Tough end to 2016 for league hopefuls
But teenager Kyle gives club hope for the future
Bridge of Allan Sports Club’s Robin Bairner has admitted his frustration after a late injury brought the Richardson and Starling sponsored side’s bid to finish the first half of the East of Scotland Division One season to a frustrating end.
The firsts were robbed of the services of club champion Scott Mosely by a calf injury and that proved the difference as they went down 3-2 at Heriot Watt University to enter the Christmas break in sixth place.
But despite his frustration, skipper Bairner was keen to accentuate the positive with new arrival Jonny Brady claiming an impressive straight sets victory to complement Dougie Wood’s 3-0 success, which were sadly overturned by tight losses for Bairner, No 1 Roddy Campbell and Iain Logan.
Robin said: “There is no doubt that if Scott had been fit we would have won but sadly it was not to be.
“When you look back at our defeats then the losses that really rankle were the defeats to Dalgety Bay and Watsonians, both of which, had injury and work commitments not undermined us, we could have won.
“But we have so many positives to take from the first-half from Peter O’Hara’s outstanding play in our home games to the emergence of James Dougan as a real challenger for a first team spot and now the arrival of Jonny Brady from Giffnock, who was outstanding at Heriot Watt.”
Meanwhile the seconds travel to Edinburgh Sports Club to play their rearranged fixture with the capital club’s sixths which could take the Richardson and Starling sponsored side top of the East Division Three if they can claim victory with a 14-point haul or better.
Skipper Bert Mitchell has assembled a strong side ahead of a clash and said: “There has been a bit of toing and froing ahead of this one to try and get the rearranged date but now we have it tonight and we know that with this game being against ESC 6 and ESC 5 leading the third division they will be highly motivated to stop our bid to go top at Christmas.”
He added: “To that end we have assembled our strongest side of the first half with James Dougan at one, Martin Sanchez at two, Jonny Brady three, Martin Jack four and myself at anchor man and hopefully that will be good enough to get the emphatic victory we need to slip into pole position.”
Elsewhere the thirds, also sponsored by Richardson and Starling, will travel to Dean desperately seeking only their second victory of the first-half as they bid to climb off the foot of the Division Five table in time for the seasonal break.
Skipper Neil Mackenzie said: “It was another case of so near yet so far against Watsonians last week with a great win for Steve Bicknell at number one and young Kyle Penman coming so close at number four but just losing a five set epic.
“But we head to Dean tonight with Walter McAllister back in the frame and that will help boost our hopes of claiming a long overdue victory.”
Sadly the ladies will enter the break at the bottom of the East Ladies Division One after a 4-1 defeat at Grange.
The loss was marred by an injury to No 1Sabine Mackenzie and a frustrating five set defeat for skipper Sheena Logan.