East Lothian gents face a crucial fixture this weekend when they journey to Blantyre to face a time fighting with them to chase down Midlothian in the Premier League. Add to this the fact that Blantyre have not lost at home in several years and the enormity of the task becomes evident. However
Read MoreMark Yuill, Chris Brock, Stuart Thomson (Captain) and Alex Marshall MBE (skip)
Mark Johnston, David Sked, Dean Riva and Billy Mellors (skip)
Aaron Betts, Alex Cormack, Ewan Fallen and Scott Kennedy (skip)
Lewis Betts, Steven Morgan, Jamie Higgin and Derek Oliver (skip)
This Sunday sees the Gents International Trial take place at Auchinleck with Billy Mellors, Scott Kennedy and Jamie Higgins travelling through hoping to retain their places in the team whilst Alex Marshall MBE and Derek Oliver are not at the trial but are very likely to be selected.
The ladies host league leaders East Fife this Saturday at the Alex Marshall Arena in a must win game, as indeed are all their games from this point on. There are no changes to the team that defeated Abbeyview away in the last game which reads:
M Kivlin, K Hoggan, D Hoggan & Y Veitch (Skip)
M Penman, B Riva, M Thomson & J Fairnie (Skip)
J McFarlane, M Murray, G Mackintosh & L Baillie (Skip)
Unfortunately there was disappointment in the National Triples as both gents and ladies entries exited at the first round proper stage. Jamie Higgins, Scott Kennedy and Billy Mellors opened up on Saturday morning with an excellent display to dispose of Ronnie Duncan, Billy Peacock and Colin Walker before facing Danny Gormley, James Hogg and Paul O’Donnell of Bainfield in the afternoon. The trio were behind for most of the game before improving their performance over the last few ends to open up a three shot lead at the last end, however, a scrappy end seen them drop a four to exit the competition. The ladies triple of Melissa Penman, Kim Hoggan and Dee Hoggan easily accounted for Cowal 24-8 in their preliminary game before also struggling in their first round proper game to exit 14-19 at the hands of Stirling.
The Seniors faced their most crucial game of the season so far last Wednesday when they welcomed neighbours, and main rivals for the section, Midlothian to the Alex Marshall Arena. The East Lothian seniors got off to a good start and after five ends had opened up a ten shot lead. However, over the next five ends their neighbours hit form to overhaul the lead and indeed open up their own four shot lead. As they have had to do on a few occasions this season the Garden County “Auld Yins” had to come from behind and they did this in style as over the remainder of the game they outgunned their opponents to eventually win 64-55. A result which sees East Lothian open up a four point lead over Midlothian with only two games remaining for the Garden County whilst Midlothian have three games to go. There were wins for Dougie Berwick’s rink (22-9) Willie Wood MBE’s rink (24-14) and Andy Burt’s rink (15-10) all of which more than compensated for the heavy defeat suffered by Tom Young’s rink (3-22). The Seniors were due to travel to Tweedbank on Wednesday and had to make a few enforced changes as Willie Wood MBE and Gordon Gray were both unavailable and David McGill not selected. The returning trio taking their places were Ali McKenna, Billy Higgins and B J Smith.
On Saturday the youths continue their East of Scotland League campaign when they visit Midlothian. The team line up as follows;
Callum Henderson, Lennon Rafferty, Melissa Penman, Danny Stevenson (skip)
Ethan Gillies, Cameron Pryde, Beth Riva, Lewis Betts (skip).
Luke Cowan, Daryl Grieve, Kieran Dodds, Aaron Betts (skip).
In addition another four (Daniel Gillies, Daniel Kivlin, Logan Kennedy and Sam Penman) will also play a Midlothian rink.
On Sunday Aaron, Lewis, Kieran, Danny, Beth and Melissa will be playing in the International Trial match for the under 17 Scotland team which takes place at Abbeyview. Youth coaching continues this Friday 14th between 2pm and 4.30pm although there will be no coaching on Saturday with the team being away.