Unbeaten run continues for locals

The Dunbarton senior team continued their unbeaten run in the league when they won their seventh game in succession with a hard fought win away to Ulster Transport.

After circa 8 ends, the visitors trailed by 18 shots and were in serious danger of a disastrous defeat. However, the locals held their nerve, battled hard and by the midpoint, the scores were levelled. There still wasn’t much to separate the sides with only a few ends remaining but suddenly Dunbarton hit overdrive, thanks in the main to the rink skipped by Conor McCartan. Scores of 6 on end 17, 5 on end 20 and 5 on end 21 guaranteed an excellent win for the visitors. Aided by Andy Hughes who won by five and DJ Wilson who produced a superb comeback to win by 4, the locals garnered a very important six points.

Andy’s four had a battle royale with their opponents and neither side was able to build up any form of lead in the early stages. After five ends the away side had opened up a small 7-5 advantage but this was narrowed to a single by end ten, 10-9. With the game overall very close, Andy’s four hit a purple patch over the final quarter and helped by a crucial count of five on end 18, won by 5 shots.

Over the early stages of this game there only looked to be one winner as Gilford struggled to get going on the very quick and swingy home green. Scores of 2,1,3,1,1 were conceded and the away rink trailed 0-8. By the midpoint, the locals had reduced the deficit to five shots, 7-12 and then ends 11 and 12 proved pivotal. Some superb bowls by all four Dunbarton bowlers resulted in scores of 5 and 4 and suddenly it was DJ’s men that had the upper hand. The hosts responded and with two ends remaining, they held the lead 18-20. Once again, the Dunbarton four held their nerve and produced some fantastic deliveries over the final two ends to score 4,2 and a hard fought four shot success.

Whilst some of the other Gilford rinks struggled to adapt to the lightning fast pace of the green, Conor’s four began brightly and led 6-3 after 5 ends. At halfway this had been extended to 13-6 and the margin was still seven shots at the three quarters mark, 16-9. With the game very close overall, Conor’s four decided to try and win the game on their own with a blistering finish. Three counts of 5 shots + and they had outscored their rivals 18 shots to 3 over the final six ends. A tremendous 22 shot success for a rink that has been in top form recently.

There was little to choose between the rinks over the early stages as the hosts led 5-6 after 5 ends. On end nine the hosts took control. The locals trailed by ten at 15 ends, 6-16 but did play a huge part in the run in by lifting a vital count of six on end 19, eventually losing by nine shots at the close.