LEADING points qualifier Mark Regan may have had to take a back seat to Chris Mordue of Pudsey in the Spen Winter Sweep over recent weeks.

Yet the Brighouse Sports bowler reasserted his authority when it mattered most – on finals day.

With Mordue, who had reached at least the final in the last five qualifiers, losing in the opening round 21-20 to eventual semi-finalist Gareth Coates (Halifax), the path was opened up for Regan.

Having also been tested in the opening round, coming through 21-19 against Yorkshire women's bowler Karen Hill (Hanging Heaton), Regan only dropped 40 chalks in winning his remaining three matches.

After completing 16 qualifying rounds in an impressive 17 weeks, maybe the competition deserved the best weather of the winter for finals day, although it was a tad cold despite the sunshine.

Regan faced Danny Sillitoe (Ossett Flying Horse) in the first semi-final of the main event, with the latter player going into a 12-6 lead.

The next end was the 13th, which turned out to be significant as this was the springboard for Regan's comeback.

He won the next ten ends, including a double, to surge 17-12 in front.

Sillitoe got a single to stop the rot but it was too little too late as Regan netted two consecutive doubles to win 21-13.

By this time, the second semi-final was underway between Marc Armitage (Littlemoor) and Coates.

Armitage raced into a 13-2 lead before a blip let Coates in for six singles and a double.

But that was not enough as the doubles that Armitage consistently scored got him home 21-10.

The Supplementary competition was running alongside the battle for the Geoff Brough Memorial Trophy.

The semi-finalists in that were Duncan Reeves (Netherton Cons) against Colin Scorah (Denby Grange) and Chris Bly (Bury) facing Warren Wilson (Whitkirk).

Reeves looked to be coasting at 14-3 and 18-8 until Scorah amassed ten points on the trot.

As usual, however, he just could not get the two that he needed, with Reeves edging it 21-19.

The other semi-final was much more one-sided, with Bly converting a 12-1 lead into a 21-6 victory over Wilson.

Both finals finished in the same score after an identical number of ends. Regan eased away from 15-13 to triumph 21-13, while Bly went to the same score from a lead of 18-12.

Geoff Brough Trophy – Last 16: Mark Regan 21 Karen Hill 19, Richard Brook 21 Joe Cranston 20, Andy Thornton 14 Paul Burke 21, Danny Sillitoe 21 Adam Mellor 11, Marc Armitage 21 Scott Tattersley 19, Kez Smith 18 Josh Mordue 21, Mally Fowler 21 Danny Teale 6, Chris Mordue 20 Gareth Coates 21. Quarter-finals: Regan 21 Brook 14, Burke 16 D Sillitoe 21, Armitage 21 J Mordue 17, Fowler 18 Coates 21. Semi-finals: Regan 21 Sillitoe 13, Armitage 21 Coates 10. Final: Regan 21 Armitage 13.

Supplementary Cup – Last 16: Duncan Reeves 21 Suzy Ladbrooke 13, Nigel Briggs 21 Brian Lee 20, Colin Scorah 21 Scott Bloodworth 11, Chris Firth 18 Les Oddy 21, Alan Forrest 21 Paul Holt 15, Chris Bly 21 Lorraine Hirst 15, Warren Wilson 21 Billy Thornton 8, Garry Walker 21 Andy Hodgson 12. Quarter-finals: Reeves 21 Briggs 9, Scorah 21 Oddy 17, Forrest 8 Bly 21, Wilson 21 Walker 18. Semi-finals: Reeves 21 Scorah 19, Bly 21 Wilson 6. Final: Reeves 13 Bly 21.

* A DECISION will be made tomorrow as to whether to hold Saturday's floodlit fund-raiser pairs event at Pudsey Bowling Club.

If it is postponed, it will be rearranged depending on player and green availability.

Draw: D Scarth & P Dowgill, J Mordue & J Martin, C Hatton & N Cranston, S Hanson & J Brown, T Hanson & J Davison, D Upton & C Hebbard, L Sandland & C Kelly, T Lawrence & N Mylan, P Bowes & C Newton, C Mordue & G Reay, D Smith & D Fox, J Hanson & J Cranston, I Shaw & S Tattersley, G Wike & K Hatzer, D Poole & J Dyson, D Reeves & R Clark.