BLACKPOOL Borough Indoor Bowls Club are just getting over their semi-final defeat in the English Inter Club Denny Cup championship.

Blackpool were up against top class Cyphers IBC who have won the event several times, but the Boro boys almost caused an upset with only three shots in the match at the 18 end stage.

However, Cyphers pulled away by scoring heavily in the last few ends to finish worthy winners by 13 shots.

This being the furthest a team from Lancashire have ever reached in the competition, the Boro outfit can only grow stronger from the experience.

The final between Cyphers and Cumbria IBC resulted in a convincing 25-shot win for the strong Cumbrian squad who were winners in 1996 and last year's runners-up. The English National Championships take place at Melton Mowbray commencing April 10 and the Boro's David Lockhard and David Holt have qualified for the pairs national finals after more than 10 years of trying.

The two David's finished off George Dobson's Lincoln pair 23-10 and look forward to continuing their success at Melton.

David Holt travels to Lowestoft tomorrow (March 19) for the English National Champion of Champions competition sponsored by Warner Holidays.

Gunton Hall, where the finals take place, is only minutes from Potters Leisure where David recently contested the world indoor singles semi-finals.

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