| 17/01/2012 | West pipped for Winter League title |
| WEST didn't get the "miracle" they needed as Fife won the Fife & Lothians Golf Associations Winter League for the first time in a decade. They made home advantage count to beat East 6.5-3.5 in the final match of the campaign at The Dukes and topped the table ahead of West. Fife had slipped up against the same opponents at Winterfield before Christmas and East headed to the outskirts of St Andrews with strong-looking line-up. Unfortunately for both teams, a severe frost meant that 18 temporary greens were in operation and all of these had enlarged cups. "It was a disappointing scenario for such an important game but it was the same for all the players," noted East team manager Tom Gowan. East got off to a good start as Dunbar's Danny Kay held James White, last season's Scottish Order of Merit, in the top match and then Ross Noon claimed the scalp of Scotland cap Brian Soutar. But Marc Simants and Calum Burgess were the only other winners for the visitors on a day when Fife wrapped up the title in style. Victors for them included Aberdour's Scott Crichton, who recovered from being one down at the turn to beat Stephen Simants 3 and 1. "With five wins out of six starts, Fife are deserved winners of this season's Fife & Lothians Winter League," added a gracious Gowan. Match details Fife 6.5, East 3.5: J White halved with D Kay; B Soutar lost to R Noon 2 and 1; G Sharp bt Z Culverwell 5 and 3; S Crichton bt S Simants 3 and 1; A Hain lost to M Simants 2 and 1; J Jamieson bt S Cunningham 4 and 2; R Walsh bt R Millar 6 and 5; G Forrester lost to C Burgess one hole; K Blyth bt D Warner 4 and 3; S Stewart-Cation bt B McLeod 6 and 4. Final table P W D L F A Pts Fife 6 5 0 1 35.5 24.5 10 West 6 4 0 2 35.5 24.5 8 East 6 2 1 3 28 32 5 Mid 6 0 1 5 21 39 1 |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 14/01/2012 | West need a 'miracle' |
| WEST team manager Jimmy Lamond reckons his side need a "miracle" to be crowned as champions tomorrow (January 15). The Fife & Lothians Golf Associations Winter League concludes with Fife hosting East in a re-arranged match at The Dukes on the outskirts of St Andrews. East came out on top when the same two sides clashed at Winterfield just before Christmas, keeping West's lingering title hopes alive in the process. Their race is run and now they need Fife to slip up for a second time to East to keep the title on the south side of the Forth. "We need another miracle," admitted Lamond. "We need Fife to get beat - any other result and they'll be champions. "It's really been out of our hands since we should have taken a point off Fife at the start of the season." Unsurprisingly, Fife team manager Bill Dickson is rolling out some of his big guns for the decisive encounter. James White, last year's Scottish Order of Merit winner, spearheads the home side, which also includes Scotland squad members Brian Soutar and Scott Crichton. "I have called on as strong a team as possible to try and secure the title," said Dickson. "After such a good 2011 for Fife golf, it would be a good way to start 2012 by winning the League as it has been a while since we did that. "We will give it our best shot but it won't be easy as East are a strong side and have some very good players." Lamond noted: "I reckoned that Fife would be sending out their strongest team. "But hopefully the fact the match is being played at The Dukes will act as a bit of a spur for the East boys." Danny Kay, the beaten finalist in last year's Scottish Amateur Championship, is making his first appearance of the campaign for Tom Gowan's team. Battle Trophy holder Zander Culverwell is also in the visiting line-up, as is Ross Noon, the 2011 Lothians Order of Merit winner. "It is an unusual position to be in - knowing that we can't win the title but can play a part in its destiny," said Gowan. "Fife are going into the match as slight favourites but this is ss strong a team as we fielded all season. "We are going there aiming to show we are a strong team and, hopefully, we can record a fourth win of the campaign." Teams Fife: James White, Brian Soutar, Gary Sharp, Scott Critchon, Scott Stewart-Cation, Kev Blyth, Ally Hain, Ryan Walsh, Josh Jamieson, Greg Forrester. East: Danny Kay, Zander Culverwell, Ross Noon, Stephen Simants, David Warner, Benn McLeod, Marc Simants, Scott Cunningham, Calum Burgess, Ross Millar. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 14/01/2012 | Wins for Carrickvale and Silverknowes |
