Bowls: Parkside stun Craigentinny on own turf

Parkside turned in a great performance on away territory to inflict a first defeat on defending champions Craigentinny in the Edinburgh Bowling League.

The 5-4 win over the Division 1 leaders of the Alpha Trophies-sponsored competition still left Parkside trailing Craigentinny by two points after six games of the 14-match campaign, though.

Paul Veitch took the plaudits for Parkside as he skipped Ian Fleming, Ewan Diven and Neil Watson from 12-3 to a 17-6 win over Andrew Caldwell’s rink that secured the bonus point for shot aggregate in favour of the visitors.

Robert Donaldson also played a major role with a late strike conversion that yielded four shots as he skipped Graeme Fraser, Steven Rennie and Willie Watson to a 16-16 peel with Kevin McFarlane’s rink.

Alex Hurry lost a last-end 4 to a strike conversion from Andrew Jeffrey and had to settle for a 16-16 share after skipping Halley Cockburn, Andy Hargan and Danny Jackson into a 15-5 lead.

Willie McDonald kept Craigentinny sane when kicking on from 12-10 to skip Daniel Gormley, Scott Duncan and Gary Nisbet to a 21-12 win over Derek Smith. Parkside edged the match aggregate 61-59.

Elsewhere in Division 1, Tanfield’s indifferent form this season continued with a shock 5-4 defeat at home to Queensberry and they have surrendered third place to Northern who impressed with a 7-2 home win over promoted Division 2 champions Pilrig.

Wardie made home advantage count with a 7-2 win over Hillside whose reputation as great survivors in Division 1 is going to be put severely to the test over the remaining eight fixtures.

The match of the night in Division 2 featured relegated top flight clubs Leith and Goldenacre and the honours went to a determined Leith side that made home advantage count in a 7-2 win over the league leaders.

Wins for the rinks skipped by Craig Ramsay, Nicky Brown (18-12), and John Ramsay (17-13) helped Leith move up to second place and within three points of Goldenacre who still dominate the table.

The top-of-the-table clash in Division 3 saw London Road Foundry move within a ½ point of West End with a 5-4 home win. inspired by George Kyle, Willie Burgess, Graeme Todd Jnr and Graeme Todd Snr inflicting a 23-4 loss on Grant Pagan’s rink.

EBL results

Div 1: Craigentinny 4, Parkside 5; Tanfield 4, Queensberry 5; Northern 7, Pilrig 2; Wardie 7, Hillside 2.

Div 2: Blackhall 6, Willowbrae 3; Corstorphine 6, Maitland 3; Leith 7, Goldenacre 2; Mayfield 4, Dean 5.

Div 3: LRF 5, West End 4; Dudley 2, Whitehouse & Grange 7; Postal 5, Merchiston 4; Tramways 1, Summerside 8.