Bowls: Edinburgh Cup fever burning bright for ambitious Northern

By STEWART MEIKLE
Published on 10/07/2012 12:00

Northern BC powered into the semi-final stage of the 
Edinburgh Cup, sponsored by Specsavers Opticians of 
Shandwick Place, with a 12-0 points victory over West End.

The total eclipse of the current Division Two leaders sends out a strong signal that the 2009 runners-up are well equipped to go on and realise their ambition to etch the Northern name on the coveted silverware as the 2012 champions.

“We do have a cup fever in our camp but nothing is being taken for granted as our next challenge is a tough one in the shape of Pilrig, who not only share Division 1 status with us but have won this trophy on two occasions”, said Northern’s Andy Reid.

Pilrig made their progress into the last four at the expense of Corstorphine, while Summerside beat London Road Foundry and Willowbrae beat Goldenacre in the other quarter-finals.

Gordon Wilson Jnr led the Northern charge on their away leg at West End, including two counts of 4 and one 3 as he skipped Gary Harrison, Gordon Wilson Snr and Andy Reid to a 20-8 win over Mark Church.

Jamie Reid shaped up as a victim at 8-0 down but staged a strong recovery of 1, 6, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1 to skip Darren Prentice, Hugh Hilson and Stan Christie to a 21-13 win over Rab Aitchison. Roy Campbell carded 3, 2, 3 to cross 15-9 then skipped Jim Martin, Bob Scott and Alan Mitchell to a 22-15 win over Grant Pagan.

The home leg for Northern saw Ian MacDonald zip from 2-2 to 15-2, thenNorthern BC powered into the semi-final stage of the 
Edinburgh Cup, sponsored by Specsavers Opticians of 
Shandwick Place, with a 12-0 points victory over West End.

The total eclipse of the current Division Two leaders sends out a strong signal that the 2009 runners-up are well equipped to go on and realise their ambition to etch the Northern name on the coveted silverware as the 2012 champions.

“We do have a cup fever in our camp but nothing is being taken for granted as our next challenge is a tough one in the shape of Pilrig, who not only share Division 1 status with us but have won this trophy on two occasions”, said Northern’s Andy Reid.

Pilrig made their progress into the last four at the expense of Corstorphine, while Summerside beat London Road Foundry and Willowbrae beat Goldenacre in the other quarter-finals.

Gordon Wilson Jnr led the Northern charge on their away leg at West End, including two counts of 4 and one 3 as he skipped Gary Harrison, Gordon Wilson Snr and Andy Reid to a 20-8 win over Mark Church.

Jamie Reid shaped up as a victim at 8-0 down but staged a strong recovery of 1, 6, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1 to skip Darren Prentice, Hugh Hilson and Stan Christie to a 21-13 win over Rab Aitchison. Roy Campbell carded 3, 2, 3 to cross 15-9 then skipped Jim Martin, Bob Scott and Alan Mitchell to a 22-15 win over Grant Pagan.

The home leg for Northern saw Ian MacDonald zip from 2-2 to 15-2, then skip Grant Young, Davy Burns and Jim Bathgate to a 23-10 win over Moray Tait, while Gary Largue, MJ Burns, Ian Miller and Mike Burns beat Graham Hockaday 17-12.

Davy Scott was hard pushed to complete the whitewash but tipped the scales with a double at the last to skip Bob Bain, Jim Prentice and George Prentice to a 16-14 win over Donnie 
Gilbertson.

Meanwhile, Summerside laid the foundations for an 8-4 win over fellow Division 3 rivals London Road Foundry with wins at home for Keith Taylor, Mark Wilson and David Poole, supported by an away success for John Wilson.

Taylor produced some of his magic touches to skip Grant Abercrombie, Stuart Ramsay and former Tait champion 
Peter Miller to a 19-8 win over Chris O’Brien.

Wilson was struggling at 15-7 down to Graeme Todd but a “chap and lie” for 5 raised his spirits and further counts of 3, 2, 2 saw him skip Neil Nisbet, Ross Nisbet and Mark Fife to a 19-15 win.

Poole beat Alex Syme 19-15 while Wilson’s away win over Bill White brought added value. skip Grant Young, Davy Burns and Jim Bathgate to a 23-10 win over Moray Tait, while Gary Largue, MJ Burns, Ian Miller and Mike Burns beat Graham Hockaday 17-12.

Davy Scott was hard pushed to complete the whitewash but tipped the scales with a double at the last to skip Bob Bain, Jim Prentice and George Prentice to a 16-14 win over Donnie 
Gilbertson.

Meanwhile, Summerside laid the foundations for an 8-4 win over fellow Division 3 rivals London Road Foundry with wins at home for Keith Taylor, Mark Wilson and David Poole, supported by an away success for John Wilson.

Taylor produced some of his magic touches to skip Grant Abercrombie, Stuart Ramsay and former Tait champion 
Peter Miller to a 19-8 win over Chris O’Brien.

Wilson was struggling at 15-7 down to Graeme Todd but a “chap and lie” for 5 raised his spirits and further counts of 3, 2, 2 saw him skip Neil Nisbet, Ross Nisbet and Mark Fife to a 19-15 win.

Poole beat Alex Syme 19-15 while Wilson’s away win over Bill White brought added value.