Blantye stay on top after second successive whitewash

Reigning Premiership champions Blantyre retained pole position at the top of Section A of the premier division in the Jack High Insurance National League, while East Lothian got their first win of their campaign under their belt and jumped four places to the top of the leaderboard in Section B.

Alex Marshall skipped his rink to vistory

Blantyre turned in another dominant display to notch up their second successive whitewash. After last week’s 69-shot victory over Alloa in the Section A, they crushed Bainfield 103-49, and, at just the second round of the championship, already have a two-point advantage ahead of Midlothian, Ayr, Falkirk and Bainfield in the chasing pack.

Last year’s beaten finalists Falkirk chalked up their first win of the season, accounting for Midlothian 84-73 and Ayr’s 98-71 home victory against Alloa sees them move to third spot, just eight shots adrift of second-placed Midlothian and four ahead of Falkirk.

East Lothian jump from fourth to pole position in Section B and overtaking Lanarkshire. They made light work of Aberdeen who are always their bogey team, and, thanks to wins on the rinks skipped by international trio Alex Marshall, pictured, Billy Mellors and Graham Robertson in their 96-56 victory, they top the table on shots with Lanarkshire, Ardrossan, Balbardie, Paisley and Aberdeen, with all six teams sitting with one win.

Last week’s leaders Lanarkshire shared two winning rinks with Paisley, but Paisley took the points 89-69 and a 90-68 home win for Balbardie ahead of Ardrossan lifted them from the bottom of the section.