Paul Coutts lifts Forres Bowling Club’s men’s championship title after victory over fellow former winner Dean Dobbs

Forres Bowling Club have crowned their men’s champion for the season - and it’s a familiar name.

Paul Coutts, who won the title in 2019, regained the trophy with victory over Dean Dobbs, the winner three years ago.

Neither player managed to initially get their weight quite right, but, with seven ends played, Coutts led 7-4. He tripled his lead with a three at each of the next two ends.

Dobbs finally found some form, and won three ends in a row to trail by only four shots, but a maximum at the 13th end re-established control for Coutts.

In the next end, Coutts was lying four shots and match but with the pressure on, Dobbs played an all-or-nothing shot and ditched the jack to claim a shot.

Not to be denied, Coutts claimed victory a couple of ends later.

There were some great bowls, and some ridiculously poor bowls played in the President's Handicap final.

Paul Rogan and Alex Porter were all square after four ends before Rogan took command, scoring five shots in two ends. Porter fought back, and, with ten ends played trailed 9-7.

However, Coutts had now found his length, and before long moved into a comfortable 19-10 lead.

It was at this point that Porter started his comeback in the semi-finals, and he was hoping to do so again. He trailed the jack with his first bowl at the 18th end, but Coutts played a wonderful shot to ditch the jack and lie right beside it. There was no way back for Porter and the contest was finished in the next end.

Tom McNaughton is one of the beginners who have done really well this season. He more than matched the vastly more experienced John Matthews over the opening four ends of their W D MacPherson final.

However seven shots over a couple of ends put Matthews in control of their tie, until a treble at the 14th end took McNaughton back in it at 13-10 down. Matthews gradually pressed on, and finished the game at the twenty-second end.

Paul Coutts and Dean Dobbs faced each other for the second time in the Men's Pairs final.

This one started with a bang, as after losing a single to Coutts and his partner Paul Corrin at the initial end, Dobbs and partner Skibo McKenzie scored an eight.

With 11 ends played, McKenzie and Dobbs held a 14-6 advantage but the gap was down to three going into the final end and despite a late rally, Coutts and Corrin were defeated by two shots.