Stirling forced to settle for draw in league opener

Oct 7 2009 by John Miller, Stirling Observer Wednesday

A SUCCESSFUL last-bowl trail by Balbardie skip Sandy McDougall denied Stirling an opening victory in last Saturday’s Scottish League first division match at the Forth Street stadium.

82-80 ahead with the final delivery to come, the Bathgate bowler trailed the jack to collect two shots and give his delighted team mates a share of the points.

The match had been hotly contested throughout with the visitors holding a slender one-shot advantage after the opening five ends, but by the halfway mark Stirling had crept into a two-shot lead. At the 15-end mark a single shot in Stirling’s favour separated the teams.

Both sides finished with two winning rinks.

Aaron Hazel, Dougie Kerr, Neil Robertson and Brian Stillie won 26-13 over Walter McDougall, while Gary Malcolmson, David McEwan jun., Danny McCormick and Sandy Deans finished 23-15 ahead of Gerry Duggan.

Elsewhere, David McEawn sen., James Brown, Kris Storf and Jim Flannagan lost 13-26 to Graham Byrne, while Charlie Gibson, Rae Duncan, Jason Williams and Stuart Dalrymple lost 20-28 to Sandy McDougall. Totals: Stirling 82, Balbardie 82.

Meanwhile at the Balbardie stadium, Stirling ladies lost their opening Scottish League match going down 64-90.

EX-PRESIDENTS

STIRLING & District Ex-Presidents played their annual indoor match against Riverside BC last Sunday – and lost by nine shots.

Scores (Ex-Presidents’ skips first): D Craig 16, T Millar 14; W Glen 19, T Graham 26; J Stout 16, J Purdy 19; S McFarlane 26, T Findlay 19; B Morrison 21, S Samuel 19; H Petrie 14, I Gillies 24. Totals: Ex-Presidents 112, Riverside BC 121.

In a recent match against Livilands BC the Ex-Presidents won 167-92.

STIRLING BC

CHAMPIONSHIP – T Hood, ru – J McCabe; Presidents – P Neilson, ru – J Miller; Handicap – J McLachlan, ru – T Van Heusden; Senior singles – R Letford, ru – K Pratt; Challenge pairs – J McCabe and T Hood, ru – S Hogg and JR Gilmour; Club pairs – W Mailer and T Hood, ru – J Robertson and C McPherson; Challenge triples – R Letford, A Mills and H Letford, ru – J Davies, J Mather and JR Gilmour; Challenge fours – J Davies, S Hogg, J Mather and JR Gilmour, ru – R Letford, A Mills, C McPherson and H Letford; two-bowl pairs – J Robertson and J McLachlan, ru – JR Gilmour and P Neilson; Senior fours – D Campbell, R Linton, R Letford and C McPherson, ru – J Davies, K Pratt, J Miller and J Mather; Points – W Robb, ru – A Lees and W Mailer.

LADIES: Championship - C Shaw, ru - S Anderson; Castle - S Anderson, ru - G Simpson; four-bowl pairs - C Shaw and M Linton, ru - G Simpson and S Anderson; two-bowl pairs - G Simpson and K Mundy, ru - E Goodwin and S Anderson; Club pairs - C Shaw and S Campbell, ru - G Simpson and L Straiton; Presidents pairs - E Goodwin and S Anderson, ru - G Simpson and W Blackie, Rosebowl - Airdrie (M Kidd).

AIRTHREY SPA BC

CHAMPIONSHIP – J Stout, ru – I MacFarlane; Presidents – I MacFarlane, ru – G Malley; Vice-presidents – S Forbes, ru – I MacFarlane; seniors – G Malley, ru – I MacFarlane; Challenge pairs – R Middleton and I McFarlane, ru – G Malley and R Hall; two-bowl pairs – A MacAskill and I MacFarlane, ru – D Farquhar and J Stout; four-bowl pairs – I MacMillan and B Cordell, ru – D Muir and I MacFarlane; top skip I MacFarlane; Points – I MacFarlane, ru – R Watson; Drew cup – H McKillop and J Stout, ru – V Inglis and I MacFarlane; Mixed triples – J McGregor, M Malley and G Malley, ru – D Farquhar, H McKillop and J Stout; S&A Mann Trophy – J Stout, R Middleton, F Bartrum and B Huntly, ru – I Watt, A MacAskill, I Macfarlan and A Campbell.

LADIES: Championship – B Stout, ru – H McKillop, Presidents – M Malley, ru – E Cameron; Nancy Lennox – E Cameron, ru – H McKillop; four-bowl pairs – M Graham and B Stout, ru – I Steedman and M Wolfe; two-bowl pairs – E Cameron and J Patrick, ru – J McGregor and V Inglis; Elma Stanier Rosebowl – H McKillop, ru – J McGregor; vice-presidents – B Stout, M Brown and H McKillop, ru – T McCauley, I Steedman and E Cameron; Haldane triples – M Graham, I Wilson and J Whitelaw, ru – M Martin, H McKillop and M Malley; Thursday points – M Malley, ru – V Inglis.

COWIE BC

CHAMPIONSHIP - J Gairns jun, ru - W Glen; Presidents - W Glen, ru - R McEnearney; Vice presidents - D Haughton, ru - B Cooney; Hon presidents - M Callaghan, ru - D Haughton; Seniors - W Glen, ru - M Callaghan; Pairs - D Haughton and J Gairns sen, ru - B Cooney and M Callaghan; Triples (played as pairs - AN Other, R Grant and M Callaghan, ru - AN Other, P Medurst and D Ryan. Bob Jenkins - P Medhurst and W Glen; Dr Campbell - R Smith and D Haughton; Welfare cup - M Henderson and M Callaghan; Everett Shield - P Medhurst and W McDonald; Joe Rankine - D Ryan and B Cooney; E Cully - M Callaghan and D Haughton; T Berry Cup - R McEnearney.

The Redland Pairs, sponsored by David McCormack, Civil Engineers was won by H Petrie (Bridge of Allan) and Robert Whitfield (Spittalmyre).