By Stephen Helliwell
Clive Austin and Gareth Coates won the Sowerby Association’s George Parkin Pairs, sponsored by Ray Davis, at West End on Sunday, defeating Robert Holmes and Danny Barker by 15-6 in the final.
In their opening quarter-final, against Andy Denton and Stuart King, they trailed by 5-6 before finishing strongly to run out to a 15-6 victory. Their semi-final, against Glen Normanton and Martin Dodd was a closer contest. They took an early 5-1 lead but Normanton and Dodd recovered to draw level before going ahead to lead by 8-6. After a four by Austin and Coates gave them the lead by 10-8, their opponents responded to draw level again but failed to score further as Austin and Coates won the next two ends to win by 15-10.
After conceding a single at the opening end in their first game, against Darren Turnbull and Julian Boddy, Holmes and Barker scored three at the next two ends to take lead by 6-1 and remained in control to win by 15-8. They again began well in their semi-final, against Andy Balmforth and Mark Ludford, taking an early 5-0 lead, and, after conceding a pair at the next end, put together a break of seven to lead by 12-2 and went on to win by 15-5.
In the final, Holmes and Barker took the first end but were unable to capitalise on that opening. Austin and Coates compiled a break of ten over the next four ends to take a firm grip on the game. Holmes and Barker had chances to get back into the game but Austin and Coates were not to be denied and went on to win by 15-6.
Quarter-final scores: M. Holden/T. Beeden 12 A. Balmforth/M. Ludford 15; R. Holmes/D. Barker 15 D. Turnbull/J. Boddy 8; G. Normanton/M. Dodd 15 J. & D. Hamer 12; G. Coates/C. Austin 15 A. Denton/S. King 6.