Bowls: Bainfield at full strength for visit to bottom side

Published on Friday 11 December 2009 09:26

THE heat is on Bainfield tomorrow when the leaders of the indoor bowls Division 1B League step up their promotion campaign with a visit to foot-of-the-table Whiteinch.

"The top-versus-bottom confrontation is a classic potential slip-up situation but it is a banana skin danger that we must overcome and the recent evidence is that we have the class and the focus to do so," said team manager John Bell.

Bell is warning his team not to be complacent against opposition that has just won once in seven games but is looking for the form book to work out and the hopes of his team are raised by a return to full strength.

"We have Robert Marshall and Paul O'Donnell returning to the line-up and that is a major plus and no reflection on the performance last week of Stuart Patterson and Neil Watson, who are sidelined to the reserve bench," added Bell.

Bathgate-based Balbardie, who sit behind Bainfield only on shot margin, are unchanged for a tough-looking home test against Scottish Cup holders Tweedbank.

In Division 2B, Portobello have been long-time leaders and their bid to win promotion should be further enhanced with home advantage against Allander.

It's yet another top-versus-bottom clash with Porty expected to do the business with a line-up fortified by the return of Stuart Betts and club champion George Johnstone.

Betts normally skips but is named at lead to his stand-in Ian Fleming, while Johnstone will play third to Andrew Caldwell with John Lockhart and Gary Nisbet stood down.

East Lothian welcome back Willie Wood MBE for their home match against Aberdeen in the B section of the premier league but the joint leaders will again be missing Paul Foster.

West Lothian are currently two points off the pace in the A section of the premier league so must win to stay in contention for the qualifying honours but their chances look solid with home advantage against foot-of-the-table Arbroath.

Ewan Wilson and Joey Strickland make way for the return of ace skips George Sneddon and Neil Speirs while a modest reshuffle finds Calum Logan renewing his partnership at third with Mark Allison.

Midlothian welcome back David Peacock and could do WL a massive favour if they beat joint leaders Prestwick in their clash at Dalkeith.

Frank Gray has plucked Robert Trench off the reserve bench to play second to Colin Walker with Martin Wylie and Kevin McDougall sidelined.