Balbardie IBC gents team face a tough test in this weekends fixture number three in the B section of the Scottish indoor bowls Premier Division with the Bathgate based club making the long trek North to face an Aberdeen opposition that have strong home carpet form.
Read MoreThe Balbardie spirits will have been lifted by a good 90-68 win at home to Ardrossan in last weeks match and it was a welcome bounce back from their opening 94-83 defeat away to Lanarkshire.
Aberdeen crushed Paisley 94-64 in their opening day home fixture and their morale may not be sufficiently damaged by the follow on 96-56 mauling inflicted upon them by East Lothian at Tranent. The other fixtures in the B section are, Ardrossan v Lanarkshire, and Paisley v East Lothian.
West Lothian gents team is confronted with a new experience having been demoted to the second tier of the national leagues; but their journey back to the top echelon is expected to be a one season affair and the Livingston giants have started strongly. Two home fixtures on the trot in Division 1 North saw the hot section favourites score handsome 98-61 and 95-69 wins over Arbroath and Abbeyview respectively and their target this weekend is to complete the hat trick away to a Headwell opposition that has lost both their opening matches. The other fixtures are, Abbeyview v Turriff, and Arbroath v Elgin.
Balbardie ladies conceded their opening fixture away to East Fife in the East Premier Division then suffered an 89-69 defeat at home to Midlothian; there are no league matches this weekend.
West Lothian ladies made a disappointing start to their campaign in East Division 1 but both were away fixtures, losing 90-73 to Teviotdale then102-53 to Bainfield.
Neil Speirs has carried the West Lothian IBC banner into the semi finals stage of the gents national singles with a walkover against Irvine; then impressive wins over notable figures Colin Hutchison of Bainfield (21-13); Stuart White of Tweedbank (21-12); and Jonathon Ross of Paisley (21-17).
Balbardie champion Gary Orr beat Ian Hudson of Glasgow 21-15 in the prelim round but then made a 21-10 exit to Mike Stepney of Elgin in the first round proper..
The semi final line up at West Lothian IBC on Saturday January 7 is Paul Foster (Prestwick v Neil Speirs; Martin Williamson (Ardrossan) v Dougie Berwick (East Lothian).
Lorraine Malloy represents the Balbardie banner in this weekend’s playdown action of the National Singles at Auchinleck and she opens in the prelim round against Caroline Ruxton of Arbroath at 10am.
Lisa Barrett carries the hopes of West Lothian IBC and has a bye into the first round where she tackles Sheila Teasdale of Cowal on the 2pm session.