Crucial win for West Lothian IBC as they plot late bid to beat the drop

Jan 27 2011 West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian Indoor Bowling Club were consigned to the last chance saloon in their battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League despite raising their game to score a good 73-60 away win over East Lothian.

The aim was to climb out of second bottom place in the B section at the expense of Aberdeen but the Dons managed to stay clear of the relegation playoff position by scoring an excellent 84-74 away win over Bainfield - leaving a frustrated West Lothian camp eyeing up a playoff head to head with their A section counterparts but not knowing yet whether the opposition will come from Coatbridge or East Fife.

Either way the form lines and team construction of West Lothian do look the stronger and the under-a-cloud-stars of the Inveralmond stadium will be favourites to deliver the win needed to continue their status as a premier league outfit.

West Lothian travelled to Tranent with a much-changed positional line up that was bold in conception and paid a winning dividend against an East Lothian team lacking motivation and without the services of ace trio Alex Marshall MBE, Paul Foster, and Andrew Jeffrey.

Neil Speirs did taste defeat but was saved by 'bonnets in the air' wins for the rinks skipped by Thomas Mann, Mark Allison, and George Sneddon.

Mann gave WL what they needed in the shape of an inspiring opening spell that saw him skip Bryan Cooper Scott Logan and James Speirs to a spectacular run of 4, 2, 1, 3, 1, 4, 3 to lead the great Willie Wood MBE, 18-0 after seven ends.

The pace did drop but the positive statement had been made as they went on to inflict 29-12 damage on the East Lothian icon figure.

The 17-shot contribution to the shot aggregate bank was immensely significant as fellow skips Allison and Sneddon were battling to get their head in front while Speirs was against the collar.

Allison was ding-dong against Scott Kennedy and showed great grit and determination to come off a 10-12 pace and skip Cameron Greer Ian Drysdale and Stuart Johnston to a 2, (1), 1, 1, (1), finish to snatch a 16-14 win.

Sneddon made a positive start to skip Ewan Wilson Des Hagart and Paul Lynas into an 8-3 lead over Derek Oliver but came under pressure at 10-10 before battling to a 15-14 success.

Speirs and his rink of Richard Mark Raymond Logan and Calum Logan spent much of their game in arrears but were in touch at 12-16 before losing a 4 that sentenced them to a 20-13 defeat from Graham Robertson.

Balbardie IBC played with great determination to score a commanding 93-62 win over Stirling at Bathgate that made continuation of their status as a Division 1B club safe and sound.

The relegation battle has yet to be settled though with Portobello, on 4 points, and Abbeyview, on 6, both losing to set up the prospect of a sizzling head to head when they meet in the final match at Dunfermline.

West Lothian ladies found Division 1C league leaders East Lothian too strong a team for them and despite having home advantage at Livingston went down 86-64 with defeat on three rinks.

Ann Clark proved the exception as she served up a strong performance to lead 14-6 after 12-ends then skip Irene Taylor Isabel Lindsay and Lily Sword to a 20-11 win over Alicia Irvine.

Jennifer Sneddon almost produced a grandstand finish when skipping Jenifer Richardson Katrina Richardson and Evelyn Barclay to a late 3, 3 fight back but they went down 21-18 to Janet Fairnie.

Jean McPherson promised much when skipping Lucy Noon Sandra Purdie and Helen Tully into an 11-3 lead over Diane Rowan but a run of five zero's turned the tables and they crashed to a 24-15 defeat.

Jean Brown lost a 5 at the 10th end to trail 13-6 and together with Betty Tate Kate Threlfall and Irene Fergus went on to suffer a 30-11 defeat from Nancy McNeil.

Meanwhile the ladies of Balbardie continued to give a good account of themselves in Division 1D but their tremendous 108-54 away win over Stirling still leaves them playing second fiddle to Coatbridge- despite the leaders suffering a shock defeat at Fintry.

The Bowls fraternity at large will be shocked and greatly saddened to learn that nation wide personality figure John (Sconey) McKeon of Broxburn and West Lothian passed away late on Sunday night.

Sconey — a cult figure in the sport — was an ex-president and team manager of Linlithgowshire and served the area for several years as its Councillor and District Secretary on the Scottish Bowling Association.