Bowls: West Lothian hand Alloa a debut lesson

Alloa were keen to have a go on their Premier League debut but lacked the strength in depth of their opponents, and it was significant that their only winning rink was driven by a back end of prominent names in the shape of Brian Rattray and Steven Allan.

Allan produced a strong finish to pip young West Lothian skip Calum Logan at the post but the home team ruled the roost on the rinks skipped by Mark Allison, George Sneddon and team captain Thomas Mann.

The opening seven-end phase saw Logan adrift by ten shots but West Lothian were forging ahead on the other three rinks and were able to establish a 31-24 lead but Logan picked up strongly and they dominated the second phase 41-15. Alloa didn’t capitulate on the third and final phase, but West Lothian were always doing enough to take it 28-19 and fully deserved their 42-shot match victory.

Allison skipped Scott Logan, Raymond Logan and Bryan Cooper to a spectacular 37-11 win over B Ramage.

Sneddon led Stewart McMaster, James Greenock and Des Hagart to a 24-12 win over I S Ingles while Mann skipped Cameron Greer, Jamie Gracie and James Speirs to a 23-17 win over Kris Storf.

Meanwhile, Bainfield ladies entertained their West Lothian counterparts in the opening match in Division 1C of the national league and wins on three of the four rinks helped them triumph 87-67.

Mandy O’Donnell skipped Susan Brown, Eileen Lauder and Marion Dickson to a 26-13 win over Jean Brown and other rink scores were, Anna Anderson 21, Wendy Purdie 16; Kathryn O’Donnell 22, Ann Clark 17; Anne Watson 18, Jennifer Sneddon 21.