BRYAN COOPER produced a super display of touch bowling to overcome internationalist Thomas Mann 21-15 in last night's final of the West Lothian Bowls Association Junior Open for The Fred Meikle Trophy at Buchan Park.
It was a timely win for the 26-year-old Bathgate star, who suffered disappointment in the recent final of the County Singles and was also putting to rest a defeat in the 2000 final.
Mann, who lost successive finals in 2005 and 2006, started slo
wly and that proved too much of a handicap in his bid to make it third time lucky. The 27-year-old from Newbridge, fresh from making his debut for Scotland in last week's Home International Series, lined up as the title favourite.
But it was Cooper who raced into a 11-4 lead after 11 ends which quickly increased to 16-8.
On end 22, with the score standing at 17-11, Cooper brilliantly edged Mann's shot bowl off the jack with a delicacy of weight that also pushed the jack just far enough to card a three to 20.
However, Mann was far from finished and he edged closer with two excellent singles to 13 then a jack-hugging double to 15.
Mann then produced a cracking opening bowl at the next to cover the jack but Cooper first rubbed and rocked Mann's shot bowl with his second delivery then, making more solid contact with his third, turned it more invitingly jack-high.
Cooper's final delivery was a real gem and perfectly executed as it swooped to the face of the shot bowl then toppled gently over to finish on the nose of the jack. Mann's final bowl hung high – and it was all over.
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