THE relegation zone battle between Dean and Tanfield in Division 1 of the Alpha Trophies Edinburgh Bowling League somehow survived last night's rain-swept conditions in the Capital but the title-deciding fixtures involving top three contenders Pilrig, Parkside and Craigentinny were victims of the weather.
Craigentinny failed to start at home to Leith while the Queensberry v Pilrig and Hillside v Parkside matches had to be abandoned after six ends played and it is understood that these matches will now be played next Wednesday night.
Tanfield's une
xpected acquaintance with the lower region of the league was finally ended with the record six-times champions completing their late flight to safety with a 7-2 win at Dean.
The result is bad news for Dean as their five-year stay in the top division is almost certainly at an end given their 49-point total is the same as Queensberry and Leith, who have a better shot margin and now have a game in hand.
"We needed an additional point or two to give us a fighting chance of survival but it just didn't happen for us," said Robert White for Dean.
Wins for the rinks skipped by Scott Wood, Mal Higgenbotham and Graeme McIntosh helped Tanfield celebrate one of their few highs of a troubled season. Wood brightened up the bleak night sky with an early run of 1, 3, 1, 2, 1 to lead 10-2 lead against Bob Linton then a closing run of 3, 2, 4 from 14-7 saw him skip Craig Snodgrass, Neil Buchanan and Stuart Campbell to a 23-7 win.
Higgenbotham was also in a mean mood and turned the screws on Dean by skipping Bill McLachlan, Marshall Shearer and Derek McLean to a 19-9 win over Kevin McNab.
McIntosh took a few ends more to assert his authority but from 9-6 after eight ends he added 1, 1, 1, 1, 3 to move clear and skip Keith McLachlan, Dougie Birrell and Alex Thompson to a 17-12 win over Robert White.
Dean did make one winning impression and it was a strong one with Mike Davis cashing in on a 10-1 lead to skip George McNab jun, Keith Mitchell and Andy McNab to a 23-10 triumph over David Snodgrass.
League leaders Pilrig will resume their title/relegation battle against second bottom Queensberry with a 7-2 points lead as they are ahead on three of the four rinks and stand 29-21 up on shot aggregate.
Second-placed Parkside stand 4-4 with fourth bottom Hillside and trail 26-18 on the shot aggregate so need a revival when play resumes.
