There were three Cumbria v Yorkshire clashes in sport on Saturday with a win apiece for Carlisle and York on the indoor rinks on the Viaduct Estate in bowls and a draw and replay in the football.

Carlisle United did at least have the ball in the net and Cumbria Indoor Bowls Clubs Ladies Yetton Trophy side looked the winners all the way until the last few ends.

However, the results show that only Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club’s Denny Cup side came out on top when beating York 74-42, though Carlisle United still have a chance.

Cumbria Ladies really ought to have won.

Despite one rink having a poor day on the away green, Cumbria looked in control for much of the game. However, from the 15-end mark of the 21-end game, things began to go wrong.

At Carlisle, Cindy Edmondson led by 13 but finished just plus four, Sheena Kirkpatrick led by 14 and finished plus 12.

At York, Eleanor Gass led by two but finished minus four, and Christine Wharton saw the deficit in her game also increase by four shots, leaving Cumbria to a 82-71 defeat. This was a game which could have been won but sadly it slipped away.

Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club has a magnificent record in the Denny Cup and, while the side is not as good as some of the former sides, it is still very much one to contend with.

And I have no doubt that the other seven quarter-finalists will be worried that the Carlisle club is once more right there in the final stages.

The York side who they defeated on Saturday did not appear as formidable as in recent years and the main substance for the ultimate 32-shot victory came at York where Ian Gallagher won 23-13 despite losing a last-end seven, and Stuart Irwin scored a noteworthy victory when winning 23-9.

At home, Stuart Airey defeated the much-travelled former Carlisle player Jason Parkinson 19-14, while Stephen Farish beat Tony Horobin 13-9.

The winning margin in this game would have been much greater had it not been for Horobin who saved many shots throughout the game.

In the quarter-final, which is scheduled for January 20, Cumbria will meet Nottingham who defeated Lincoln by 11 shots on Saturday, and I understand York will be the venue, the Nottingham side having travelled to Darlington on the last occasion the two clubs met.

Cumbria came out on top last time by 14 shots and I see no reason why the result will not be the same on Saturday week.

On Sunday, Cumbria faced South Shields in the Top Club at South Shields and, despite winning two of the disciplines, it was the home side which came out on top.

Again, this was not a very strong Cumbria side and against quite a good South Shields side the Cumbrians were far from disgraced.

Incidentally, I mentioned recently that Cumbria IBC reached the semi-final of the Top Club several years ago, having beaten hot favourites City of Ely in the quarter-final. The team that day was Eleanor Gass, Jackie Wilson Karen Edmondson, Jean Morris, Jackie Bewley, John Crozier, Raymond Morris, Anthony Little, Alan Carruthers, Jim Morris and David McManus.

I think I should also mention the Cumbrians were a shade unfortunate not to reach the final. I kid you not!

On the question of the Top Club, it is disappointing Cumbria IBC can not get many of its top players, ladies and gents, involved. One has to ask if it is really worth entering if the desire to play is not there.

Looking at the bigger picture, it seems the club does not appear to be quite as competitive as it was some years ago and already Cumbria no longer enters the Under-25 double rink, the Over-60 County competition and now has only one entry in each of the Over-60 Double fours, both men and women.

On Tuesday, Cumbria IBC was again involved in national team games when the Gents Over-60 Double fours took place against Durham.

At home, John Wills was in front virtually throughout, though, he had to play several very good bowls to maintain the home advantage before getting home 20-13.

Away from home, Jack Walker got off to a good start and, after the first five ends, led 8-5. The next five ends, however, were a disaster as the home side racked up 15 shots with just a single reply for Cumbria.

At 15 ends, Cumbria trailed 23-14 which meant that overall Cumbria was five behind. Playing the final end, the overall score was 37-34 to Durham.

The visitors picked up a single at Carlisle to extend the advantage to four shots but, in an amazing finish, Walker scored six to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

A great result but one which will no doubt have team manager Peck Orchard with some hard decisions before the next game which is against Darlington B on February 6.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, and the Ladies of Cumbria Indoor Bowls club are again in action when they meet South Shields at noon in the Over-60 Double Rink.

Cumbria reached the fifth round last year before going out to York and will be looking to make further progress tomorrow.