| CARRICKVALE and Silverknowes are still locked together in the Edinburgh Municipal Clubs Winter League after coming out of cold storage to win their first matches of 2012. Both victories came on the road, with Carrickvale returning to the scene of their historic Dispatch Trophy treble to beat Braids United and Silverknowes seeing off a stuffy Portobello side. According to team manager George Alexander, Carrickvale had a "very tight game" up at the Braids and he felt his side were a touch fortunate to emerge with a 2.5-1.5 success. Silverknowes won 3.5-0.5 but that was also alot tighter than the scores suggests on a Portobello course described by the visiting Keith Reilly as being in "great condition". The latest results mean that Carrickvale and Silverknowes are both sitting on the six-point mark after three games. And the banter between the two sides had already started ahead of a forthcoming top-of-the-table clash. "We are ready - bring it on," said Silverknowes star Tam Caldwell. Carrickvale's David Ewen replied: "I can't remember the last time they beat us at Silverknowes. Granted they cuffed us at The Braids but we were a star player down." In the other group, Lochend made the most of home advantage to open their acccount with a 2.5-1.5 win over Edinburgh Western. But Harrison are still in pole position in that section after winning their opening two games. Group A Lochend 2.5, Edinburgh Western 1.5: Neil Donaldson and Stuart Turner halved with Danny Cameron and Brian Reid; Duncan Ireland and Johen Sward lost to Sandy McFeat and Gerry Curran 3 and 2; David Graham and Alan Thomson bt George Wood and Jim Robertson one hole; Robert Binnie and Paul Young bt Matt Davidson and Rankin Taylor 5 and 4. Group B Portobello 0.5, Silverknowes 3.5: Alec Gosman Jnr and John Martin lost to Graham Robertson and Kevin Reilly 3 and 2; James Heatlie and Kenny Craigie halved with Tom Caldwell and Stevie Garicoh; Asan Khan and Craig Brown lost to Paul Heggie and Ian Lamb 4 and 3; Scott Forrest and Harry Moriarty lost to Keith Reilly & John Macrae won 3 and 2. Braids Utd 1.5, Carrickvale 2.5: Sandy Miles and Martin Rutherford lost to Richie Tait and Darren Coyle 2 and 1; Stuart Morrison and Paul Gillem halved with Allyn Dick and Paul Cunningham; Michael Ahern and Glenn Marsters lost Craig Elliot and Dave Ewen 4 and 3; Alan McIntosh and Wayne McDonald halved with Gary Yorkston and Simon Hermiston. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 13/01/2012 | Longniddry step up title bid |
| LONGNIDDRY stepped up their bid for a first title triumph in 27 years after beating defending champions Glen away as the East Lothian Winter League resumed following the Festive break. The 4-1 win moved the visitors level on points with Tantallon, who lost at home to a Gullane side that is still in the title hunt as well with a game in hand. But Keith Cunningham's Longniddry side are in pole position due to a better 'goal' difference and they'll also be encouraged by having home advantage for two of their three remaining matches. For the Glen, this latest defeat all but confirms a return to the Second Division, with a draw between Haddington and Musselburgh doing little to shed any light on which of them will also be facing relegation at the end of the season. Shot of the day - perhaps the season - came in the Second Division as Gifford's Stuart Meikle holed his 5-iron for an ace at the fifth hole. That helped him and partner David Shearer secure a one-hole win, but it wasnt enough to prevent his team losing out narrowly to Kilspindie. North Berwick are up to second spot after a whitewash at Castle Park, setting up a crunch clash with Dunbar in their next match in the battle to join Royal Musselburgh in earning promotion. Division 1 Glen 1 Longniddry 4: George Thomson and Graeme McCann lost to Niall Glen and Myles Cunningham 5 and 3; Jim Jack and Gary Reid lost to Graham Clarke and Michael Bacigalupo 5 and 4; Colin Pattison and Russell Taylor lost to Chris Wood and Nick Aiken 2 and 1; Chris Timms and Barry Ford lost to Luke Fisher and Fraser Johnstone 3 and 2; Innes Christie and Euan Bowden beat David Porteous and Don McKinnon 6 and 5. Juniors: Fraser Christie and Fraser Edgar halved with Chris Algeo and Daniel Algeo. Tantallon 1 Gullane 3: Stuart O'Connell and Simon Holt lost to Stuart Roberts and Scott Walker 4 and 3; Calum Hill and Chris Low lost to Fraser Syme and Murray Saunders two holes; Stuart Wimberley and Andrew Doig lost to Alan Smith and Duncan Low 2 and 1; Eddie Danks and Roddy Stevenson halved with Robert Jack and Mike Corrie; Fraser Symon and Shaun Gordon beat Lawrie Main and Colin Sinclair 2 and 1. Haddington 2 Musselburgh 2: Keith Nicholson and Mark White lost to Myles Clapperton and Cameron Marr 2 and 1; George Blair and David Warner halved with Kenny Wright and Brian Henderson; Law Hardie and Glenn Anderson lost to Benn McLeod and Scott Cunningham 6 and 5; Neil Bain and Andrew Doctor beat Andrew Millar and Craig Jamieson one hole; Steven Smail and Daryll Souness beat Calum Burgess and Lewis Bain two holes. Table P W D L F A Pts Longniddry 7 5 0 2 23 11 10 Tantallon 7 5 0 2 19 15 10 Gullane 6 4 0 2 16 13 8 Haddington 7 2 2 3 16 19 6 Musselburgh 6 2 1 3 13 16 5 Glen 7 0 1 6 11 24 1 Division 2 Castle Park 0 North Berwick 5: David Connachan and Ian Sellwood lost to Mike Gray and Chris Brown 2 and 1; Allan Muirhead and Ricky Thorburn lost to Weston Main and Torquil McInroy one hole; Stuart Elms and Graham Girvan lost to Douglas Turner and Horry Lawson 3 and 2; Brian Thomson and Nicky Brown lost to Euan Lambert and Ross Brydon 2 and 1; Duncan McNeil and John Renton lost to George Cochrane and Gordon Milligan 4 and 3. Juniors: Connor Wilson and Jack Cooper beat Finn Donaldson and Finlay Hutchison 3 and 2. Gifford 2 Kilspindie 3: Blair Shearer and Colin Shearer lost to David Watters and Graeme White 4 and 3; David Shearer and Stuart Meikle beat Ross Colquhoun and George Gray one hole; Colin Thomson and Gordon Burns beat Cameron Gray and Martin Hay one hole; Mark Fawden and Stephen Doctor lost to Cameron Bourhill and