Competitors gear up for dramatic weekend of County Cup finals

County Cup final places were up for grabs as teams across a number of competitions fought it out in the semifinals.

- by Sport Reporter

In the Men's Pairs, Silksworth Pumas' defending champions Jaxon McKenna and David Bolt secured a final spot with a 27-13 win over club-mates Josh Halcrow and James Sneller. There were mixed emotions for the Dairy Lane club after the possibility of an all-Dairy Lane final was scuppered.

Lee Harrison, Jimmy McAdoo and Dale Oram booked their place with a 21-4 win over Silksworth Pumas' Paul Baker. Club-mates Bob Stewart, Gary Vaughan and Jeff Wilson couldn't replicate the success as they were beaten 12-9 by Dunston's Tom Pope.

In the Two Bowl Singles, Usworth's Brian Poulter nearly let his semifinal slip away, leading 14-9 with three ends left the Usworth star lost the remaining ends and ended up going into an extra end against Eldon Grove's Robin Gibbins.

A faux par by the Eldon Grove lad saw him lose the jack on the extra end, but still held shot with Poulter's final bowl to come.

The Usworth lad held his nerve to draw within a couple of feet and secure another County final place.

In the Under-25s Singles, Silksworth Pumas' Layton Sykes ended holder Darlington RA's title defence in emphatic style 21-4.

The two then teamed up in the Under-25s Pairs and managed to secure a nervy 22-17 win.

The County Cup finals take place this Saturday and Sunday at Houghton Dairy Lane, with 11 local hopes looking to land a county title.