IT WAS the final competitive day of the East Lothian Bowling Association season on Saturday as the four league champions battled it out at East Linton Bowling Club for the Courier Cup.

At the end of the day’s play it was Division One and Top Ten champions Cockenzie and Port Seton who capped an excellent season for the club by taking home the silverware, but they were run very close in the final.

The semi-final action saw Port Seton comprehensively defeat Division Three champions Longniddry by 33 shots, with all three rinks winning.

The form book was overturned in the other semi-final as Division Four champions Aberlady A defeated their Division Two rivals Haddington A by two shots with an excellent last-bowl winner by Steven Florence.

This set up a final between the Division One champions and the Division Four champions and yet again Aberlady A bellied their underdog status to fight their opponents all the way, finding themselves three shots up with only four ends to play.

When the rink of M Kellagher, J Gilholm, M Leith and A Inglis scored a one to peel with Kenny Morgan, Jamie Gordon, Martin Munro and Derek Oliver they moved four up with three to play.

But the rink of Tommy Thomson, Ian Cowan, Jamie Higgins and Scott Kennedy gave Port Seton hope when they picked up a three at their last end to lose out by two shots to D Malcolm, K Robertson, G McLeod and G Scott.

This left the Port Seton rink of Alfie Smith, Gordon Baillie, Steven Thomson and Steven Morgan with two ends to play against M White, A Mason, J Greenwood and S Florence with a one-shot overall deficit.

A two at the penultimate end put Port Seton in the driving seat by one playing the last end and, having built up a great head, skip Steven Morgan decided to block.

This left the game down to the hero of the first game Steven Florence to play a running conversion shot; however, his effort fell just off target to see his rink lose out by five and the team by three.

It was a valiant effort by the underdogs of Aberlady A but it was Cockenzie & Port Seton who capped off a memorable season.

This Saturday sees the league presentation day hosted by Division One Champions Cockenzie & Port Seton, when all ELBA clubs are invited to attend and all league winners are presented with their trophies. For the first time this will also see the youth league winners presented as well.

Turning attention to the indoor season, East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club opened its doors for the new season on Monday. The highly acclaimed Top Four tournament kicked off competitive proceedings while the morning, afternoon and evening leagues have also commenced.

Membership fees remain the same at £58 for full members and £30 for junior membership, while rink fees remain at £3 and £4 for non-members.

The draw for the Macmerry BC Open Triples to be held on Saturday has been confirmed.

It is: 10am: section 1 – K Donaldson, P McKeown, B Scott, J Williams; section 2 – M Riding, I Leith, A McLeman, D French; section 3 – G Hogg, F Potts, D Ballingham, I Walkingshaw; 11am: section 4 – M Penman, B McKeown, K McCrorie, P Lorimer; section 5 – B Forbes, C Cochrane, P Mair, R Buchanan; section 6 – G Blair, C Edmonds, M Bell, Late Entry.