Derek Naples one hole; Kevin Murphy and Steven Doyle lost to Grant Robertson and Gary Porteous 3 and 1. Thorntree 2 Whitekirk 3: Ian Gordon and Cameron Boyd lost to David Hill and Ian Hazell two holes; Shaun Cunningham and Brian Fairgrieve lost to Andy Ovens and George Ovens 3 and 2; Grant Fleming and Calum Glen beat Ross Millar and Kenny Plain 3 and 2; James Gribben and Craig Baillie beat Craig Fulton and Jack Rogan 4 and 3; Scott Jarvis and Ross Mullen lost to David Jeffrey and David Smith two holes. Table P W D L F A Pts Royal Musselburgh 6 6 0 0 24 6 12 North Berwick 6 5 0 1 23 7 10 Dunbar 6 4 1 1 22 8 9 Gifford 7 3 1 3 18 16 7 Craigielaw 6 3 0 3 16 13 6 Musselburgh Old 5 3 0 2 12 13 6 Castle Park 6 3 0 3 12 17 6 Kilspindie 7 2 0 5 12 22 4 Whitekirk 8 2 0 6 13 27 4 Thorntree 7 0 0 7 6 29 0 |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 21/12/2011 | Winter League title race still alive |
| THE race for the title is back on in the Fife & Lothians Golf Associations Winter League after leaders Fife slipped up in their penultimate match. Needing only a draw against East at Winterfield to clinch the crown, the men from the Kingdom lost 5.5-4.5 in a match that saw the home side making a rare decision to forfeit two games. It allowed West to regain top spot after a big win over Mid at Craigmillar Park and Fife now can't afford to slip up when they entertain East in a rescheduled match early in the New Year. "We have already declared our intention to revert to a full ten-man team for that one," declared East team manager Tom Gowan. Choosing to start with eight players and being 2-0 down straight away left East with a tough task on a bitterly cold day at Winterfield. But this unusual strategy paid off as wins were delivered by Ross Noon, Zander Culverwell, Graham Davidson, Marc Simants and Scott Cunningham. Ross, this year's Lothians Order of Merit winner, got the home side off to a fine start with a good win over Ian Bell, while Culverwell holed a birdie putt on the last to defeat Kevin Blyth. Winterfield man Davidson showed the benefit of local knowledge when he parred in the last few holes to also record a one-hole victory. Simants played solidly to earn his point, with Stephen Neilson playing his part as well by earned a share of the spoils against 2010 South East District Open winner Scott Stewart-Cation. It was left to youth player Cunningham to clinch East's victory. He was one up on Greg Forrester playing the last, where both players were around 15 yards from the pin after good tee shots. Under enormous pressure, Cunningham chipped to three feet and was conceded the hole after his opponent took 4. West's title hopes had suffered a setback when they lost away to Fife a fortnight earlier. It meant they needed a favour from East on Sunday to stay in the hunt - and even now they need another favour from the same team. That's because Fife still only need a draw in the rescheduled match against East, which fell to the weather at Balbirnie Park at the beginning of November. West's 7.5-2.5 win at Craigmillar Park was a lot more comfortable than the scoreline suggests as six of the ten games went the full distance. Gary Corrigan, Mark Timmins, Scott Young, Andrew Loch, Ryan Boyle and Stuart Crookston all won for the visitors while Simon Lockhart and Paul Heggie both secured halves. East 5.5, Fife 4.5 (at Winterfield): R Noon bt I Bell 2 and 1; Z Culverwell bt K Blyth one hole; G Davidson bt S Squires one hole; B McLeod lost to A Moir two holes; M Simants bt K Anderson 3 and 2; S Cunningham bt G Forrester two holes; R Millar lost to R Welsh 4 and 3; S Neilson halved with S Stewart-Cation; G Wishart (Fife) won by a walkover; J Stephen (Fife) won by a walkover. Mid 2.5, West 7.5 (at Craigmillar Park): J Whitelaw halved with G Robertson; S Johnston lost to G Corrigan two holes; A McHardy lost to M Timmins 5 and 4; G Reid halved with S Lockhart; D Anderson halved with P Heggie; S Finlay lost to S Young one hole; W Kerr lost to A Loch 3 and 2; J Bell lost to R Boyle 5 and 3; L Morgan bt L Gaughan one hole; K Brown lost to S Crookston 4 and 3. Table P W D L F A Pts West 6 4 0 2 35.5 24.5 8 Fife 5 4 0 1 29 21 8 East 5 2 1 2 24.5 25.5 5 Mid 6 0 1 5 21 39 1 |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 08/12/2011 | Noon tops LGA Order of Merit |
 2011 Order of Merit winner Ross Noon ROSS NOON has finally managed to earn some bragging rights on his dad Jim after recording a runaway success in the Lothians Order of Merit. The Craigielaw player finished out on his own at the top of the rankings after producing a string of consistent performances. It proved a sweet triumph for Noon due to the fact his dad, one of the top Lothians players in his day and a pro for a spell, fell just short in his attempts to land the title. "I think he was second twice in the Lothians Order of Merit, so that's one I've managed to get over on him," he said. During his travels this season, Noon was reminded about the success his old man, who now caddies for Sam Torrance, achieved as an amateur. "I was playing in the Edward Trophy at Glasgow Gailes this year and noticed his name on the trophy," he added. "That was quite cool - it's nice to be playing in tournaments he once did well in. "He still plays quite a bit over at Leven. In fact, he got to