THE WEATHER played havoc with several Edinburgh Cup games last night but Wardie beat the elements to advance into the third round of the Specsavers Opticians-sponsored event.
They are currently riding high as the Division 2 leaders of the Edinburgh Bowling League so the formbook was in their favour against Merchiston, who are middle-ranked in Division 4.
Merchiston did inflict some damage with a winning rink in both ho
me and away legs but Wardie finished up commanding 8-4 winners on points.
John Maginnis set the scene for Wardie on their home leg albeit he was 9-6 down before springing into life and skipping Dave Wylie Donald Greenan and Brian Tulloch to a 20-9 win over Colin Cochrane.
Alan Nichol was much harder pressed to edge a 15-14 nail biter over Hugh Thomson, having stood 13-7 down before skipping Billy Holmes Mike Drummond and Stewart Lawrie on a run of 3, 1, 2, 2 to cross 15-13.
The Merchiston away success came from Andrew Nisbet as he added 1, 1, 1, 4 to lead 15-7 and finally skipped John Spence Terry Hickey and Ronnie Robertson to a 16-11 win over Scott Walker.
Wardie's top away performer was Larry Sorrell, who soon led 1 0-2 and remained in top gear to skip Ian Sommerville Stuart Mitchell and John Wylie to a 22-8 win over Alex Bryce.
Support for Sorrell came from the rink of Frank Cleland, Scott McDonald, Roy Brunton and Alan Ward, who battled into a 12-5 lead then held on to score a 13-9 win over Andrew A Nisbet.
Merchiston's home success came from Ian Burns who answered pressure at 15-13 with a run of 4, 3, 1, 1, 3 to 27 and skipped Paul Sinclair Bernard Murphy and Tom McDonald to a 27-17 win over John Duncan.
• TEAM manager Colin Stein leads his West Lothian stars into the quarter-finals of the Hamilton Trophy tomorrow with the East section leaders taking on West runners up Ayrshire at Armadale in the Cities & Counties Championship.
Ayrshire lost in last year's final of the event and, although fielding no current internationalists to the six of West Lothian, they are still expected to be tough opposition for the paper favourites.
East Lothian face the West section winners Stirling County West at Shettleston.
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