Shipley Club made it third time lucky as they beat Clayton A 68-64 in the Bradford Pairs Knock-Out final at Spen Victoria.

Clayton had beaten Shipley in the last two finals of the Leeming & Peel Ltd-sponsored event and were firm favourites to make it hat-trick of titles.

But Shipley had other ideas as all four games started together, with Neil Nicholson and Danny Carter racing into a 10-1 lead against Mark McGorlick and Graham Roberts while John Preston and Dave Jacques powered 13-2 up against Paul Kaye and Tony Riley before completing the job 21-6.

Clayton responded as Paul Gill and Ian Briggs won 21-12 to reduce the deficit to just six chalks and when Martin Smith and Steve Wilkinson recorded a 21-14 win, it gave Clayton a one-point lead.

McGorlick and Roberts had now recovered to trail just 17-16 and were lying four to take them to the hill, before Carter played a wonder bowl to make the score 18-16.

Three ends later and Nicholson and Carter had won 21-16 to earn Shipley a deserved victory.

The semi-finals had seen Shipley beat Asa Briggs A and Clayton overcome Wyke .

Shipley made the better start as Nicholson and Carter carded a 21-12 victory but Asa pair Stuart King and Ashley Southwell recovered from 16-4 down to win 21-17 and keep their side in the game just five chalks adrift.

Scott Sansom and Glen McCafferty then led 15-9 against Preston and Jacques as Asa Briggs threatened to clinch the tie, only for the Shipley duo to finish strongly to emerge 21-16 winners.

Ian and Matthew Jacques were always ahead in their game to complete the victory. Clayton (Kaye and Riley) and Wyke (Steve Ward and Neil Tordoff) shared 21-18 victories early in their last-four clash and it looked set to be a close finish.

But Clayton captain Gill had other ideas as he and Briggs completed a 21-0 rout in just eight ends to take their side through to the final.

Bob Benn and Nigel Swales finished with a 21-16 win for Wyke to make the final score look more respectable.

Final – Shipley Club 68, Clayton A 64 (Shipley Club names first): Graeme Dytiche & Chris Jacques 12, Paul Gill & Ian Briggs 21; Neil Nicholson & Danny Carter 21, Mark McGorlick & Graham Roberts 16; John Preston & Dave Jacques 21, Paul Kaye & Tony Riley 6; Ian Jacques & Matthew Jacques 14, Martin Smith & Steve Wilkinson 21.

* Simon Coupe of Preston won the Spen Masters , sponsored by P&I Hopkins (Butchers) of Birkenshaw , after beating Paul Dudley (Radcliffe) 21-14 in the final.

Coupe edged a tough game 21-20 against local favourite Chris Mordue (Brighouse Sports) before more comfortable wins saw him seal the title.

Last 16: Chris Brown (Sheffield) 19, Chris Slater (Colwyn Bay) 21; James Wilcox (Crossgates) 15, Andrew Tate (Keighley ) 21; Chris Mordue (Brighouse Sports) 20, Simon Coupe (Preston) 21; Richard Goddard (Shropshire) 21, Shane Day (Sheffield) 16; Paul Dudley (Radcliffe) 21, Darren Holt (Rochdale) 6; Kieron Smith (Crossgates) 14, Richard Jackson (Sheffield) 21; Jack Dyson (Huddersfield) 15, Martin Gilpin (Kendal) 21, John Kennish (Isle of Man) 21, Darren Griffiths (Chadderton) 4. Quarter-finals: Slater 21, Tate 14; Coupe 21, Goddard 15; Dudley 21, Jackson 10; Gilpin 18, Kennish 21. Semi-finals: Slater 16, Coupe 21; Dudley 21, Kennish 15. Final: Coupe 21, Dudley 14.

* Gary Ellis (Whitefield) and Gary Wike (Pudsey ) were the latest qualifiers in the £5,300 Brighouse Classic , sponsored by Naylor Wintersgill (Chartered Accountants).