the semi-finals in the club championship this year and I think that has spurred him on a bit." Noon Jnr was spurred on in the LGA Order of Merit after finishing second in the Lothians Championship qualifying early in the season. He added wins at Turnhouse and Silverknowes and finished the campaign nearly 300 points ahead of second-placed Tom Caldwell. "I wasn't expecting to win it by as much as I did but I'm obviously delighted," said Noon. "I also had a few good results in SGU Order of Merit events towards the end of the season. I was third at Lanark and also had another couple top 10s and that is given me the belief that I can compete at a higher level." The Napier University student - he finishes a business and finance degree next May - intends to put in some hard work on his game over the winter. And he is predicting an excting 2012 campaign for the Lothians after watching the likes of Danny Kay, James Ross, Zander Culverwell, Neil Henderson and Paul Ferrier all make their presence felt this year. "I think there's a good crop of young players in the Lothians at the moment," he said. "Zander won the Battle Trophy, Danny also did well in the Scottish Amateur and there are others like Stephen Neilson who are knocking at the door. "Danny and I play a lot of practice rounds together. He's got the talent and also works hard at his game and it's great that he's got his reward for that [with a place in the Scotland squad]." Order of Merit final placings 1 R Noon (Craigielaw) 456pts 2 T Caldwell (Silverknowes) 181pts 3 J Ralston (Shotts) 144pts 4 C Johnstone (Royal Musselburgh) 120pts 5 S Young (Turnhouse) 110pts 6= M Cunningham (Longniddry) 100pts 6= D Donaldson (Gullane) 100pts 6= M Graham (Newbattle) 100pts 6= S Simants (Dunbar) 100pts 10 K Reilly (Silverknowes) 94pts |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 06/12/2011 | West lose top-of-table clash |
| WEST'S hopes of winning the Fife & Lothians Golf Associations Winter League suffered a hefty blow as they lost to Fife in a top-of-the-table clash. It ended 6.5-3.5 in favour of the home team at Charleton, while East and Mid fought out a 5-5 draw in the other match at North Berwick. West not only need to win against Mid in their next outing but also need a favour from East against Fife to keep alive their flickering title hopes. Growing in confidence on the back of his Edward Trophy triumph at the tail-end of the season, Silverknowes star Graham Robertson delivered a West win at the top of the order against Gary Sharp. But Fife were in the driving seat after coming out on top in the next five matches, three of which were closely-fought affairs that were eventually ended on the 17th green. Pumpherston's Andrew Loch and Louis Gaughan of Bathgate both won their matches by 2 and 1 for the visitors, while Mark Timmins and David Mitchell were all square when their match was declared a halve due to it being too dark to play the last. "Our inability to beat Fife has, barring miracles, once again handed them the title," bemoaned West team manager Jimmy Lamond. "But the match was closer than the final score suggests as all the games, other than three big Fife victories, could have gone either way." Mid picked up their first point of the campaign after holding East to a 5-5 draw in the other match at the West Links in North Berwick. At the turn, the hosts were up in five matches and all square in another three. A stirring fightback then put Mid on the verge of victory but, in the end, a share of the spoils was just about right. Ross Noon beat Allyn Dick in a clash between this year's Lothians Order of Merit winner and Lothians Champion of Champions in the top match. Other East winners were Zander Culverwell, Benn McLeod, Callum Burgess and Stephen Simants, with Scott Johnston, Mike Foley, Anthony Blaney, Scott Finlay and Scott Walker replying for the visitors. Fife 6.5, West 3.5: G Sharp (St Andrews) lost to G Robertson (Silverknowes) 2 and 1; C Martin (Balbirnie Park) bt A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links) 2 and 1; K Anderson (Charleton) bt G Corrigan (Greenburn) 5 and 3; K Blyth (Lundin) bt S McClory (Bathgate) 2 and 1; J Jamieson (St Andrews New) bt L Bain (Turnhouse) 5 and 4; J Douglas (Aberdour) lost to A Loch (Pumpherston) 2 and 1; R Walsh (Kirkcaldy) lost to L Gaughan (Bathgate) 2 and 1; D Mitchell (Leven) halved with M Timmins (Pumpherston); S Stewart-Cation (The Dukes) bt S Crookston (Bathgate) 6 and 5. East 5, Mid 5: R Noon (Craigielaw) bt A Dick (Kingsknowe) 3 and 2; Z Culverwell (Dunbar) bt D Miller (Duddingston) one hole; B McLeod (Musselburgh) bt A Robertson (Craigmillar Park) 3 and 2; S Neilson (Dunbar) lost to S Johnston (Prestonfield) 3 and 2; D Warner (Haddington) lost to M Foley (Kingsknowe) 5 and 4; C Burgess (Musselburgh) bt L Morgan (Swanston New) one hole; C Hill (Tantallon) lost to A Blaney (Liberton) one hole; E Donaldson (Craigielaw) lost to S Finlay (Liberton) 3 and 2; M Simants (Dunbar) lost to S Walker (West Linton) 3 and 2; S Simants (Dunbar) bt J Bell (Swanston New) 2 and 1. Table P W D L F A Pts Fife 4 4 0 0 24.5 15.5 8 West 5 3 0 2 28 22 6 East 4 1 1 2 19 21 3 Mid 5 0 1 4 18.5 31.5 1 |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 28/11/2011 | Revenge is sweet for West |
