THE CLARKSON Cup final at Silsden Playing Fields saw league champions Cross Hills A lose to old rivals Keighley A but it proved a disappointing affair as, due to holiday commitments and unavailability, the title winners fielded a weakened team.

That, plus the fact that the team did not play well, gave the game to Keighley, who were below par as well.

Despite having five winners and trying hard, Hills were well beaten, especially after Sharon Gadd won 21-1 to clinch the match.

There was a much closer game at Silsden BC on the same night in the Supplementary Cup final, where Sutton A just defeated Second Division side Steeton A by eight points. Steeton tried hard but their four winners were not enough to upset their top-flight opponents. They were best served by captain David Cadwallader, Kevin Mackie and Jenny Whittaker, while Anne Coppen's victory was the highlight for Steeton.

League President Warren Burnett was on hand to present the prizes.

Craig Walsh, of Cross Hills, made up for his poor effort at Silsden PF when he comfortably won the Norman Johnston Skipton Handicap a couple of nights later on a slowish Addingham green.

The successful local businessman was in fine form and had little trouble defeating six-time winner Richard Hargreaves, of Keighley, 21-11 in the final. Losing in the semis were David Leeming and David Scott, while also in the money were Keith Moore, Alden Phillips, David Precious and Cadwallader.

The Skipton Veterans Handicap was also completed at a rather wet Oakworth, where Gargrave's Mick Claxton was a deserved winner, just beating past champion and favourite David Jacques 21-19. It was a little bit of a surprise as fancied runners fell by the wayside.

Losing in the semis were Jenny Whittaker and Tony Langstroth, while also in the money were Precious, Len Buxton, Mick Duke and Kevin Burnett. Yorkshire deputy president Roy Sanderson was on hand to present the prizes.

Rising star Faye Ellis reached the final of the British Junior Girls event at Poynton in Cheshire before just losing out 15-10 to Zoe Parker of Sheffield.

The Worth Valley's chances of reaching the Federation Championship ended with a heavy defeat against Bolton in the play-off. They did not do too bad in the home leg at Whinfield, where they recorded seven winners, led by good efforts from Mattie Simpson and Martin Loftus to build up a 35-point lead.

However, the away team were unceremoniously kicked into touch at Bar Lane, Bolton on a football pitch-sized green and went down by over 90 points. They managed four winners in Richard Hargreaves, Rod Bastow, Daryll Gore and skipper David Hewitt but six single-figure defeats of the lowest order ended local hopes.

Cross Roads A have been confirmed as Hebden League winners again in Division One ahead of Mytholmroyd and Oxenhope A. Relegated are Hebden Bridge and Oakworth. Lund Park are the winners of Division Two, four points ahead of Keighley, who collapsed in their final games. Cross Roads C and Old Town B went down. Both local teams in Division Three remain where they were.

The main event this weekend is the Valley Handicap at Keighley BC on Sunday. Details of draw and starting times on 01535-643911.

Tomorrow, the Worth Valley vets go to Littleborough for the finals of the Federation Over-60s, the popular event they won some time ago. Start is 10am, with tough games against Rochdale, Preston and Halifax in a round-robin affair.