Golf: Shock and awe as the heat is on in Dispatch

It was quite a night in the quarter-finals of the Evening News-sponsored Dispatch Trophy, with Silverknowes, Carrickvale, Barnton Hotel and Temple Seniors being the four teams left standing at the end of it.

Three-time winners Harrison suffered the surprise drubbing, losing 13 and 12 to Carrickvale as they made it to the semi-finals for the fourth year running.

It was a night to forget for the Harrison quartet after they got off to a horror start and never recovered as their opponents moved up a gear or two from earlier rounds.

"It was a very good performance from us but, at the same time, I'd have to say that Harrison were architects of their own downfall," said Carrickvale's David Ewen.

Playing with Scott Knowles in the top Harrison couple, Justin White missed a couple of short putts early on against Ewen and Simon Hermiston.

The Carrickvale duo also won the fourth and fifth with birdies and went on to finish four up.

Behind them, Darren Coyle and Craig Elliot opened with an easy birdie and duly won seven out of the opening eight holes against Mike Robson and Brian Byers.

"That was our best golf of the week by far," admitted Coyle after they eventually finished nine up.

Watching the early part of the match was Allyn Dick, a member of the hat-trick winning Carrickvale side between 2007 and 2009. "It was good to see Allyn and having him there certainly helped relax me," added Ewen. "We had been struggling earlier in the week in the conditions but tonight it was good that the wind had dropped."

It's Silverknowes next for Carrickvale - a repeat of last year's final.

Silverknowes won that and are on course for a fourth trophy triumph in 14 years and fifth overall after an impressive 8 and 7 win over Third.

Tam Caldwell and Keith Reilly birdied the first, fourth and fifth but were still only one up against David Marshall and Kevin Messer in the top match.

The Silverknowes pair "stole" the 11th to go two up, also won the 13th, where Reilly holed a big putt up the slope, before taking the 14th as well with a par. "It was a lot tighter than four up," admitted Reilly afterwards.

Graham Robertson and Paul Heggie also played "solid" at the back for Silverknowes, going two up early on against Iain Campbell and Stuart Crookston thanks to birdies at the third and fifth.

They then won the tenth and 11th with birdies and also finished four up.

"It should be a good game against Carrickvale," admitted Robertson, last year's Lothians Order of Merit winner.

"It's 1-1 just now as we lost to them in the semi-finals in 2007 but then won the final last year." Barnton Hotel, bidding to repeat their one and only success in the event a decade ago, booked their place in the last four after producing an astonishing fightback against Temple.

They were seven down over the double foursome at one point but, not for the first time in the event, the back nine at the Braids turned a match on its head.

And boy did the Barnton brigade - brothers Steve and Brian Hunter, Varun Varadharajan and Stephen Buckley - seal their one-hole win in style.

Four down with five to play, Steve Hunter and Varadharajan won the 14th and 16th then reduced the deficit to one at the end by winning the last with an eagle-2.

Hunter hit a belter of a drive on to the front edge of the green and teenager Varadharajan, playing in the event for the first time this year, rolled in the putt from around 20 feet.

"What a time to box a putt," admitted his delighted playing partner.

Behind them, Brian Hunter and Buckley were three down at one stage before winning the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes - three of them with birdies.

They then lost the 17th to put the match all square overall but, after Hunter used his experience to leave his pitch below the hole at the last, Buckley rolled in the birdie putt to secure an incredible win.

Buckley is also making his first appearance in the event and will definitely now pick up a medal tomorrow. "You can't complain about that on your Dispatch debut," declared the former Scottish Boys' champion.

There was also a dramatic finish to the remaining match in the Edinburgh Leisure and American Golf-supported event between Temple Seniors and 2005 winners Riccarton.

The top Riccarton pairing of Chris Purves and Stephen Marshall won the last with a birdie to finish one down against Ian Macaskill and Iain Stavert.

At the back, Riccarton were fortunate not to lose the 16th after an untimely shank from Ian Gourlay, with his partner Andy Laurence then displaying a majestic touch around the green at the two closing holes.

His pitch from below the green at the 17th was impressive but was bettered by his effort from the left side of the green at the last that allowed the Riccarton couple to reverse the score against Ian Fraser and Neil Hamilton and force extra-time.

Alas, Laurence's efforts proved in vain as Temple Seniors won at the 20th, where a par from their top couple proved decisive.

So, instead of the 'youngsters', it's left to 63-year-old Fraser, 59-year-old Stavert, 53-year-old Macaskill and Hamilton, the baby of the quartet at 50, to fly the Temple flag in tomorrow's semi-finals.

Ironically, Hamilton has only played in the event once before - losing to Temple Seniors as a member of the Watsonian Caritas side 12 months ago!