Parkside trio enjoy double joy at Ayr

Parkside trio Brian Salvona, Kevin Boyd and Paul Veitch served up two brilliant wins on day five of the Bowls Scotland National Championships at Ayr Northfield.

Billy Mellors

Veitch skipped his front two to a 25-13 win over Canmore in their second round tie having thrilled their banking with a run of 5, 1, 3, 2 to lead 11-0 then 19-6 after 10 ends.

Then a third-round nail biter saw Veitch called upon to play the hero role at 14-14 and shot against on the penultimate end against Blantyre.

Veitch came to the rescue with a superbly judged ‘turn of the jack’ that paid him a reward of 3 and a double at the last clinched a hard earned 19-14 victory.

Parkside grace today’s final day’s play of the week long championships in company with Dean Mackintosh, the young rising star of London Road Foundry in the Junior Singles.

The Lothian banner is well served in the Junior Singles with Joe Mower of Haddington and East Lothian lining up in the opposite semi-final.

Haddington joined Parkside in the battle for glory in the Triples with the trio of Colin Dick, Stuart Thomson and Alister Kennedy always doing enough to score a 14-12 win over Northfield, having carded a timely 4 to lead 11-6 after 10 ends.

And a great day for Haddington saw their celebrated Singles challenger Billy Mellors move closer to emulating his title triumph of 2006 with wins over Dean Fleming of Currie (21-14) then, from 11-10, adding the 21-16 scalp of Steve Scott (Upper Cowal).

And there was even more to come from East Lothian with Dee Hoggan of Tranent in the Ladies’ singles making a spectacular recovery from 9-0 to crush the hopes of Edinburgh’s Shona Johnstone of Merchiston, 21-10, then further impress with a 2, 3, 1, 2 finish to beat Seona Black of Larbert, 21-13.

The West Lothian support saw Andy Dunnett and Lorraine Craig bow out of their respective Singles; but Uphall Station progressed in the Ladies’ Pairs and the Men’s Fours.

Sandra Steven and Kirsteen McLelland zipped to a 27-8 win over Longside that keeps them in with a chance of capturing the title for a fourth time.

And, Greg Logan skipped Frazer Muirhead, Stewart Getty and David Lamb to a 17-4 win over Tranent then to a 15-11 triumph over Abbeyview.