Bainfield’s away form in Division 1C of the ladies indoor bowls national league is set to haunt them with the travellers from The Hutchison Crossway Stadium suffering their second defeat on the road, losing by 13 shots at the 84-71 hands of Balbardie.
Bainfield’s opening spell was highlighted by a mighty count of five for Isabel Anderson on her third end and emulated by Anna Anderson on her sixth who was bouncing back from the blow of losing an early six. The visitors entered the second phase defending a 29-24 lead but saw that wiped out exactly by suffering a 29-24 setback despite O’Donnell contributing a positive 10-4 enabled by a five on end 10. Anna Anderson suffered a 9-2 discomfort on the third phase that tipped the scales in favour of the home side and Balbardie cashed in with a 31-18 return to win the match.
O’Donnell zipped from 3-3 to 17-7 in the space of 10 ends and skipped Heather Stoddart, Chloe Thomson, and Rita Reid to a 21-13 win over Sarajane Wright, Cathetherine Shearer, Kim Ross, and Leitch. Anderson (Isabel) added a second five at end 17 to skip Gladys Christie, Kathleen Barr, and Theresa Blair into a 17-15 lead but then slipped to a 21-18 defeat from Delia Flannigan.
Anderson (Anna) and her rink of Aimie Robertson, Margaret Keenan, and Susan Allan showed up brilliantly to lead 17-9 after 10 ends but faded fast in a 26-19 defeat from Margo Duff. Dickson and her front-three of Karen Tumblety, Davina Crawford, and Betty Eaton were always against the collar in a 24-13 defeat from Angie Uttley.
Meanwhile a top of the table clash at The Alex Marshall Arena in Tranent saw East Lothian go clear top with a commanding 110-64 victory over West Lothian, and it was emphatic with all four home rinks winning. Emma Logan was in inspirational form to skip Margaret Murray, Jean Russell, and Alicia Irvine to a 33-14 win over Jennifer Sneddon while Yvonne Veitch beat Lisa Barrett, 28-19. Janet Fairnie accounted 25-14 for Jean Brown while Lauren Baillie beat Ann Clark, 24-17.
East Lothian gents team is hugely impressive on paper but have yet to engage top gear and although going close are nursing a second defeat in three B section premier league matches following a 74-70 defeat up at Aberdeen. “I feel the breaks haven’t gone our way in tight situations so far and that has been the difference between winning and losing”, said team captain Scott Kennedy. Kennedy’s own situation wasn’t such a tight affair however as he and his front-three of Martin Wyllie, Glenn Blair, and Jamie Higgins crashed to a 28-15 defeat from Ewan Gallan. A second setback for the visitors saw Joe Mower, Willie Wood MBE, Andy Jeffrey, and Billy Mellors lose 16-12 to Alan McKay. Derek Oliver did his best to tray and galvanise the EL effort as he skipped Mark Johnston, Stewart W Thomson, and Graham Robertson to a 25-14 win over Mike Stephen while Mal Higgenbotham, Jamie Gordon, Gary Darling, and Alex Marshall MBE supported with an 18-16 win over Gary Forbes.