Premier display as West Lothian seal league win

Nov 19 2009 by Our Correspondent, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian IBC bounced back to winning form with a 72-60 victory over Auchinleck when the teams clashed in the A section of the Premier League at the Inveralmond stadium last Saturday.

And a bonus result came with the news that section leaders Prestwick had lost away to Lanarkshire and thereby converting the qualifying challenge into a wide open three-horse race entering the second half of the programme.

All three share the eight point mark with four wins from five games but Lanarkshire top the table with a shot margin bank of 67 followed by West Lothian on 64 and Prestwick on 9.

West Lothian posted wins on three of their four rinks with successful contributions coming from Mark Allison, Neil Speirs, and Thomas Mann while Auchinleck made their only positive mark against George Sneddon.

Auchinleck made the early running and captured the first 7-end phase 24-17 but inspired by a 10-2 contribution from Allison West Lothian rallied to take the second, 32-14 then a 10-1 from Allison paved the way for a 23-18 success on the third.

Allison emerged the leader of the pack yet was under immense opening pressure at 9-0 down before rising admirably to the challenge and skipping Bryan Cooper Richard Mark and Calum Logan to a 23-12 win over G Johnstone.

Speirs saw a 6-1 lead eroded to 6-6 before embarking on a sizzling purple patch spell of 3, 1, 3, 2, 2 that gave him 17-6 control and a cushion to skip Ewan Wilson James Greenock and James Speirs to a 19-14 win over D Watson.

Mann opened with a 3 but soon trailed 7-3 then from 12-10 down skipped Paul Lynas Des Hagart and Raymond Logan on a game-changing run of 1, 3, 2, 1, 1 to cross 18-12 en route to a 20-16 success over Stewart Anderson.

Sneddon and his rink of Cameron Greer Blair Mackie and Stuart Johnston found themselves against the collar at 10-4 down and faced further disaster at 18-5 down before a rally saw them restrict their defeat from Derek McClue to 18-10.

A Sneddon / McClue battle is always of added interest as they are old foes harking back to the national singles final of 1991 when Sneddon brought the coveted outdoor title back to Broxburn and Linlithgowshire.

Balbardie IBC showed why they are serious contenders to win the promotion race in the B section of Division One with a battling 78-75 win over table-toppers Alloa.

Despite a disappointing start to the campaign Balbardie remain in touch with the top as they share the 5-point mark with Bainfield, Tweedbank, and Stirling.

Bainfield remain the paper favourites although the Edinburgh club were pipped 78-77 at Stirling last weekend and its Stirling who present this weekends test to Balbardie at Bathgate.

The ladies of Balbardie IBC scored their fifth win in six games with an 83-78 away win over Fintry in Division 1D of the Scottish League Cup and the Bathgate based team share top spot with Whiteinch. Balbardie face another away test this Saturday when they visit Stirling

The ladies of West Lothian IBC suffered a crushing 108-55 defeat at East Lothian last weekend but they were facing opposition that share top of the table in Division 1C with Portobello.

WL have won two of their six games and have a stronger chance of making it three from seven when they visit foot of the table Teviotdale this weekend.

West Lothian IBC final of the Seniors Fours was played at the Inveralmond stadium on Monday and a cracking encounter was won by the rink of Phil Young Bill Neilson Jim Davidson and Raymond McMahon.

McMahon and his side bounced back from 7-0 down to cross 8-7 then rallied again from 8-10 to clinch a 14-12 win.