| WEST and Fife are set for a potential title decider on Sunday, December 4 after winning their latest matches in the Lothians and Fife Golf Associations Winter League. In what was sweet revenge for a heaviest-ever defeat at the hands of the same opponents earlier in the season, West beat East 8-2 at Silverknowes. The pattern was set early, with West establishing a 7.5-2.5 lead after eight holes, a score East never improved on to the end. In the top match - a clash between the last two Lothians Order of Merit winners - host club man Graham Robertson was never behind before winning by two holes against Ross Noon, who hit the clubhouse in losing the last. Behind them, Lothians champion Alan Anderson broke his duck for West with a 4 and 3 win over Stephen Neilson before Benn McLeod put East on the board with a 2 and 1 success over another local man, Tom Caldwell. Gary Corrigan, five-under for 15 holes, and Scott McLrey, six-under for the same distance, added to West's total with wins over Stephen Simants and Scott Cunningham respectively. Louis Gaughan and Mark Timmins both won by 4 and 3 to take the home side over the winning line before Ryan Boyle and Andrew Loch added the icing to the cake. In the final match, former Lothians champion David Warner delivered East's second success of the day as he led all the way in beating Stuart Crookston. The win puts West on six points from four games, leading the title race on 'goal' difference from Fife, who have a game in hand. In their latest outing, Fife overcame a tricky-looking trip to Baberton as they recorded an emphatic 7-3 win. David Miller gave the home side the perfect start by winning the top match against Ian Bell, but only Sean McGarvey and Lee Morgan added to the Mid tally. The defeat leaves Mid marooned at the foot of the table, having lost all four matches to date. Fife have home advantage, at Charleton, when they entertain West in that tasty encounter on December 4, when East host Mid at North Berwick. West 8, East 2: Graham Robertson bt Ross Noon two holes; Alan Anderson bt Stephen Neilson 4 and 2; Tom Caldwell lost to Ben McLeod 2 and 1; Gary Corrigan bt Stephen Simants 5 and 3; Scott McLory bt Scott Cunningham 5 and 3; Ryan Boyle bt Marc Simants 2 and 1; Andrew Loch bt Ross Millar one hole; Louis Gaughan bt Calum Burgess 4 and 3; Mark Timmins bt Marc Owenson 4 and 3; Stuart Crookston lost to David Warner 2 and 1. Mid 3, Fife 7: David Miller bt Ian Bell 2 and 1; Alex Robertson lost to Kevin Blyth 3 and 2; Sean McGarvey bt Alex Moir two holes; Mark Riddell lost to Ally Hain 5 and 4; Jamie McIntosh lost to Keith Anderson 4 and 2; Graham Reid lost to Josh Jamieson 2 and 1; Duncan Johnston lost to John Douglas 4 and 2; Lee Morgan bt Jamie Stephen 2 and 1; Scott Johnston lost to David Mitchell 4 and 2; James Muir lost to Scott Stewart-Cation 4 and 2. Table P W D L F A Pts West 4 3 0 1 24.5 15.5 6 Fife 3 3 0 0 18 12 6 East 3 1 0 2 14 16 2 Mid 4 0 0 4 13.5 26.5 0 |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 20/11/2011 | Newbattle notch vital away win |
| NEWBATTLE stepped up their bid to win this season's Midlothian Winter League after chalking up an away win at Glencorse. The Milton Bridge men have rarely lost at home in the event but went down 3-2 in a keenly-fought encounter. Craig and Scott Stables won at No 2 in the order while Graeme Reid and Greg Thorburn also delivered an important point. But, in the decisive match, Scott Simpson and Peter Hardwick beat Jim Laing and Stuart Reid to secure full points for the visitors. Newbattle now share top spot with Harburn, who won 4-1 at home against Broomieknowe in their latest encounter. Stuart Beck and Justen Ross were the sole victors for the visitors, who are still waiting for their first success of the campaign. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 20/11/2011 | Family affair for Baberton |
| FATHER and son Grant and Finlay McCall both won their matches as Baberton chalked up a fine win at Swanston New in the West Edinburgh Winter League. Grant, a former Lothians Championship runner-up, joined forces with Mark Riddell to beat Darren Baird and Ross Muir in the anchor match. Not to be outdone, Finlay also got in on the act, linking up with Dougie Waugh to record a 2 and 1 success in the second game. With Andy Laurence and Kevin Messer also chipping in with a point at the top of the order, Baberton recorded a 3-1 victory. "It was the first time most of the Baberton team had played the new course and in the games we won they were in front most of the way," said Baberton team manager Norrie Robertson. Royal Burgess also won on the road, 3-1 at Dalmahoy in what was a second successive defeat on home turf for the Marriott men. Brunstfield Links made the most of home advantage to squeeze out a hard-earned win over Turnhouse. In one of the pivotal matches, Kevin Cattanach played some superb golf aided by an extremely hot putter to win with Murray Paterson in the third match. And, at the bottom of the order, Keith Mackenzie and Bruce Scott won the 15th, 16th and 17th to square the match before Michael Watt's 12-foot putt to earn Turnhouse a draw came up inches short. In the other game, the spoils were shared at Ratho Park, where Kingsknowe were the visitors. It all came down to the last match, with the experienced Alan Crabbe rolling in a 40-foot birdie putt on the last to earn a two-hole success and secure the draw. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 20/11/2011 | Silverknowes make strong start |
