Blackpool pair's national bowling title crowns all-conquering year for Dawes

It caps off a superb season for Dawes, who added this English Indoor Bowling Association title at Melton Mowbray to the world singles and open pairs titles he won in January.

Having lost in the EIBA final twice before with his brother John, Dawes teamed up with Goodall, a three-time winner of the national mixed fours title.

The Blackpool pair defeated 2015 champions Mike Knight and Rob Newman, from the Whiteknights club in Reading, 22-8 in the final.

"You could say I've had a pretty good season," said Dawes with no little understatement. "That makes it third time lucky, which is a good feeling."

The final was close at first, with the Blackpool duo narrowly ahead 9-7 after eight ends before pulling clear and allowing their opponents just a solitary single.

Dawes and Goodall had come through a nailbiting semi-final 13-12 against local hopes Les Gillett and Chris Rodgers, who were playing on their home club green in Leicestershire.

It took a brilliant last bowl from Dawes to claim the vital single on the 18th end to break a 12-12 deadlock.

However, Blackpool's hopes of adding the women's pairs title to the men's were dashed when Sue Kearsley and Janice Gower were forced to concede their semi-final against eventual champions Ruby Hill and Chelsea Tomlin.

The Spalding pair led 17-3 after eight ends when Kearsley retired hurt, having injured a shoulder loading her car.

Gower and Kearsley had earlier reached the semi-finals of the women's triples with Lesley Waddington.

Gower goes for glory again over the weekend in the women's singles, having won through to the semi-finals with wins over Kylie Hampton and Janet Eames