CHORLEY will meet Astley in the final of this year's knockout competition after ending Guild Hall's unbeaten run and Astley's defeating, by a single game, of Holcombe Brook B, who themselves had beaten Bolton School B by the same margin in the quarter finals.

The quarter final matches produced some excellent contests and some fine individual performances, none more so than that of Bolton School's Jane Sayner. It was Mrs Sayner who set up Mark Williams' darting net play but despite that and a flurry of aces from Chris Cotton, Holcombe hung on.

If in the semi final, they were themselves edged out by Astley, this was no fault of their ladies, in particular Julie Bannister, who traded shots with Hannah Wilson.

Last to fall were the hotly-fancied Egerton side who found the combination of power play from Guild Hall's Alan Brookes and Gwyn Whittaker and the cooler cutting edge of their ladies too much. That Guild Hall eventually were themselves cut down by Chorley was much due to Suzanne Cornthwaite's best winter league performance.

There were other memorable individual offerings particularly from Stuart Hunt, Jean Wilson and Diane Hardman.

Sean Gallagher has reluctantly decided that he will be unable to run an Eagley side next winter. For the bulk of the league's existence, his contribution both to the League in general and to Eagley in particular has been huge. Whether encouraging the burgeoning talents of future stars such as Simon Roberts, Emma Tootell, Rachael Cox and the long-lost Jamie Hammond, not to mention his own gifted offspring, or by entertaining spectators with his own occasional idiosyncratic masterclasses, he has set a splendid example for which many are no doubt grateful.