis' second wood sat right behind the jack which Egglington could not dislodge, allowing Ellis to reach the final 21-20.

Lindfield's David Richardson beat Mark Turner (County Arts) 21-17 in the quarter-finals, while Tom Webster (County Arts) held his own to be level with Royal at 7-7 after seven ends. At 16 ends he trailed

12-10 when Royal seemed to go up a gear to win the next five ends to earn his place in the last four 21-10.

This semi-final was a replay of last year's final, and saw Turner 5-0 up after four ends, but he then dropped three threes in five ends to trail 9-7.

Royal was in a determined mood to then record a 2-3-2-3, lose a single then score a two to reach the final 21-8.

After his defeat in the semifinal, Turner found his form in the third and fourth places play-off against Egglington, getting away to a 10-2 lead.

He dropped two twos but then, with four consecutive threes, claimed third place 23-6.

Pat Clarke, Geraldine Reeve and Elizabeth Shorter (County Arts, Acle and North Walsham) won the Ladies' Triples, sponsored by the EDP, for the second time in three years.

The 2004 champions started the final the stronger against Elsie Sawyer, Phillipa McQuade and Evelyn Blyth (Lowestoft and Honingham) to lead 14-5 after 11 ends.

The Blyth trio won the next three ends to close to 14-8, but Shorter's triple were too strong and took the title 18-10.

Earlier, the first semi-final saw a clash of the Titans with Clarke, Reeve and Shorter scoring a four on the first end, but dropping a five on the second end against Pam Rolph, Margaret Hannant and Arlene Colbourne (Mill Farm, North Walsham and Manchester).

The next seven ends were shared with the scores at 10-10, but a burst of five winning ends from the next six ends saw the 2004 champions take control leading 19-11 with three ends to play. A 1-2 saw them home 22-14.

Last year's champions, Yvonne Gent, Carol Jay and Kathy Woolston (Heartsease and Roundwood), trailed Sawyer, McQuade and Blyth 10-3 down after seven ends.

They hit back to lead 11-10 after 10 ends, but trailed again 15-13 after 14, before dropping a five, which was enough to see the Blyth trio through to the final 22-14.

In the play- off for third and fourth places, last year's champions flew into a 11-4 lead after nine ends, then dropped a four, but scored a 2-1-3 to increase their lead to 17-8 after 13 ends.

The Colbourne triple came back with a 2-1-4 to go into the 17th end

17-15 down. Woolston, Gant and Jay then secured third place with a five for a 22-15 win.