Bowls: Goldenacre shock Alpha males Craigentinny

Published on Thursday 4 June 2009 09:35

GOLDENACRE'S strong home form in Division 1 of the Alpha Trophies Edinburgh Bowling League continued as they inflicted a first defeat on table toppers Craigentinny.

Goldenacre have beaten Tanfield (7-2) and Queensberry (7-2) at home and that undefeated record was maintained with a 5-4 success over a Craigentinny team that are still five points in front after five league games. A pre-match misfortune reduced one of the Craigentinny rinks to a three-man line up and the subsequent 25 per cent penalty deduction cost the visitors two points as Nicky Brown skipped Paul Barclay, Frank Tully and Ronnie Elder to a 12-11.25 win over Ian Paterson.

Goldenacre doubled their points tally to four when Colin Hutchison stretched from 7-5 to 17-5 then skipped Bill Lee, Laurence Robertson and Graham Hutchison to a 20-15 win over Kevin McFarlane. A third win looked on the cards when Malky Thomson skipped George Hanson, Alan Head and Gavin Barclay into a 16-12 lead playing the last, but they lost a 4 to finish level with Jamie Reid, Scott Duncan, Kevin Hunter and Andy Jeffrey.

Willie McDonald earned three points for Craigentinny when skipping Darren Smith, Grant McLaren and Andrew Caldwell to a 22-9 win over Jim Hutchison.

Tanfield's early promise of a return to title-winning glory took another knock at Hillside when they suffered a 7-2 defeat, a result that leaves them in fourth place and 13 points adrift of the league leaders. Malcolm Higgenbotham was the only winner for the visitors, skipping Keith McLachlan, Peter Findlay and Derek McLean to a 23-14 win over BJ Smith. He should have been joined by Scott Wood who led 17-5 but lost 18-17 to a finish of 1, 4, 3, 1, 1, 3 from Adam Boath, Dougie Robinson, Kyle Newall and Gary Muir.

Keith Gallacher added a 5 to 12-4 then skipped Keith Adamson, Jamie Headspeath and Peter Brown to a 24-8 victory over Graeme Munro. And Kevin Moncur pressed home the Hillside advantage by skipping Graeme Laidlaw, Martin Reid and Colin Bell (ex Brunstane) to a 25-10 win over Graeme McIntosh having zipped from 10-7 to 25-7.

Defending champions Pilrig moved into third place and within seven points of Craigentinny with 9-0 victory at Queensberry, while second placed Parkside are now five points adrift after winning 7-2 at Dudley.

Leith helped their cause at the top of the Division 2 League with a 8-0 home win over London Road Foundry. Their chief rivals Wardie scored a 9-0 triumph, at home to Willowbrae. Dean moved up to third with a 7-2 home win over Maitland.

&#149 BUCHAN PARK, the 2005 champions, crashed to a 62-51 defeat from Pumpherston in the second round of the WLBA Rosebery Cup. Holders Broxburn beat East Calder 65-49, while the others to progress were Bathgate, Queensferry, Kirkliston, Glenmavis, West Calder, and Uphall Station.