Fine win for Brora duo
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
This year the competition was played on a round-robin basis. Split into two sections, each team played four games of eight ends, with the winners and runners-up of each section going through to the semi-finals.
In Section A, George Mowat and Robin Colvin (Golspie) and Colin and Jean Dent (Brora) both finished with eight points. They also had the same shots difference, as well as the same shots for and against. So it was down to ends won and the Golspie pair topped the section with 21 ends won against the Brora pair’s 20.
In Section B, the holders, Mathew Norrie (Brora) and partner Duncan Farmer (Tain) topped the group with eight points. Runners-up were Angus Mackenzie and Angus Mackay (Brora) who pipped Alister and Margaret Macleod (Brora) by one shot.
In the first semi-final, Mackenzie and Mackay held a two-shot lead going into the final end. Mowat and Colvin lay two shots on this end before the skips went up to play. Mackenzie’s final delivery saw him edge one of his bowls in for second shot and that was enough to see them through.
In the other semi, Norrie and Farmer held a seven-shot lead going into the final end, but the Dents rallied and lay seven shots, hoping to force an extra end, until Norrie got his last bowl in to cut the count and see them through to the final.
In a closely fought final, Mackenzie and Mackay led 7-3 on the sixth end, but a four at the seventh by Norrie and Farmer levelled the game going into the final end. Mackay drew the shot with his final bowl, only to see Norrie get it back with his first bowl. Mackenzie managed to take that bowl out and, with Norrie failing to retrieve the situation, Mackenzie and Mackay lifted the Hunters trophy by eight shots to seven.
