IT was a mixed bag of results for former men's and women's singles champions as the Scottish National Championships continued for the fourth day at a wet and bitterly cold Ayr Northfield yesterday.
As the men's blue riband event swung into action, 2006 winner Billy Mellors, one of the hotly tipped favourites who won when representing Edinburgh Goldenacre and has since moved to West Barns in East Lothian knew he came up against his old adversary Scott Mackintosh from London Road Foundry, who lost in the 2009 final to Ayr Seafield's Alistair Reid 21-20.
They traded blows and stood at 13-13 after 16 ends, but slowly Mackintosh strengthened his grip on the match forcing Mellors to save a game lie three times before he trailed the jack with his last bowl on the 24th end to win 21-16.
Next to fall was former junior and 2011 national champion Mark Kelsey from Rutherglen. In a evenly contested match, the scoreline stood at 17-17 but his Auchencairn opponent Scott McCubbin grabbed the second-round spot with a single and treble finish to win 21-17.
2013 and 2011 champions Iain McLean and Jonathan Ross however did progress, as did 2004 Junior Champion Stuart Bebbington.
Blackwood Victoria's McLean, who went on to win the World Champion of Champions courtesy of his national win, reeled off singles on the last five ends of a keenly contested match to beat Dave Smeaton from Duffus Park 21-11, Ross from Priorscroft was also pushed all the way by international colleague Robert Grant from Overtown & Waterloo but scored the match-winner on the 22nd end to win 21-17 and Bebbington progressed 21-11 against Stuart Roseburgh from Loanhead.
In the women's first round, Linlithgow's Lorna Smith, eyeing up the title for a record extending fourth time in a row had to dig deep against St Ninian's Alex MacInnes, finishing strongly, counting three singles and a double to win 21-14.
With a similar scoreline, double Junior holder Laura Welsh from Garrowhill has progressed through the ranks to the senior level and she impressed against Balgownie's Aileen Donald.
However there was disappointment for 1999 holder Margaret Letham from Burnbank Hamilton. She held sway at 11-6 on the 10th end, but only scored on one more of the 19-end match and she bowed out 21-14 to local Ayr Seafield player Susan Murray.
Also waving goodbye to her double title bid was newly crowned Senior Singles champion Jean Fisher from Bridge of Allan. She struggled against a brilliant display from 2013 senior champion Isabel Laing from Elgin and crashed 21-8 in 15 ends.
It's a full day of second round and quarter-final action today in all disciplines, in readiness for tomorrow's semi-finals and finals, where 10 titles will be on offer.
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