Forres, Elgin and Lossiemouth clubs will scrap it out in October to avoid the drop in the Morayshire indoor bowling league
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
PLANS to complete the Morayshire Indoor Bowling Association season in October will include three clubs battling for top flight survival.
Play was halted in the Alexander Wallace Toyota league campaign this month due to the coronavirus outbreak, with some important matches still to be played.
League officials hope that remaining matches can be slotted in later this year, prior to the next season getting under way.
If that is the case, Lossiemouth, Bishopmill and Forres British Legion will all be fighting it out to retain their status in the first division.
All three clubs are currently level on points, with Lossie holding the narrowest advantage on shots scored as they head into their final fixture of the season.
It will be all to play for when two of the relegation battlers, Lossie and Forres, play each other in the last game while Bishopmill take on champions-elect Fochabers at the final hurdle.
In the penultimate round of matches, Bishopmill travelled to deposed champions Hopeman with an understrength team.
After a fairly level start in the first session, Hopeman took command in the middle section of both matches. Zander Main and Philip McPherson played consistently to fend off the challenge of Willie Robertson and Ian McDonald to build up a considerable lead.
Ron Garrow won the first four ends for the visitors at the start of the second session, while Alistair Robertson was rampant over the next seven ends scoring 18 shots for an impressive 18 – 5 win.
With Kyle Godsman impressing in the final match, the Elgin club left empty handed in their quest for first division survival.
Lossie BC travelled to Alves, who at the time were still in with an outside chance of the title. The coast outfit looked favourites to claim the first two points with Alex Stewart leading 16-5 heading into the final ends, and with a strong finish won 20-5.
Gordon Gallagher led 13-5 for the hosts after nine ends and with an extraordinary finish counting 11 shots in three ends to keep his side in with an outside chance of a play-off for the championship and severely dent Lossie’s survival chances in the process.
George Jack and Tam Stewart started brilliantly for the visitors to again give hope for two valuable points, only for Forbes Symon and Colin Taylor to produce an onslaught over the final six ends to completely turn the second session on its head.
In the end, Alves claimed all six points as Lossie left slightly demoralised after a brilliant effort in both sessions.
Forres RBL travelled to Moray BC knowing that to have a genuine chance of protecting their first division status they could not afford to leave empty-handed.
But the Elgin club had their own agenda as they looked to finish the season strongly and put a significant marker down in the early stages, Davie Campbell and George Robb junior both continuing their great first season in the top flight with emphatic wins.
The second session proved to be much closer with veterans Ralph Smith and Harry Milne involved in a titanic match-up where they were tied at 10-10 entering the final four ends, before Smith finished with two doubles to win 15-11.
The final match was equally impressive with another veteran, George Robb senior up against a confident Neil Mathers and the scores were level at 9-9 with four ends to play.
This time Forres came good as Mathers counted a four on the 10th end and a single on the final end to secure a vital point for the visitors, who enter the final match of the season all level with their two rivals fighting for one survival place.
Results 1st Division.
Hopeman 65 Bishopmill 24, Moray B:C 70 Forres R.B.L. 39, Alves 62 Lossie B: C. 48.
