Visitors to the Northern this week was Hillside, with Jimmy Bathgate rink of Jimmy Martin, Bobby Bell. taking a two shot lead after five ends 5-3 ten ends saw them jump up a gear to take a 11-5 lead but eleventh end losing a 4 making the score 11-9 Hillside getting a 1 in the twelve end now only 11-10 next end saw Hillside lying three shots with Jimmy Bathgate one bowl left and a great trail of the jack into the ditch saw Northern getting one shot getting back two a 2 shot lead. after fifteen ends the score 13-12, last two ends saw Northern get a 3,4 making the final score 20-12 .Jim Prentice rink of Bob Bain, Mike Morrison, Bobby Lee, you could say had an off night winning only six of the seventeen ends finally losing out 10-31. James Watson,rink Dave Smith, J,McKenna, Alec Young, had a great start leading 5-1 after five ends stretching it to 12-5 after ten ends the next five ends saw the jump to lead 24-6 getting a (1,0,5,3,3,) losing a 2 at the last final score 24-10.Roy Campbell rink  Kenny Lawrence, Ronnie Scott, Davy Reid., out the traps moving into a 6-2 lead ten ends saw them take a 4 shot lead 11-7 after fifteen ends 23-10 ( 2,0,6,4,0) there final score 23-13. overall score(Sunset Strip ) 77-66. a good solid effort from all. Next up Tanfield Away.

A good home win on Tuesday night at the Northern against a tough Seafield team, and we were missing Ian Miller and Jamie Reid, Young Gogs playing the singles on R1, this was a cracker with great bowls being played over the whole match on a very fast Northern surface, Seafield came out tops on this tight affair winning 21-19,

On R3 a new pairing of Garry Harrison and Darren Prentice tried their luck,and this match was peels at 10 after 16 ends,after building the head we were lying one shot right on top of the Jack with Seafield lying a shot either side but crucially they had 4 bowls behind the head , skips second bowl sprung the white right in the middle of this bunch and the skip drew 2 more, so a loss of 6 at the second last and it was game over in the pairs,

so two losses and we needed the triple and rink to win both handsomely to take us through and fortunately both came up with the goods, so the triple of Mad Mitch, Andy Travolta and John Urquhart won by a few, and our Rink of Snoddy, Walter, Quiet and Retiring Gordon Wilson and even more quiet and retiring, no I really mean it James Barr who won by a good few shots, big well done lads,

and its Ardmillan next at the Northern

With Holidays in full swing one or two faces were missing from last week, Jim Prentice, Bobby Lee, Mike Morrison and Bob Bain leading 8-1 after five ends, end 10 came with the lead being stretched to 18-4 with the Rink getting the all inclusive EIGHTon the ninth, end 15 saw them again getting a massive lead of 25-6 finishing up with a 2 at the seventeenth making the score 27- 7.George Prentice, Davie Reid, Ronnie Scott and Kenny Lawrence got 2-0-0-2-3 after five ends the score 7-7 end ten saw them stretch there lead to 15-9 after fifteen ends 19-11, and a 1 at the last end making the score 20-12( scoring 13 of the 17 ends ) . Jimmy Bathgate skipping Jimmy Martin, Callum Anderson, and Robert Bell after 5 ends saw the Northern 3-7 down after 10ends 8-8 fifteen ends saw them cruising into a 17-9 lead scoring a 1 at the last end score 18-11.James Watson , Dave Smith,Alec Young, Keith Smith had a 7-3 lead after five ends but after 10 ends they were 11-14 down fifteen ends saw the 14 – 18 and losing a 3 at the last going down 17-21 final score.

Big well done to our Top 5 lads who saw off opponents Parky on Sunday night at the Northern,Young Gogs off 1st and submitting a 21-14 defeat,Andy the dancer Reid ( who if your stood behind him on delivery of his bowl follows it a few steps has a wee dancy shimy kind of thing, very amusing ) and delivers a handsome win 21-12 from this ex Northern Champ, all square, next off Jamie current club Champ who was beaten 21-17, last two still on were Ian optimistic ( if anything can go wrong it will, glass half empty ) Miller, and Young Daz and it was squeaky bum time as these two matches were tied at 18, but well done to our old war horse and the young Gun who came out trumps with two tight wins putting the Famous Northern into the next round against either Wardie or Brunstane at home, great result lads, its a team game.

Three rinks made the journey to Alloa in the long established game going back to the late 70s early 80s. A train journey to Stirling and another to our destination. Arriving  after a brisk walk to the Green we were met by our hosts for the day( the car travellers Gary Largue rink of Allan Mitchell, Ronnie Scott, Jimmy Martin) got of to a good start leading 7-2 after five ends but after ten ends they’re pulled back to 7-9 end fifteen saw them getting a 16-10 lead and the finishing line they got a 16-12 win. Next rink saw the rink of Dave Smith , Willie Robb, Craig Snodgrass( Biscuit thief )  and John Urquhart. they were having a close game after five ends 6-4 end ten saw the lead go to 9-7 and the finishing line getting a 15-14 win .President Grant had Callum Anderson, Kenny Lawrence, and Roy Campbell and were up against it form the start after five ends they were 6-3 down end ten saw them keep it to three shots 10-7 and after seventeenth end they were 19-9. Repairing to the Clubhouse. The Alloa Ladies presented us with a very enjoyable meal and we enjoyed the excellent company of our hosts. At a time when Friendlies seem to have lost their appeal for many this was an excellent reminder of what bowls is about, sport, friendship and enjoyment. As the saying goes ” what goes on tour stays on tour” so if Ronnie Scott’s new nickname or who the phantom biscuit muncher is you might be struggling for a response. Suffice to say Ronnie could easily now star in any western of his choice as the baddest gun slinger in town and don’t leave your Jaffa cakes unguarded when one guy is around. final score 45- 40 to Alloa but like all friendly games it not the score that counts it is the taking part.