Station pair keep tight grip on ladies crown

West Lothian ladies pair Sandra Steven and Kirsteen McLelland claimed a Scottish title in the Bowls Scotland National Championships played at Ayr Northfield last week.

The Uphall Station duo reign as the pairs champions of Scotland for a recordmaking fifth time, adding to their triumphs of 2006, 2008, 2014 and 2016 by surviving a nail-biting 20-19 battle with Jenny Agnew and Liz O’Neil of Town holm.

All looked hunky dory for the Station, having steamed into a commanding 16-4 lead then 20-8, but an alarming loss of 2, 5, 3 put them under 20-18 pressure playing the last end.

When the Town holm skip fired the jack into the ditch for a hold of three titlesnatching shots there was panic in the ranks watching on the banking – but not on the green as McLelland brilliantly cut the loss down to a single with a last-bowl draw for second shot.

The path to the final for the defending champions started with a 20-11 win over Baillieston, followed by wins over four-times champions Leanne and Lauren Baillie of Cockenzie & Port Seton 15- 12, Longside 27- 8 then Dumbarton 13-10 in the semi finals.

Hopes that international star Lorraine Craig of Glenmavis could reign as singles champion for a third time were dashed when the winner of the 2007 and 2009 titles crashed out to a 21-10 defeat from Seona Black of Larbert in the second round.

Paige Mackie of Pumpherston beat her Currie rival 21-17 in the first round of the junior singles but then made a 21-10 exit to Darvel.

The Glenmavis Triple of Delia Flannigan, Jane Wing and Angie Uttley beat Kemback, 22-8, then made a 19-15 exit to Cowdenbeath.

The star-studded Uphall Station gents rink of Frazer Muirhead, Stewart Getty, David Lamb, and Greg Logan had the DNA to emerge from the championships as title winners in the fours so it was a major disappointment when they were outgunned 16-13 by Huntly in the semifinals.

Andy Dun nett of Queensferry was a serious challenger for singles glory but nose-dived from 10-8 up in the second round to a 2110 defeat from Jack Small of Crossgates.

Darren Pearce of Kirkliston suffered a 21-5 exit in the first round of the junior singles; Derek Mairs and Jimmy Mallon of Uphall Station lost 17- 10 to Northfield in the second round of the pairs; while Ian Watson, Davie Ross and Sandy McDougall of Glenmavis lost 11- 9 to Blantyre in the first round of the triples.