Injuries plague BofA ambitions
Bridge of Allan Sports Club’s squash champion Andy MacBean was left frustrated despite a 3-2 victory over Edinburgh Sports Club 3.
The win failed to secure a place in the top half of the table for the firsts. The side currently sit sixth with just one game left before the festive break.
The BofA man came through in impressive fashion 3-1 against Craig Valente-Wallace at the summit of the order as he spearheaded his side’s victory.
However, the tight margin of success overall has Robin Bairner’s boys 19 points adrift of their opponents.
Andy has no doubt that if the Minewood men had been able to deploy a fullstrength ensemble on a more regular basis they would be challenging for a top-four spot.
He said: “The match with ESC 3 was tight the whole way down the order and both sides took games off each other in the singles.
“That has meant that we haven’t taken a significant chunk out of ESC’s lead over us.
“But I have no doubt if injury, illness and unavailability hadn’t hit us so hard we would be top four and not worrying about whether we can edge into the top half.
“That has been a very big frustration for us over the first half of the season.”
Iain Logan and captain Bairner were also both victorious while Blair Christie and Roddy Campbell lost tight five-setters.
The BofA 2nds destroyed Linlithgow 4-1 at Minewood to rubber-stamp third place in the second tier.
James Dougan, Andy Meldrum, captain Martin Jack and James Stewart all came through, with only young Jonny Brady coming a surprise cropper at number three.
Skipper Jack was delighted with the comprehensive margin of victory in the local derby, which is the perfect springboard for a meeting with CC 3 this week
He said: “As a second team it’s always good to beat a first team and especially when they are neighbours.
“It was a very strong performance from the boys and one that has taken us 25 points clear in third place and firmly ensconced in the promotion places.
“We are more than happy with how our first season in division two has unfolded.”
It was a similar tale of success for the BofA thirds, who like the firsts are sponsored by Richardson and Starling.
They trounced Abercorn 5-0 to take their unbeaten run to eight ahead of the trip to Grange tonight (Wednesday).
Skipper Stewart Penman, who came through 3-1, said: “We fielded three juniors in Robbie Harper, Ben Orr and Ross Waddell and one grumpy old man in Bert Mitchell and they dropped just one game between them.
“That is a great night’s work on the road by any standard.
“We may be second by two points but, with three games to go until the festive break and one of those a game in hand, I don’t think there is any doubt that there is a growing belief we can win the division five title.”
In the East of Scotland Division One Women’s League Sheena Logan’s girls have reached the festive break in third place with a commanding 13-point lead over ESC 1.