County bowlers on course for coveted trophy

Jul 9 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian continue to impress in all tests of character and skill as they remain on course to achieve etching their name on the coveted Hamilton Trophy for the first time under the WLBA and they step up their challenge in the semi final action this Sunday.

Team manager Colin Stein leads his men into battle against Ayr County at Denny (1pm) and the side is unchanged.

The shock defeat of holders Lanarkshire South at the hands of Highland is a major bonus for West Lothian and the team from the North now take on 2003 and 2005 national champions East Lothian at Ardrossan.

The final margin makes it look like it was a dawdle for West Lothian in their 25 shot victory over Ayrshire in the quarterfinals of the Cities and Counties Championship at Armadale but the scoreboard reading of 132-107 masks the drama of the match.

Ayrshire, last seasons runners up, against the paper favourites for this years title had all the makings of an epic confrontation yet after four ends played it shaped like a runaway day for the far travelled visitors who had stormed into a 25 shot lead.

West Lothian might well have folded at that point but they didn’t and the main credit for an amazing fight back goes to 30-year-old internationalist Neil Speirs who sparked the revival.

George Sneddon, the team manger of Scotland, got himself into the act while end six was highlighted my a mighty five for Joan Aitken, a Scotland skip, and hey presto West Lothian were back in business.

West Lothian’s 25 shot deficit was wiped out to zero by end nine and although the battle for supremacy was ding dong over the next few ends come end 15 WL had moved into a double figure lead and they never looked back.

Even the phase scoring hides the early drama with Ayrshire claiming the first 7-ends, 48-42 but West Lothian turned the tide, 41-33 then produced a 49-26 surge on the run in.

West Lothian celebrated wins on the rinks skipped by Thomas Mann, Neil Speirs, Graeme Archer, and George Sneddon while it was a losing experience for John Aitken and Grant Logan.

Mann emerged the main man having provided a pretty secure anchor for the WL challenge in skipping Frazer Muirhead, Walter McDougall and Gary Smith to a 29-12 win.

Their main highlight was a brilliant start that saw them win nine of the opening 11 ends to lead 19-5 and by the end of the match they had counted at 15 of the 21 ends.

Speirs celebrated his unusual count of a full house to transform a 5-2 deficit into a 20-5 lead and he went on to skip Cameron Greer, Ian Robertson, and Sandy McDougall to a 30-15 win.

Archer suffered early palpitations to trail former cap Gary Hood 10-3 but sprung to life to cross 14-10 then skipped Ewan Shearer, Kenny Miller, and Raymond Logan to a 20-14 win.

Sneddon didn’t benefit from any extended runs other than a 1, 2, 2 in the middle of the match but did enough to tip the scales and skip Stewart McMaster James Speirs and Alec Allan to a 21-20 win over Colin Smith.

Aitken, apart from his five, had a lean time over the first 11-ends and in company with Bryan Cooper Gerry Duggan and Calum Logan trailed Douglas Watson 15-7 then 21-9 after 15 before losing 23-18.

Logan and his rink of Mark Allison Steven Fleming and Blair Mackie were on the end of a nightmare at 13-0 down after seven ends the situation didn’t worsen and they lost 23-14.

The launch of the Matt Purdie Trophy between Seniors teams representing the Associations of West Lothian, East Lothian, Border, Fife, and West Fife got underway on Monday with the WLBA tackling Border at Newbridge.

West Lothian made a great start to their league campaign defeating Border 60-49.

Bobby McIvor came from 10-5 down to skip Jimmy Johnstone Donny McKillop and Kenny Ferguson to a 16-12 win over former internationalist Roy White.

Gordon Kain skipped Alistair Lindsay Dennis Crowe and Brian Holloran into a 9-5 lead and converted that into a 14-11 win over Alan Mitchell.

Raymond McMahon was hammer and tongs with Colin Rae but finished the stronger from 9-9 to skip Ian Munro Charlie Houston and Jim Arthur to a 14-11 win.

Jim Davidson left it late with a last gasp four to skip John Collins Davy Brash and Denis Cavanagh to a 16-15 win.