Pumphy kids help seal title in Super Fours
Two emerging teenage talents featured in the Pumpherston rink that made West Lothian Bowling Association history by capturing the £600 title of the New Age West Lothian Council Super Fours.
The inaugural champions were the rink of Andy Mitchell, Liam Thomson, Nathan Davies and Colin Cruickshanks.
In the earlier qualifying rounds fellow teenager Aidan Davies (14) had played his part but pulled out of finals day at East Calder in order to turn out for Craigshill Thistle 2003s in their Scottish Cup fixture.
Thomson (13) and Davies (16) were in fine form on the day and played their part in a tremendous triumph for their Pumpherston team.
Mitchell (43) was drafted in to replace Davies for the final day, while original skip David Mackie was subbed out for 32-year-old Cruickshanks.
The driving force and brains behind the triumphant Pumpherston win was their juniors coach Dianne Mackie, who took the bold decision to enter a teenage-biased rink then combined the roles of selection and management to great effect.
Early round wins over Whitburn (Peter Lynch) and East Calder (Calum Black) were followed up at East Calder with Round Robin triumphs over both Armadale and Seafield then victory over Winchburgh in the semi-finals and Watson Memorial in the final.
A hard-fought final clash for the title saw the Pumpherston rink combine their natural skills with sharp focus and strong mentality to overcome the challenge of a strong Watson Memorial opposition in the shape of quartet Clark Steel, Ian Reid, Norrie Engelen, and Eric Miller.
Elsewhere in the West Lothian bowls scene, football legend Colin Stein was a big name casualty in this week’s second round play in the Weslo Seniors Open.
The Linlithgow Bowling Club star bit the dust at the 21-8 hands of Bill Close from Kirkliston, who storms through to the last-16 in fine form.
Stein was joined on the sidelines by 2016 champion Stuart Smith of Ratho who failed to shine in a surprising 21-3 defeat at the hands of Queensferry’s Brian Walker.
Ian Greer of Newbridge narrowly edged a 21-20 thriller over Mike Forde of Kinneil while another nail-biting climax saw John Collins of Middleton Hall survive a 21-20 battle against John Sweeney of Newbridge.
Meanwhile, there was an impressive victory for Robert Saunders with the District Senior Singles champion from Whitburn powering to an emphatic 21-5 win over a disappointed Ken Lawrie of Mid Calder.
Saunders is joined in the last-16 by his Whitburn club-mate John Weir who was able to get the better of Dave Landles of Pumpherston, 21-17.
Play in The Weslo continues today (Thursday) with four head-to-heads down for decision at Bellsburn and four at Kirkliston.
The expected tie of the round sees two big names tussle it out as Ian McGill of East Calder goes up against Norrie Alexander of Ratho at Kirkliston.
The first of next week’s action in The Weslo takes place on Tuesday with all four quarter-final ties being hosted by Mid Calder.