Craigentinny traditionally seen as slow starters have raced out of the blocks to set up an awesome top of the table lead of 11 points at the halfway stage of their Division 1 campaign in the Alpha Trophies Edinburgh Bowling League.
Read MoreThis weeks crunch clash against chief rivals Parkside saw the defending champions revel in their home environment advantage to score a gap extending 7-2 victory that makes them odds on favourites to go on and capture the blue ribbon EBL title for a record extending ninth time. Parkside three times champions held onto their second place in the eight club league; but only have a slim two points in hand of dark horse challengers Brunstane who continued their magic carpet experience with a shock 7-2 away win over six times champions Tanfield.
Brunstane who started life of as a Division 5 club and were promoted to this years top echelon by virtue of finishing second in their 2016 Division 2 campaign were expected to be canon fodder for the big guns of Division 1; but have shown no signs yet of being sucked towards the relegation trap door.
In contrast, Postal came up as Division 2 champions but they have found it difficult to cope with their first taste of the giddy heights; however their hopeless looking foot of the table position hasnt killed their enthusiasm. This weeks 6-3 win at home to fellow strugglers Hillside was Postals first celebration in seven and probably much too late to retain their Division 1 status and the result has more significance as a red alert danger signal to the prospects of their visitors also heading for the drop.
Tanfield wont be at all happy sitting in the bottom three but there will be smiles at Northern as a result of their much-needed 7-2 win at home to a competitive Maitland team. After seven games played the Division 1 table reads; Craigentinny 50; Parkside 39; Brunstane 37; Northern 33; Maitland 32; Tanfield 27; Hillside 20; Postal 14.
A highlight climax at Craigentinny saw the holders denied a 9-0 clean-sweep by Bob Ramsay of Parkside producing a 3, 1, 1 finish to snatch a 16-15 win over Craig McCall, Gary Nisbet, Gary Muir, and Andy Jeffrey The home wins were, Danny Gormley 23 Neil Watson 10; Willie McDonald 22 Robert Donaldson 15; Ian Paterson 16 Paul Veitch 9.
Gordon Wilson fired up the Northern effort as he blazed into leads of 11-0 and 22-4 then skipped Garry Harrison, Grant Young, and Gordon Wilson Snr to a 26-5 win over Maitland ace Alan Trotter. The other scores were- Ian Miller 19 Gary Stout 13; Jamie Reid 16 Graeme Mcintosh 12; James Barr 11 Brian Higgins 23.
Carrick Knowe tightened their grip on the Division 3 title with a 9-0 win at home to Whitehouse & Grange; Richard Tough finishing 2, 2, 1 to clinch a 20-17 win over Malcolm Weir. Other Scores Colin Mitchell 28 Callum Weir 10; James Hogg 32 John Holburn 8; Paul ODonnell 27 Fraser Milligan 10.