IT was standing room only at a capacity filled Ayr Northfield with the sun gracing the Seniors singles, fours and Mixed Pairs finals alongside the mainstream pairs and fours event which also got underway in the third day of action from the Bowls Scotland National Championships.
There were new names on each of the five pieces of silverware with Houldsworth and Kirkhill (Penicuik) taking out the men's title, Bridge of Allan and Westhill the women's and Cupar the mixed.
Pride of place through went to Peter Jones from Houldsworth who won the Senior singles title, the first time he had ever been to the Championships as a competitor, whilst his opponent, Peter Godfrey from Grangemouth Railway was making his first every visit to Northfield, never having even seen the counties blue riband event in any form before.
Earlier both semis had gone right to the wire with Jones ending the hopes of Donald McKellar from Rothesay 21-18, scoring singles over the last for ends while Godfrey sealed his final berth with a double on the last end against Sighthill's Adam Melrose 21-20.
The title decider was a closely fought game throughout with Jones turning in a grandstand finish and wrapping up the title with seven shots taken from three of the last four ends to seal the verdict 21-14.
Previously a member of Beltane in Wishaw, the retired Ravenscraig employee was delighted with his success. He said: "It was a great final with some terrific bowls played. The support I had from my Houldworth club helped me through though. They lifted me, particularly in my opening game on Tueday when I trailed Ray Gall from Maxwellton 9-1."
Godfrey, a former professional football player, was disappointed with his performance but delighted to have made it to the final. He said: "That's the first time I have ever played for the club. But the better player won on the day. I've never been here before. I never expected to see so many punters round the green. The crowd was just unbelievable. I played for St Mirren, Falkirk and Stenhousemuir as a professional football for 10 years, so I'm used to big crowds but getting to the final at my first attempt was something special."
There was a dramatic conclusion to the ladies final as it came to a halt after just six ends with Bridge of Allans Jean Fisher being awarded the title after Seona Black from Bonnybridge injured her Achilles tendon. Fisher at that time led 8-5 but Black was in so much pain the she decided not to take the match any further.
"I'm absolutely gutted, particularly as I have been playing so well," she said. "I'm also upset for Jean because this is not the way you want to win a final."
In the semis Fisher scored back-to-back doubles to edge out Helen McVicar from Upper Cowal 21-18 while Black was made to dig deep before getting the better of Rutherglen's Betty Ducket 21-15.
However Black recovered enough to open her pairs challenge last night. Aided by a walking stick, she resorted to the lead position for May Alexander and they beat Longniddry 22-8.
The closing stages of the Mixed Fours event could have seen any one of the four semi-finalists take the title, but in the end it went to last year's beaten finalists Alastair Nimmo and skip Ruth Stewart who turned in a ruthless display, particularly in the final.
In the semis they held their nerve to edge a 16-14 win over Inverness duo Elaine Davidson and Keith McKay while Tranent's Dee Hogan and former Scottish singles champion John McCrorie scored the winning shot with the last bowl of their match against Carronshore's Vicky Leishman and Steven Glen to win 12-11.
In the title decider, Tranent stamped their authority in the early stages of the match, taking an 11-3, six end lead, but a brilliant display of leading from Nimmo, and followed through by Stewart saw them score on each of the remaining 10 ends to win 20-11.
Penicuik's Kirkhill club won the Senior Fours with a comfortable 21-5 win over Kennoway, while Westhill secured the women's fours in a low-scoring match against Neilston 12-7.
Back at the business end of the event yesterday, Troon Portland's Paul Foster skipped his rink to a hard-earned 14-11 win over Wellington Park, Newton Park, who won the womens fours title last year, safely negotiated their opening match against Marchmount 19-9 but there will be no fourth pairs title for defending champions Kirsteen McLelland and Sandra Steven and they lost a single on the last end to go down 15-14 to Kirkcowan.
Today the championships continue with the opening exchanges in the men's and women's singles and triples and the men's under-25 singles.
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