Club stars set for top flight
BofA teams ready for new season
Bridge of Allan Sports Club’s first and second teams have been handed home starts when they will commence the new East of Scotland League season - boosted by the sponsorship of The Allanwater Brewhouse.
Following last term’s promotion to the top flight, the fixture list released this week hands the Minewood seconds the honour of kicking-off the new campaign with their first ever Division One fixture by hosting Heriot Watt University firsts on their home boards on Wednesday, October 1.
Twenty-four hours later it is the turn of the first teamers to start out when they entertain Waverley in a fixture they will be expected to win.
Meanwhile the thirds will mark their promotion to Division Four with a trip to Edinburgh to face Grange IV in a fixture that will be a real test of their ability to kick-on from last term’s Division Five title winning campaign.
With the new season just three weeks away preparations have been cranked up with team captains confirmed.
“Getting the captaincy for each team correct is absolutely vital and the job that Robin Bairner, Martin Jack, Stewart Penman and Sheena Logan did last season was a big part in us having our most successful season yet in the East Leagues,” said squash convener Bert Mitchell.
He continued: “We have had a bit of a reshuffle as Martin has stepped down and that has meant that Robin Bairner will now become the second team captain while Iain Logan is now taking over the first team captaincy.
“Iain is an experienced campaigner who captained Western in West of Scotland Division One for many years with great success and I’m sure will do a great job.”
Bert went on: “There will be fresh challenges this season with the first and seconds playing in Division One as both will have to be supplied with players from the thirds when they are hit with injury call offs so we are pleased that Stewart Penman continues to skipper the third team. Stewart has arguably the most important role to fulfil.
“We are also delighted that Sheena Logan will continued as ladies captain.”
With the countdown to league action now firmly on BofA have been hit with a hammer injury blow after former Scotland number six Blair Christie fractured his thumb in a freak training accident and will miss the start of the campaign with a late October return to the fray a best case scenario.
Despite that setback Mitchell remains optimistic of a good season and new arrivals.
“We are very close to making key additions to fill both number one slots in the first and second teams respectively and a big part of being able to do that is our new sponsorship deal with the Allanwater Brewhouse,” said the BofA squash convenor.
He added: “On top of that a number of our talented youngsters like Ben Orr, Ross Waddell, Fraser Laing and Kyle Penman are a year older and will I’m sure enjoy big seasons ahead.
“All in all we are very excited about the campaign ahead.”