| SILVERKNOWES and Edinburgh Western both chalked up whitewash wins in the second round of matches in the Edinburgh It was a second 4-0 win of the campaign for Silverknowes as they made the most of home advantage against Portobello. Silverknowes sent out a strong side and they had too much firepower on the day for their opponents in the Group B clash. Carrickvale also have full points in the same section after winning 3-1 at home against Braids United. The Vale side included all four members of their treble-winning Dispatch Trophy team and it's going to be a tasty battle between them and Silverknowes for top spot. In their opening game in Group A, Edinburgh Western beat Lochend at the Braids, where the match was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests. All four matches went beyond the 16th, with two Western pairings - Danny Cameron and Brian Reid at the top of the order and Sandy McFeat and Rankin Taylor in the anchor game - both winning on the home green. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 20/11/2011 | Longniddry lead East title race |
| LONGNIDDRY and Tantallon are out in front at the top of the First Division in the East Lothian Winter League after another weekend of upsets. No fewer than six of the eight fixtures resulted in wins for the visiting side, but Longniddry bucked that trend with 5-0 home win over Gullane to take over top spot from their opponents. In a match that saw all five ties going at least as far as the 17th, Graham Clarke and Kevin Girdler secured the whitewash with a last-green win. Tantallon maintained their challenge by winning at Haddington - a second successive home defear for Neil Bain's men. Skipper Stuart OConnell led the way for the visitors, teaming up with Simon Holt at the top of the order to secure the notable scalps of Keith Nicholson and Robert Kelly. With youngsters Chris Low and Calum Hill much too good for their hosts in the anchor tie, Andrew Doig and Stuart Smith claimed the points for Tantallon with a 17th-green success over George Blair and David Warner. Down on the coast, defending champions Glen lost for the fourth match in a row, this time to Musselburgh in a close encounter. In Division 2, Royal Musselburgh are clear at the top after winning at Gifford, but North Berwick also stayed unbeaten with a thumping win over Musselburgh Old. Dunbar got back on track as they handed out a whitewash at Thorntree, Castle Park picked up a win at Whitekirk - only their second success on the road in this competition - and Craigielaw kept in touch with a win at Kilspindie. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 09/11/2011 | Baberton win at Dalmahoy |
| BABERTON took pride of place in the latest round of matches in the
West Edinburgh Winter League as they sent Dalmahoy crashing to a rare
home defeat. The visitors won 2.5-1.5, the all-important victories coming from two combinations that included juniors Dougie Waugh/Finlay McCall and Ron Bradly/Fergus Lockhart. Kevin Messer and Jim Downie also played their part by securing a half in the top match against Douglas Hunter and Sandy Phillips. Playing with good team players can only help juniors get confidence so including them is a main part of the Winter League, said a Baberton team spokesman. Ratho Park, Turnhouse and Royal Burgess made home advantage count in the three other matches. Stuart Imrie and Josh Cullerton recovered from three down at the tenth to win the anchor match for Ratho Park and complete a 4-0 whitewash against Bruntsfield Links. At Turnhouse, where it also finished 4-0, Leigh Lawson joined forces with the experienced Steven Armstrong to win 5 and 4 against Allyn Dick and Daniel Holligan, while Mikey Reid, the other home club junior in the team, also won in tandem with Doug Imrie against David Weir and David McCann. Swanston New threatened to pull of a shock at Royal Burgess, where the visitors led 1.5-0.5 after their top two couples both birdied the last. But, after a good win in the third match, John Yuille and Richard Hughes sealed the points for the Barnton men with victory over Graeme Millar and Kyle Brown in the anchor match. It was a rare foray for Hughes, who is the Royal Burgess team manager. Match details Ratho Park 4, Bruntsfield Links 0: A Macphail and N Snedden bt M Rolland and J Scott 3 and 2; G Binnie and R Dobbie bt A Ritchie and S Foster 2 and 1; G Drummond and C McInlay bt E Paterson and R Bryden one hole; S Imrie and J Cullerton bt S Paterson and M Paterson 3 and 2. Dalmahoy 1.5, Baberton 2.5: D Hunter and S Phillips halved with K Messer and J Downie; D Marshall and L Burns lost to D Waugh and F McCall 3 and 1; R Carson and M Naismith lost to R Bradly and F Lockhart 2 and 1; S Murray and G Lovie bt I Gourlay and T Cannon one hole. Turnhouse 4, Kingsknowe 0: T Cadger and S Robb bt D Flynn and A Day 4 and 3; L McCathie and G Leitch bt B Buchan and M Knowles 5 and 3; S Armstrong and L Lawson bt A Dick and D Holligan 5 and 4; D Imrie and M Reid bt D Weir and D McCann 3 and 2. Royal Burgess 2.5, Swanston New 1.5: V Varadharajan and S Collings halved with M Allen and G Skinner; F McCluskey and S MacDonald lost to D Baird and R Muir one hole; G Pollock and I Park bt R Fergus and J Bell 4 and 3; J Yuille and R Hughes bt G Millar and K Brown 3 and 2. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 09/11/2011 | West on roll in Winter League |
