Tranent Bowling Club stars Jim Bonner and Brian ‘Sconie’ Young did East Lothian proud by capturing the Scottish Gents Pairs title in the finals of the Bowls Scotland Championships that reached its climax at Ayr Northfield on Sunday.

It truly was a memorable family affair, with 51-year-old Young skipping his 62-year-old father-in-law Bonner to the title with a battling 18-14 win over Brian Kyle and Alan Hainey of West End Stranraer.

The Tranent pairing raced into a 10-2 lead with a scorching run of 5, 2, (2), 2, 1 but then were asked serious questions at 11-10.

However, Young – an ex-captain of the East Lothian Hamilton Trophy team – was confidence personified, and highlighted his highly-skilled contributions with an inch-perfect chap and lie for a three-shot reward on end 16, to lead 18-12 going into the last.

And after clinching victory, Young said: “That was the big moment for me, as up until then the build-up to the heads had been ding-dong and the match scales could have tipped either way.

“Etching our names on the trophy is a very emotional moment for both of us and extra special to me as it is my sixth appearance in these championships but my first title celebration.” The trophy cabinet at Tranent’s Polson Park base is no stranger to housing National Championship silverware, as Graham Robertson (1987), John McCrorie (2000) and Dee Hoggan (2009) have all captured national crowns; but this latest triumph is a first in the pairs.

Hopes of another national title coming to East Lothian were dashed in the final of the mixed pairs, with the talented niece/uncle partnership of Dee Hoggan and John McCrorie (Tranent Bowling Club) losing out 20-11 to Alastair Nimmo and Ruth Stewart of Cupar in Fife.

McCrorie said: “We were delighted to reach the final and we looked in total control of the game when we led 11-3, but a change of jack length knocked us completely off our stride and we failed to score again, which was disappointing.” In the gents’ singles, West Barns’ Billy Mellors was a 21-16 victim of Scott Mackintosh of London Road Foundry in his first-round clash, while the EL-Coop triple of Craig Cochrane, Duncan Hogg and Gordon Pryde also fell foul at the opening hurdle in the gents’ triples when they made a 19-12 exit to Oldmeldrum.

In the gents’ junior singles, Ross Thomson of EL-Coop delivered a good 21-10 win over Douglas Balfour of Giffnock in his first-round encounter but then came up against a very impressive display from Christopher Stein of Markinch and lost 21-5.

The West Barns rink of Kevin Thomson, Chris O’Brien, Gary Landells and Alister Kennedy opened impressively in the gents’ fours with a 16-11 win over Thornton but then fell in round two as they lost 17-12 against Bainfield.

Sandy Plenderleith of Gifford launched his bid in the gents’ senior singles with a thrilling 21-20 win over John Nicol of Rothienorman but then bowed out 21-14 to a strong finish from his Rothesay opponent Donald McKellar.

The Port Seton rink of Willie Doran, Sinclair Thomson, Kenny Morgan and Alex Jamieson made a decent start in the gents’ senior fours but then collapsed to a heavy 22-6 defeat from Winchburgh.

In the ladies’ events, the Longniddry pairing of Mary Talbot and Reva Campbell made a first-round exit in the pairs as they lost 22-8 to Bonnybridge, while in the triples the North Berwick trio of Margaret Nisbet, Maureen Lorimer and Irene Robertson were also opening-round casualties as they crashed to a 21-7 loss against Hillside.

Leanne Baillie and her Cockenzie & Port Seton rink made a 25-7 first-round exit to a highly impressive Zetland rink who went on to win the title.

Castlepark star Janet Fairnie lost out in both the ladies’ singles and ladies’ senior singles, defeated in the opening rounds.