EDINBURGH Cup Day at Leith BC produced a thrilling-end-of-season encounter between Division 1 clubs Tanfield and Parkside and was a fitting climax to the EBL showpiece event sponsored by Specsavers Opticians.
The final was a repeat of 2005 which was won against the odds by Parkside. This time, Tanfield turned the current form book upside down to gain revenge with a 10-3 points victory.
The final was packed with incident and close scores in favour of
the champions on three of the competing six rinks and illustrates the fight put up by Parkside.
Parkside came into the final with the superior league form but while they faded on the run in to finish second, Tanfield caught the eye with a strong finish to escape their surprise flirtation with the relegation zone.
Wins for the rinks skipped by Mal Higgenbotham, Scott Wood, and David Snodgrass plus a peel for Graeme McIntosh captured the bonus point for shot aggregate (95-89) and ensured that the Tanfield name would be etched on the trophy for a second time.
"Our success is greatly welcomed as compensation for our poor league campaign," said Tanfield president Stuart Campbell.
The major drama involved the McIntosh rink and Parkside skip Alex Hurry, who looked to have produced a brilliant last bowl point's winner but was robbed of a shot by a slight movement of the jack and had to settle for a peel.
"Parkside might well have benefited from an extra impetus had that result gone their way," said EBL secretary Bill Ramsay.
As it was, the early momentum was with Tanfield thanks to the efforts of Higgenbotham skipping Keith McLachlan, Neil Buchanan, and Derek McLean to a 20-9 win over Ian Kay, having zipped from 4-5 to 16-5 with a run of 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 1, 2.
Then McIntosh was nip and tuck to skip Charlie McLaren, Dougie Bitrrell, and Alex Thompson to a 17-17 peel with Tom Hogg, Bobby Hughes, David Moran and Hurry.
A second nail-biting finish quickly followed with Jamie McIntosh, Kenny Lackie, Calum Prior and Snodgrass edging a 17-16 win over Robert Donaldson, having created early space with a run of 2, 2, 1, 4, 4 to cross 15-8.
Parkside then enjoyed better fortune in the shape of a commanding 24-10 win for Willie Watson who made a strong start to skip Andy Anderson, Jack Logan, and Darren Grant into a 13-3 lead over veteran Tanfield icon Willie Paul.
The 17-15 win of Tanfield's Alan Ross, George McEwan, Tom Taylor and Alex James was always on the cards as they defended a 14-5 lead over a strong-finishing Bob Ramsay.
The Cup was now tucked safely in the bag for Tanfield with a 7-3 lead and the margin of victory was enhanced when Scott Wood skipped Graeme Swan, Marshall Shearer and Stuart Campbell to a 14-8 win over Brian Salvona.
The full article contains 502 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
