Bowls: Watson continues his run in Fleming Trophy

NEIL WATSON of Parkside took the scalp of Bainfield's 2002 champion Paul O'Donnell in the quarter-finals of the Edinburgh & Leith Under-25 Singles.

Playing for the James S Fleming Trophy, O'Donnell led 10-4 and 14-10 but Watson crossed to 16 and went on to clinch a 21-17 victory in 22 ends at West End.

Watson's opposition in the semi-final is Balerno's Dean O'Neil, who upset the odds with a 21-14 win over Mark Hogg of Goldenacre in 19 ends at Wardie.

Scott Noble has been in exciting form since defeating holder Russell Wilson in the first round and the Sighthill player advanced once again with a 21-11 win over Euan Craig of Pilrig over 16 ends at Mayfield.

Having zipped into a 20-11 lead, Noble felt encouraged to once again try and hit 21 with a spectacular jack to the ditch tactic, but he failed three times and it cost him a double before he clinched the game with a more conventional draw at the following end.

Andrew Caldwell – national champion in 2005 – looked in big trouble at 16-7 down to Dean Thomson of Gorgie Mills at Corstorphine but the Craigentinny star stormed back and from peels at 18 hit 21 with a three on the 28th end. Meanwhile, Edinburgh & Leith bid to get their qualifying campaign in the Cities & Counties Championship back on track at Berwick tomorrow but have no easy task against a Borders team also in with a chance of finishing second in the East section.

The E&L camp has been rocked by the decisions of Jamie Gracie and Darren McKenny to pull themselves out of the remaining fixtures and two further changes are necessary with Alan Brown and Robert Sloan both unavailable.

The reaction of the under siege E&L selectors is to introduce Russell Wilson of Juniper Green while Andrew Caldwell, Dougie Martin, and Graham Munro are all recalled. Martin and Munro form the front-end for Mal Higgenbotham while Caldwell and Wilson come in at second for Paul O'Donnell and Robert Marshall respectively. Alex Hurry switches rinks at third.

Midlothian will retain their current position of second in the East section if successful against West Fife at Rosyth. Two enforced changes bring Colin McFarlane and Stuart Roseburgh in for Ramsay Blair and Tom Beattie.

Section leaders West Lothian are unchanged against Fife at Pumpherston whilst East Lothian will make a late declaration of their team to play Stirling East at Tranent.