Bowls: Bainfield remain stuck in the drop zone after trip East

THESE are challenging times in Section A of the indoor bowls Premier League for newly promoted Edinburgh club Bainfield and they suffered their latest loss at East Lothian, succumbing 91-69.

East Lothian were sitting in unfamiliar territory for them, in second-bottom place, and their indifferent form certainly flagged up an opportunity for the slightly better off Bainfield to record a win that would move them clear of the immediate relegation zone.

“Our pre-match team talk for away games always focuses on a determination to hold the home team in the formative stages of the match so you can imagine my disappointment that one of our rinks trailed 13-0 after five ends,” said Bainfield team manager John Bell.

Yet he was able to salvage some comfort because the rinks skipped by Robert Marshall and Paul O’Donnell turned in winning performances although there were defeats for Colin Hutchison and Gavin Smith. Derek Oliver and Billy Mellors were the two skips that delivered for East Lothian and their efforts were more than good enough to compensate for the defeat of Willie Wood and Scott Kennedy.

Whilst failing to get the measure of Bainfield on two of their rinks East Lothian won the first seven ends 35-24, the second 20-18, and the third 36-27.

From a Bainfield perspective the major contribution to their defeat was the setback suffered by Hutchison who in company with his front-three of Daniel Gormley, Craig Aitken and Craig Paterson crashed to a spectacular 35-8 reverse.

Oliver was the hero figure for East Lothian as he skipped Ewan Fallen, Dougie Berwick and team captain Graham Robertson into a 17-1 lead after seven ends then stood 31-5 up after 18, and over the piece counted at 14 of the 21 ends.