PORTOBELLO Seniors produced the shock result of the indoor bowls season to date when they pulled off a magnificent 13-shot away victory over previously-undefeated table-toppers East Lothian in yesterday's clash in the East B section of the League Cup at the Meadowmill stadium.
East Lothian's form of five wins on the trot and an aggregate plus of 126 shots to the 18 of Portobello gave the impression that Willie Wood and his Garden County teammates were unstoppable.
"Although hopeful, our expectations of victory weren't t
hat high, we won fair and square and quite frankly we are thrilled to bits at the result," said a delighted Portobello spokesman Tony McLaren.
The reality remains, however, that Porty's 61-48 triumph still leaves them a qualifying mountain to climb as they trail East Lothian by two points and 82 shots as the league programme enters its second half.
Porty's second-place spot is itself vulnerable as they are only one point ahead of Balbardie after the Bathgate-based club edged a thrilling 54-52 away victory over Tweedbank yesterday.
Midlothian have disappointed to date but there is fresh hope at Dalkeith as they are back in the picture for second place following their commanding 79-51 win over West Lothian at Livingston.
"We are unlikely to catch East Lothian but we are now only two points adrift of Portobello and one behind Balbardie so there is incentive for us to mount a challenge to them over the remaining six matches," said spokesman Frank Gray.
• EAST LOTHIAN'S reign as four-in-a-row champions of the Premier League will end if they fail to wipe out the four-point lead of undefeated leaders Blantyre in the B Section, however, spirits are rising in the Garden County camp as a result of their latest win.
Wins for the rinks skipped by Willie Wood (+20), Alex Marshall (+19), Graham Robertson (+9) and Paul Foster (+6) made it an impressive clean-sweep and massive 54-shot victory over Coatbridge at the Meadowmill stadium.
"That was our best performance to date so, hopefully, our confidence is back and we can now kick on and peg back Blantyre," said team captain James Hogg.
Confidence is in short supply at Midlothian IBC following a third defeat in the A Section of the Premier League especially as it was a 19-shot setback at home to Lanarkshire. Colin Walker beat John Simpson 23-19 and the 15-14 defeat of David Peacock at the hands of Jim Meikle kept it tight but Graeme Archer lost 17-14 to Richard Gordon and Billy Peacock lost 28-19 to Robert Grant.