| WEST are on a roll in the Fife & Lothians Golf Associations Winter League, having moved to the top of the table after back-to-back victories. In their latest match, Jimmy Lamond's men made the most of home advantage to beat Mid 6.5-3.5 at Greenburn. In the top match Lothians champion Alan Anderson and David Miller threw birdies at each other over the first five holes before the later went on to give the visitors a flying start. But, for the first time this year, West remaining top order players produced the goods, with Graham Robertson, Gary Corrigan, who recovered from being two down after five on his home track, and Keith Reily all securing vital wins. Bathgate youngster Louis Gaughan lost to the fifth and sixth against new Scotland squad member Anthony Blaney and was unable to recover, but that was only a blip for the home side. Tom Caldwell and Andrew Loch secured a further one-and-a-half points before Lee Morgan prevailed for Mid against Lewis Bain, the Lothians Boys' champion, with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th. Anchor men Mark Timmins and Stuart Crookston finished the job for West with comfortable wins at the bottom of the order. The match between Fife and East was postponed at Balbirnie Park. Match details (West names first): A Anderson lost to D Miller 3 and 1; G Robertson bt S Johnston 5 and 4; G Corrigan bt G Fraser 2 and 1; K Reilly bt M Riddell 3 and 2; L Gaughan lost to A Blaney 3 and 2; T Caldwell bt S Walker 2 and 1; A Loch halved with D Johnston; L Bain lost to L Morgan 2 and 1; M Timmins bt J Muir 3 and 2; S Crookston bt M Foley 6 and 5. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 03/11/2011 | Winter League round-up |
| GLENCORSE are leading the way after the opening two rounds of matches in this season's Midlothian Winter League. After picking up a point at Broomieknowe, the Milton Bridge men made the most of home advantage in beating Harburn 3.5-1.5. Newbattle edged a tight affair at home to Broomieknowe, who had been given the perfect start by Jamie McIntosh and Kevin Hastings as they won the top match. The visitors also won the anchor match but a strong performance from Newbattle in the middle of the order secured the points. In the South East Edinburgh League, Liberton are the early pacesetters after following up a 4-0 home whitewash over Prestonfield by securing a share of the spoils at Duddingston. The home side, with Dispatch Trophy star Paul Heggie in their ranks, won the top two matches but the Liberton tail-wagged to earn a fine point. The result left Duddingston sitting at the bottom of the men's table, but their juniors are flying high after back-to-back victories. "After last years decision to play Stableford proved to be too slow and disliked by the players, the clubs decided to revert to matchplay this year and are playing greensomes to ensure everyone gets a decent opportunity for a game," said league secretary Robert Bald. In the next round of matches, Liberton entertain Craigmillar Park while Prestonfield host Duddingston. Silverknowes, the defending champions, got off to a flying start in the Edinburgh Municipal Clubs' Winter League with a 4-0 win away to Braids United. Carrickvale, last year's beaten finalists, and Harrison also opened with wins on the road, beating Portobello and Lochend respectively. In the opening round of matches in the West Edinburgh League, Turnhouse won 2.5-1.5 at Ratho Park while Baberton and Royal Burgess drew 2-2. Lee McCathie was seven-under with his own ball in winning for Turnhouse in partnership with Gordon Leitch. But the pivotal match was the half secured by Leigh Lawson and Neil Anderson after the latter hit a lob wedge to a couple of feet at the last. Midlothian Winter League Glencorse 3.5, Harburn 1.5: A Shanks and M Louden bt C Deerness and M Burnett 2 and 1; D Thomson and G Reid halved with S Curran and J Gilmour; I Melville and C Hunter bt N McGarty and G Paul 3 and 1; E Walker and S McKay lost to S Murphy and S Walker 3 and 1; J Laing and S Reid bt N Hogarth and N Henderson 5 and 3. Juniors: C Quinn and D Wann bt C Guest and J Stewart 4 and 3. Newbattle 3, Broomieknowe 2: S Thorburn and J Hunter lost to J McIntosh and K Hastings two holes; C Stables and S Stables bt B Johnstone and P Avent 5 and 4; S Simpson and G Thorburn bt A Wynne and R Weldon 2 and 1; G Rodger and D Dickson bt A Bradley and A Sim one hole; J Barnes and P Hardwick lost to S Beck and J Ross 2 and 1. Juniors: D Gorman and N Corbett halved with M Stewart and F Whitelaw. P W D L F A Pts Glencorse 2 1 1 0 6 4 3 Harburn 2 1 0 1 5 5 2 Newbattle 2 1 0 1 4.5 5.5 2 Broomieknowe 2 0 1 1 4.5 5.5 1 South East Edinburgh Winter League Duddingston 2, Liberton 2: N Hamilton and C Scott bt F Smith and S Dickson 3 and 2; P Heggie and S Gibb bt J Cairns and D Eardley 3 and 2; I Stavert and I Fraser lost to G Scott and J Hunter one hole; J Shepherd and J Speakman lost to C Munro and D Kerr 4 and 3. Prestonfield 2.5, Craigmillar Park 1.5: S Johnston and K Campbell bt A Robertson and F Gray 4 and 2; G Mackenzie and L Blyth bt P Arnott and S Downing 6 and 5; D Johnston and A Dun halved with B Love and S Smith; M Crombie and R Stott bt B Summers and K Thorburn 3 and 2. P W D L F A Pts Liberton 2 1 1 0 6 2 3 Craigmillar Park 2 1 0 1 4.5 3.5 2 Prestonfield 2 1 0 1 2.5 5.5 2 Duddingston 2 0 1 1 3 5 1 Edinburgh Municipal Clubs' Winter League Group A: Lochend 1 Harrison 3. Group B: Braids Utd 0 Silverknowes 4; Portobello 1 Carrickvale 3. West Edinburgh Winter League Ratho Park 1.5, Turnhouse 2.5: A MacPhail and Craig McGinlay lost to S Robb and T Cadger 4 and 3; S Imrie and J Thomson lost to L McCathie and G Leitch 6 and 5; G Binnie and M Lee halved with N Anderson and L Lawson; R Dobbie and T Gorman bt D Imrie and M Reid 3 and 2. Baberton 2, Royal Burgess 2: no details reported. