Hillside boost their survival hopes by defeating Tanfield

The relegation-zoned club are great survivors in the top division but need a miracle to stay up this season so winning only for the second time in eight matches will perhaps provide a second-half impetus. Tanfield have now lost five of their eight games and are third bottom, despite fielding a strong team. It was wins for the rinks skipped by BJ Smith, Brian Irving and Kevin Moncur that brought much needed cheer to Hillside while Mal Higgenbotham delivered a consolation success to Tanfield at the expense of Colin Bell. The rink scores were: Smith 23, S Campbell 8; Irving 24, G McIntosh 16; Moncur 17, R White 16; Bell 13, Higgenbotham 22. Wardie are second bottom and in danger of making an immediate return to Division 2 following a disastrous 9-0 defeat at home to arch rivals Queensberry. The hero figures for Queensberry were skips Scott Walker (19-12), Alan Watson (15-10), Frank O’Reilly (18-14), and Brian Pollard (16-14). Defending champions Craigentinny are wobbling a bit more than expected and last night’s marginal 5-4 win at home to Pilrig has allowed them to be joined at the top of the table by Parkside who beat Northern 7-2. Mayfield’s unexpected 9-0 away massacre of Goldenacre in Division 2 has shot them up the table and into third place in front of the one-time leaders but still adrift of Maitland and Dean. Maitland were on fire to score a 9-0 away win over Blackhall while Dean impressed with a 7-2 away success over Leith. Bottom club Willowbrae kept themselves in touch with a 5-4 home win over Corstorphine. Summerside did their promotion prospects a big favour in Division 3 with 7-2 away win over London Road Foundry but remain second to a West End team that inflicted 9-0 pain on Tramways. Dudley walloped relegation strugglers Merchiston, 9-0, while Whitehouse & Grange stamped their authority on Postal with an 8-1 home win.