Queensberry go through after beating Brunstane

QUEENSBERRY pulled rank on their Division 3 challengers Brunstane in the preliminary round of the Specsavers Opticians-sponsored Edinburgh Cup and the competitive Division 1 outfit marched smartly into the first round with an 8-4 points victory.

The home leg was a must-win situation for the promoted champions of Division 2 and wins on two of their three rinks compensated them for a heavy defeat on the third.

Brunstane did deliver one bloody nose with Alan McKenzie in cavalier form to skip Ian Spence George Langland and Ian Fauld to a spectacular 29-9 win over JB Stewart having mad a break from 10 to 20 -6 with a run of 1, 4, 4, 1.

Queensberry were not to be denied however and the nerve-settling performance came from Gibby Davidson, who got off the mark with a run of 2, 2, 4, 2, to lead 10-1. Then he skipped John Dickson John Innes and Colin Jones to a 25-5 win over George Murray.

Win number two for the home team was delivered by Colin McKenzie. He was in lots of trouble at 13-4 down to Denis Ward but transformed the picture with an eight-end run of 1, 4, 1, 3, 2, 1, 2, 2, to skip Mike Boli, Fred Burns and Scott Walker to a 20-13 win.

The away leg for Queensberry was similarly productive with wins on two of their three rinks.

Alan Watson was their high flyer having rocketed into a 19-3 lead that included a five at the ninth end then skipping Charlie Conway Val Bruce and John Kidd to a 22-13 win over Jamie Gunn.

Frank O'Reilly had a tougher time against home skip Bruce Young but a double at the second last just tipped the scales as he skipped Brian Larkin, Dick Spence and Gordon Wilson to 16-14 win.

Brunstane made one positive impression thanks to Keith Young, who increased the pace from 12-6 up to skip Evan Shaw, Jonatham Semby and Steve Young to a 19-7 success over Drew Pollard.

Liberton set up a first round clash with Queensberry when the Edinburgh Bowling League Division 3 club won on two rinks home and away to defeat to Division 5 opposition Lutton Place 8-4 .

• SCOTLAND cap Thomas Mann of Newbridge and 2006 County champion Bryan Cooper of Bathgate go head to head in the final of the WLBA Junior Open for The Fred Meikle Trophy at Buchan Park at Broxburn tomorrow night at 6.30pm.