Bainfield finally get off the bowls mark as Midlothian suffer

Published on Monday 24 November 2008 09:12

BAINFIELD'S shock win over Midlothian at Dalkeith to get off the mark at their sixth attempt would have been a coupon buster if on the pools, however the visitors will now hope it's going to be a case of up, up and away in the indoor bowls Premier League.

The Bainfield team arrived with five duck eggs behind them but were far from a dispirited bunch as they showed tremendous character to bounce off the deck and score a 74-68 victory.

The visitors were ecstatic at their change of fortune to the extent that their spirits weren't dampened by the news that results elsewhere had gone against them with relegation zone rivals Paisley and Lanarkshire also winning.

"It's a huge relief to get our first win and with three home games to come on our run-in this will hopefully spark a revival," said spokesman Paul O'Donnell. The result was a bad one however for Midlothian as leaders Blantyre and Auchinleck both lost away from home so the Dalkeith outfit viewed their own defeat as blowing a chance to close the gap. "It's yet another costly single figure defeat that strangles our qualifying challenge. However Bainfield deserved their win," said Midlothian's Frank Gray.

If there is consolation in defeat it comes in the shape of Midlothian only losing out on one of the four rinks with wins for Colin Walker and Billy Peacock and a peel for David Peacock.

However the margins were slight and not enough to rein in the magnificent winning performance of Bainfield rink Chris Downie, Alan Trotter, Colin Hutchison and Gavin Smith.

Elsewhere in the A section, Paisley beat previously undefeated leaders Blantyre by 13 shots and Lanarkshire beat second-placed Auchinleck by six shots.