BLACKBURN Northern Ladies relinquished their grip on the Liebert Rose Bowl after injury robbed them the chance of a hat-trick of wins.

Liz Batchelor picked up a calf injury in her first round rubber with partner Roberta Holtby that was so bad she was unable to carry on.

Competition rules state that replacements are not allowed and so understrength Northern were up against it and lost 5 rubbers to one in the best of nine final.

However, Northern can take some pride in that fact they have now reached the final of this Lancashire knockout competition for the past five years -- winning it on three occasions.

They were rightly seeded number one and Holcombe Brook paid them the utmost respect by sending a very strong team that included four county players.

Northern's own county pair, Gail Atherton and Lancashire Junior champion Liz Thomas, gave them the perfect start with a 6-4, 6-1 win against Holcombe's third pair.

But the visitors roared back as their top pair beat Batchelor and Holtby 6-2, 6-3 before they took control of the final as Northern's third pair Aileen Hext and Chris Baron were beaten 6-4, 6-2.

None playing captain Helen Wharton admitted Batchelor's injury was a blow but thought Northern still had an outside chance of victory.

The key rubber of the match turned to be Thomas and Atherton's clash with Holcombe's top pair who eventually won 6-4, 6-4.

With Holtby and Batchelor having to concede their rubber, Holcombe clinched the competition when Hext and Baron lost 6-2, 6-3.

Blackburn Northern made the fifth successive final thanks to wins against Brougton, South Shore and Fulwood.

RESULT: Blackburn Northern 1 Holcombe Brook (Bolton) 5