Forres Bowling Club latest: Burghead pairs victory and Thomson Rosebowl winners

Forres Bowling Club's John Ross and Stuart Robertson have won the Murray Cormie Memorial Shield at St Aethan's Bowling Club's Open Pairs competition.

They defeated Ian Donaldson (St Aethan's) and Barrie Andrews (Moray) 18-9 in the final, having defeated fellow Forres players, Alana Coutts and Malcolm Swinswood in the semi-finals.

The winners of the Thomson Rosebowl this year are Sheena Murdoch, Wilma Petrie, Malcolm Swinswood and Paul Coutts. They were unbeaten, winning five of their six round robin games, and scored far more shots than any other team. Two of their games were won without them dropping a shot, indeed they dropped just nine shots in the whole tournament.

Charlie Watt, Ailene Matthews, Alana Coutts and John Matthews suffered just one defeat, but it was a costly one. However, as the results went, had they won that game they would still have been beaten on shots scored.

Sandy Burgess was still in with a chance until he suffered his only loss to the eventual winners in his penultimate game.

Dean Dobbs started the competition badly, losing his first two games. He won three in a row thereafter, but the damage was done.

After losing their initial three games, Alex Porter's team had to settle for being the only side to avoid defeat to the winners.

John Ross only had one win and one draw to show for his efforts.

Harry Sutherland showed tremendous consistency. He lost all of his games, although two of them were by just a single shot.

Scores: P Coutts 36 shots, 11 pts; J Matthews 20 shots, 9 pts; A Burgess 22 shots, 8 pts; D Dobbs 19 shots, 6 pts; A Porter 19 shots, 5 pts; J Ross 12 shots, 3 pts; H Sutherland 11 shots, 0 pts.

Forres won their final Dow League section tie against Aberlour.

The away rink of Malcolm Swinswood, Gary Mackie, John Matthews and Paul Coutts started their game in style, going nap against their hosts. They continued their good form as they went on to lead 14-1 with seven ends played. Although they won only five of the remaining ten ends, they restricted their opponents to single shot end wins.

The home rink of Alex Porter, Harry Sutherland, John Ross and Dean Dobbs had a tougher time of it against Richard Steele's side. The visitors were pulling ahead, going 8-2 up with seven ends played. A five at the next end temporarily got Forres back into it, but they were soon 12-8 down. Winning four ends on the spin had the hosts ahead for the first time in the game, but Steele won the last two ends to ensure that the tie ended all-square.

Overall Score: Forres 38, Aberlour 20.

Forres were beaten in their home Over-55s League tie by Moray.

Charlie Watt and Marjory McCarthy were trailing Ian Ingram 6-4 after a handful of ends before going on a four end winning run to lead 11-6. However they let things slip, and needed their shot at the last to draw level at 12-12.

It was the seventh end before Ed Harris and Derek Sobey scored, by which time they were 7-0 down. The lads got it together though, snatching a 9-9 draw by winning the final three ends.

Peggy Locke and Roy Anderson led 8-7 with five ends to play. Unfortunately they lost all five to go down 17-8.

The 2018 winner, John Matthews, will face first time finalist, Derek Sobey in the Men's Championship final.

Matthews started well in his semi-final clash with Brian Riddell, going 9-3 ahead after half a dozen ends. Riddell then won three ends in a row to be just a shot behind, before Matthews got four in a couple of ends to get back on track. A pair of ends later, 13 ends in, Riddell had squared it at 13-13. A maximum for Matthews at the 16th end put him within striking distance at 18-14. He saw the game out 21-16.

Charlie Watt is into the final of the Men's Pairs for the second year running. This year he was partnered with six-time winner, Harry Sutherland.

Their semi-final against Brian Riddell and Paul Coutts began slowly, with the scores tied at 4-4 after six ends. Riddell and Coutts then seemed to take control, within three ends they held a healthy 10-4 advantage.

With three ends to play Riddell and Coutts still held a five shot lead at 11-6. Then the comeback started. Watt and Sutherland won five shots over those final three ends to force an extra end, and then squeezed over the line. Ed Harris and Alex Porter win play them in the final.

Gary Mackie, who led for most of the first half of the competition, has regained the pole position in the Scott Cup table with three rounds remaining. The competition is still very open, with only three points separating the top six players. Derek Crosby assisted as Mackie scored five points for the overall win. They trailed Paul Coutts 4-3 after four ends, before winning seven ends on the spin to go well clear.

Sandy Burgess looked on track for his second overall win in a row, leading Harry Sutherland 14-3 after nine ends. Sutherland started to get a few multiple shot ends which narrowed the score.

Losing a five to Mary Sobey at the first end wasn't the start John Matthews was looking for. However he soon went ahead, and went nap three ends later. The three points gained for his win puts him joint second.

Stuart Robertson held a slight advantage over Lesley Coutts for much of their game. Coutts drew level with two ends to play, but Robertson was determined.

The leader of the Scott Cup table prior to play, Henry Davidson, was 11-4 up on Alex Porter at half-time. Porter fought back in the second half, securing the win at the death. Davidson has dropped to fifth place.

Scores: G Mackie 22, P Coutts 8; A Burgess 22, H Sutherland 14; J Matthews 22, M Sobey 15; S Robertson 16, L Coutts 13; A Porter 17, H Davidson 15.

There was money flying everywhere as Thursday's Moving Hat-Night was won by Ray Boyd, Mary Sobey and Stuart Robertson. The trio kept on the move, partly due to two coin tosses, and lost only four ends.

Peggy Locke remained unbeaten, save for a bad coin shout.

A coin also helped Henry Davidson keep moving, before he was beaten in his final set.

'Lucky' Brian Caldwell lost no fewer than three coin tosses as he failed to earn a move. He made sure that he lost his final set to avoid a fourth bad call!

Lesley Mackintosh had been static, but came good in her final set.

Derek Sobey's only highlight was winning the first set..... on a coin toss.

Scores: S Robertson 14 up; P Locke 10 up; H Davidson 3 up; B Caldwell 5 down; L Mackintosh 10 down; D Sobey 12 down.