TWO Wirral teams, Tixall and Gladstone, had won through to the semi-final stage of the Cheshire Association's Brunner Cup which was played last Saturday.

Tixall's opponents at Comberbach Bowling Club were Lloyds Hotel 'B' and right from the start the Wirral Club completely dominated the game.

They had three winners in the first four, two of them single figure wins for Peter Hammond, 21-04, and Matt Gilmore, 21-07, and this gave them a big start which they further built on as the match progressed.

The final score was a 236-160 win for Tixall.

Gladstone's match against St Oswald's at Moulton RBL was potentially much more difficult and indeed, going into the last four Gladstone were 15 points behind.

However three winners in the back four, which included a 21-09 for John Finch, saw them turn this round to give them a narrow 223-214 victory.

This is a great achievement by the two Wirral Clubs and they will meet in what is sure to be a great final on Saturday, September 20. The venue has not yet been decided.

Tixall are also continuing to make progress in the Super Cup. In their match against the Sir John Bayley Club they lost the away leg by 23 last week end but on Sunday their four players had a great 45-point win to take them through to the next round.

In the final of the Wallasey Association's Wallasey News Cup final played at Upton Victory Hall on Thursday, New Brighton Quarry Vikings proved to be too powerful for Sandridge.

With 10 winners on the night they turned a 54 shot handicap into a 49 point victory. Phil Vaughen and Ian Gallagher both had 21-05 wins.

For Sandridge Chris Morrison tried to stem the tide with a good 21-13 win but it was to no avail and the cup was presented to Graham Bunting the New Brighton team's Chairman.

Despite losing at their rivals West Kirby Victoria during the week the other New Brighton Club, Queens Royal, clinched the Wallasey Association's Division one title for the second successive year.

They finished nine points above West Kirby Victoria who managed to go through the season without losing a game.

West Kirby Park have won all their games in their first season in the Wallasey Association and have clinched the third division by a big margin.

In the Bebington and District League Gladstone have comfortably retained their Division A title, however the B Division was much closer: Heswall RBL 'B' and Cammell Lairds were tied on points but the Heswall Club had a better aggregate difference.

The C Division is not yet decided; Bromborough Pool 'C' are favourites but Heswall RBL 'C' could still catch them.

Last week it was stated that the Len Standen Trophy is a Cheshire Competition, this is not correct, it is run by the Merseyside County Association.