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 03/11/2011 | Spanish sojourn for Finlay |
| LIBERTON will be represented in the final of a prestigious junior event held in Spain for the second year running this winter. Emulating clubmate Anthony Blaney's feat 12 months ago, Scott Finlay has qualified for the Andalucia Junior European Open. The 17-year-old won a qualifying event at Westerwood, carding a four-over 75 in tough conditions to finish three shots clear of the field. The sixth staging of the Andalucia Junior European Open takes place in January over four rounds. It starts at the two Alcaidesa courses, with the final round over Finca Cortesin, venue for the Volvo World Matchplay. "It's a nice trip to look forward to early in the New Year," said Finlay, one of many promising young players at the Capital club. Blaney, who had just been picked for Scotland's warm weather winter training squad heading to Abu Dhabi later this month, finished fifth in this year's event behind English winner Max Orrin. "I was delighted that Liberton picked me to represent the club at Westerwood and it's great that I have managed to emulate Anthony by qualifying for the final," added Finlay, who plays off four and is coached by Lothianburn pro Kurt Mungall. "We are good friends and play a lot of golf together - he's someone I definitely look up to." Both Blaney and Finlay were in the Liberton team that played in the Junior Team Golf Home Nations Inter-Club Championship in Spain at the start of this year. The Capital club ended up with the wooden spoon but Finlay is hoping that experience will stand him in good stead for his next Spanish test. "I now know what it is like playing courses there," he said. |
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| Martin Dempster | |
| 01/11/2011 | West stage stunning fightback |
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| WEST staged a remarkable recovery to pull off a shock win away to East in the latest round of matches in the Fife & Lothians Golf Associations Winter League. The home side led 4.5-1.5 at one stage at Royal Musselburgh and still had their nose in front with two games out on the course. But last-green victories from Andrew Loch and Stuart Crookston sealed the points for West - their first win for over a year. It looked like curtains for Jimmy Lamond's side when Zander Culderwell pitched in for a half at the 18th against Keith Reilly. However, the first indication of the tide starting to turn came when Tom Caldwell pitched in at 18 to secure a vital point against Stephen Simants. This was followed by further West wins from Lothians captain Mark Timmins and the equally experienced Gary Corrigan. In those final two matches, West were one up playing the last in both matches, meaning a win, draw or a defeat were all still possible for both teams. Loch secured a safe 4 to close out his match against Ross Millar by two holes while former pro Crookston securing a half in 5 for his win. After winning their opening game away to West, Fife squeezed out a 5.5-4.5 victory over Mid at Drumoig to open up an early two-point cushion at the top of the table. Scott Walker, who has been doing a bit of caddying recently for Gareth Wright, gave Mid the perfect start as he won top the game against Colin Martin. Mark Riddell and Jamie McIntosh also delivered good wins for the visitors in the top half of the order before the tail wagged for Fife. And, in the end, it all came down to the anchor match between Scott Stewart-Cation and Mike Foley. One down playing the last, Stewart-Cation, last year's South East District champion, won it with an eight-foot putt to secure a halved game and victory overall for the hosts. Match details East 4.5, West 5.5 (at Royal Musselburgh): R Noon bt G Robertson 4 and 3; Z Culverwell halved with K Reilly; K Wright bt L Gaughan 7 and 5; B McLeod bt M Burnett 5 and 4; S Simants lost to T Caldwell one hole; M Owenson bt S Young 3 and 2; R Millar lost to A Loch two holes; C Wood lost to S Crookston one hole; S Cunningham lost to M Timmins 6 and 5; C Johnstone lost to G Corrigan 4 and 3. Fife 5.5, Mid 4.5 (at Drumoig): C Martin lost to S Walker 2 and 1; S Crichton bt S Johnston 2 and 1; P Latimer lost to M Riddell 5 and 3; A Moir lost to J McIntosh 3 and 2; S Squires bt D Johnston 3 and 2; M Buchan bt R Bald 3 and 2; J Douglas bt K Brown 3 and 2; J Stephen bt G Fraser 3 and 1; A Hain lost to J Muir 4 and 3; S Stewart-Cation halved with M Foley.
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