Maitland are making a bold bid to upset the pecking order in Division 1 of the Alpha Trophies sponsored Edinburgh Bowling League and a recent rich seam of form has propelled them to the dizzy heights of table toppers after eight of the 14 fixture campaign.
Read MoreThis weeks impressive 7-2 win away to Northern enabled Maitland to leapfrog record seven times champions Craigentinny, and also put extra distance between them and third placed title holders Parkside. Maitland were the early pacesetters in last seasons campaign but suffered a nose bleed under the pressures of hitting the front so early and it remains to be seen if with that experience they can now handle the sight of the coveted champions crown coming into even sharper focus.
Wins on the rinks skipped by Alan Trotter, Brian Higgins, and Graeme McIntosh combined to also clinch the bonus point that helped cover the frustration of Gordon Clark just failing to make it a Maitland cleansweep. Trotter raced into a 12-1 lead then kept strong control of the reins to skip George Trotter, Ross Barclay, and Jim Robertson to an 18-11 win over James Barr.
Higgins looked set to blow a handsome 13-3 lead when brought under pressure at 14-14 but won the day with a 4, 1, 1 finish to skip Peter Morris, Steven Ritchie, and Alan Sharp to a 20-14 win over Ian Miller. McIntosh wiped out a 9-5 deficit to stand peels at 14-14 playing the last where he and his front-three pf Andi Kellagher, Graham Duff, and Mark McIntosh tipped the scales with a magic count of three to win a 17-14 thriller. Clark and his rink of Ryan Taylor, Stuart Clark, and Gordon B Smith were in with a chance at 13-12 down playing the last but lost out, 14-12, to a single edged by Garry Harrison, Gordon Wilson Snr, David Scott, and Gordon Wilson Jnr.
Most clubs would be chuffed at bagging four points on a tough visit to Hillside but Craigentinny’s 5-4 defeat cost them the leadership of the league table in a result more pleasing to the home side. Andrew Jeffrey and Daniel Gormley showed the killer instinct needed to deliver a record extending eighth title into the hands of the Craigentinny camp while Scott Rogers came close; but the defeat of Andy Caldwell was of devastating proportion. Rink scores ; BJ Smith 13 A Jeffrey 24; Brian Irving 10 D Gormley 15; Colin Hairs 16 Scott Rogers 12; Colin Bell 23 A Caldwell 7. Tanfield stayed mid table with a 5-4 win at home to relegatuon zoned Queensberry while visitors Parkside beat foot of the table Pilrig, 7-2.