Ellis beat Gareth Nicholson (Halifax) 21-17 in the third round to go through, while Wike bowled superbly in his 21-11 defeat of Robert Hitchen (Halifax).

The action continues on Friday at 6.30pm.

Draw: James Hanson (Lower Hopton) v Mark Booth (Doncaster), Graham Law (Salford) v Craig Gant (Huddersfield), Chris Kelly (Sheffield) v Matt Jones (Dukinfield), Richard Goldby (Burton-on-Trent) v Nigel Cranston (Leeds), Joe Bray (Cleckheaton ) v Kevin Nixon (Doncaster), Ryan Clark (Sheffield) v Paul Dudley (Whitefield), Andrew Thompson (Burton-on-Trent) v Roger Crowther (Huddersfield), Liam Griffin (Leeds) v Andrew Jones (Dukinfield).

* Qualifying in the Pudsey Classic continues on Saturday after a week’s break, with practice from 6pm for a 6.30pm start.

Draw: Wayne Usher (Bury) v Dan Hughes (Wrexham); Dave McGourty (Whitkirk) v Peter Grimston (Chester); Kevin Nicholas (Gresford Colliery) v Ashley Daykin (Netherton Cons); Adam Conlon (Swillington) v Andy Farmer (Sheffield); Clive Chapman (Heywood) v Allan Thompson (Mirfield Old Bank); Graham Hickey (Lower Hopton) v Steve Curbishley (Chester); Richard Crowther (Spen Victoria) v Debbie Farmer (Sheffield); Jack Dyson (Netherton Cons) v Dave Smith (Hollies).

* Yorkshire take on South Yorkshire in the final of the British Ladies County Championship on Sunday. Earlier matches have been played on a home and away basis but the final features all 24 games at the prestigious Waterloo BC venue in Blackpool, starting at 11am.

Yorkshire, who last year won the supplementary Waterloo Cup, have clinched the main title on seven previous occasions, while their opponents have been champions four times before.

Draw (Yorkshire names first): Andrea Buckley v Linda Rowland, Debbie Davis v Jackie Fraser, Suzi Ladbrooke v Jean Winchcombe, Jacqui Roper v Debbie Farmer, Karen Whitefoot v Elizabeth Hall, Dawn Bray v Rachel Wass, Katy Atkinson v Cynthia Tonge, Louise Whiteley v Janet Bissatt, Karen Hill v Pauline Tomlinson, Jean Gee v Debbie Talbot, Marie Lockwood v Jennifer Wilby, Linda Gledhill v Sarah Fox, Ann Hinchliffe v Jayne Hamilton, Karen Gant v Margaret Richardson, Christine Hasselby v Susan Hill, June Johnson v Anna Hamilton, Marjorie Haigh v Yvonne Hamilton, Laura Middleton v Margaret Swift, Amanda Hagen v Maxine White, Lisa Rice v Melanie Saville, Sharon Gadd v Donna Pugh, Alexis Lunn-Gadd v Sarah Clarke, Julie Mallinson v Christine Davies, Suzanne Howarth v Kerry Brown.

* Chloe Ghaffer (Newsome) finished runner-up in the British Ladies Junior Merit final at Poynton S&SC in Cheshire. Ghaffer won all three of her qualifying matches and then beat Ellie Wall (Shropshire) 15-9 in the semi-finals before being pipped for the title 15-13 by Sally Clee (Shropshire).

* Next Wednesday is the closing date for entries to the Walter Worsman Teenage Handicap , sponsored by B&M Motors of Wibsey , which this year takes place on Sunday, September 23 with a 1pm start.

The competition is open to youngsters aged 13 to 19 years inclusive on the day of the event. Anyone interested should contact Norman Lickley on 01943-884323.

* Entries are still being accepted for the Ben Ramsden Merit , sponsored by Naylor Wintersgill (Chartered Accountants), which takes place at Spen Victoria on Sunday with start and scratch at 10.30am. Anyone interested should contact Norman Lickley on the above number.