Buchan Park celebrate Kelso Cup victory

Buchan Park added to the club’s proud history with its first time capture of The Kelso Cup and the jubilant celebrations were sparked by a commanding 39- 18 victory over Whitburn.

It was Buchan Park’s first ever appearance in a Kelso Cup final, while the last of Whitburn’s four inscriptions came in 1982.

The final – watched by a decent sized crowd – lived up to its expectations of producing an epic battle for the honours associated to a Two Rink Championship of West Lothian, with the master scoreboard showing a 19- 17 knife- edge situation in favour of Buchan Park after 10 ends.

End 11 produced gamechanging drama with Whitburn holding six shots on their rink skipped by Peter Lynch, only for opposite number Brian Irvine to kill five of them with a brilliant judged last bowl draw into the head. Irvine went into end 12 against the collar at 10-6 down but inspired by his effort he captured the next six ends to skip Scott Brooks, David Ledgerwood, and Stewart Grant to a 15-10 win over Scott Halliday, James Halliday, Colin Fraser, and Lynch. Meanwhile, Barry Sword was in razor sharp form to skip John Black, Ross Howie, and Kenny Shaw into a 10-4 lead over Whitburn’s Mark Finlayson, Charlie Williams, Rab Sutherland, and Robert Knox.

The gap was closed to 10-8 before the Buchan Park team stole the show, rattling off 14 straight to win 22- 8 and seal the trophy.