Edinburgh & Leith are in pole position to clinch the second qualifying place in todays final fixtures of the East section of the Hamilton Trophy and have the form book in their favour; but the city elite dont expect a picnic atmosphere on their visit to West Fife at Dalgety Bay.
Read MoreE&L come into the match revved up by a massive 45 shot win over Borders but do make changes with four players in the shape of Craig Mackintosh, Neil Watson, Stuart Isbister, and icon figure Robert Marshall missing todays call to arms.
The selectors bringing in Ross Thomson, Aaron Betts, Richard Tough and veteran icon figure Alan Brown. The line up is reshaped and that brings with it the challenge of achieving an instant and successful blend under challenging circumstances. Rink 1. Ross Thomson, Gordon Ramsay, Alan Brown, and John McDermott. Rink 2. Stephen Pilley, Gaving Ramsay, Richard Tough, and Paul Veitch. Rink 3. Graham Eddington, Robert Donaldson, John Kidd, and Paul ODonnell. Rink 4. Aaron Betts, Euan Craig, Stephen Pringle, and James Hogg. Rink 5. David Fisher, Ali McKenna, John Ramsay (C/Knowe), and Danny Gormley. Rink 6. Lewis Betts, Andy McNab, Liam McKay, and Darren Hush.
East Lothian are also very much in the qualifying mix as they share the 8 point mark with E&LBA – but 47 shots worse off – and they can punish any slip up from their rivals by scoring an expected win at home to foot of the table Fife county at Haddington.
Alex Marshall MBE can inspire a strong finish effort by the garden county and supported by fellow top flight skips, Alister Kennedy, Brian Young, Billy Mellors, Steven Morgan, and John McCrorie. It is very unlikely that both E&L and EL will suffer defeat but if so then underperfroming Midlothian could leapfrog them on shot margin both if winning away to Borders at Newtown St Boswells,
The Midlothian skips are; Dougie Russell; David Peacock; Craig Hodge; Colin Macfarlane; Colin Walker; and Colin Bonner.
West Lothians 47 shot win away to Fife made it six wins out of six and the table-toppers bid to remain undefeated in todays home match against Stirling County East at Kirkliston. Team manager John Black makes one change with Darren Pearce returning at lead to Raymond Logan in place of the unavailable Jim Speirs.
Grant King of Deantown captured the District Singles crown of Midlothian in nail-biting fashion as his 21-20 victory claimed the scalp of icon figure David Peacock of Danderhall. Paul Innes also heads to the national stage at Ayr Northfield with the Polton star defeating his club mate Jack Macnab, 21-14, in the Junior Singles. The results of the other finals played at Dalkeith BC were; Pairs: Polton 20 Buccleuch 17; Triples: Wallford 15 Shottstown 13; Fours: Bonnyrigg 22 Polton 8. Mixed Pairs: Penicuik 15 Bilston 11. Over 55 Singles: Mick Wiseman 21 Lawrence Lavin 12; Over 55 Fours: Kirkhill 20 Danderhall 5.
Carrick Knowe have opened up an 8 point lead over defending champions Craigentinny in Division1 of the Alpha Trophies Edinburgh Bowling League bringing the record 10 times title winners under growing pressures after 8 of the 14 fixtures completed. Craigentinny only managed a 5-4 away win over foot of the table Brunstane in this weeks fixtures while Carrick Knowes 7-2 win at home to Maitland csme on top of a catch up 9-0 win at home to Brunstane.
Postal often catch the eye by punching above their expected weight and did so again with a 5-4 win at home to once mighty Parkside that takes them into nosebleed territory in third place to the big two. It is nervous times at Northern with a not unexpected 7-2 defeat away to Queensberry leaving them in the relegation zone and some 11 points adrift of third from bottom Parkside.
Sighthill ( 9-0 away to Colinton) top Division 2 with a healthy 8½ point lead over a faltering Tanfield who lost 5-4 at home to foot of the table Wardie.