Handicaps prove too much to overturn for our clubs

Both Second Division teams drew opponents from the third division, meaning that they would start behind the opposition.

With the odds stacked against them, but armed with reserve Graham Wood, Swots travelled to Forthill to play Duffers.

Giving as much as a fourteen point start in a first to 26 race, Swots were under pressure to make every point count.

The first two points were shared between Duffers and Swots, but the latter suffered a six point drought before Dave Beveridge added two valuable point to keep Swots in contention, albeit with a mountain to climb.

Duffers, however, sealed the victory and walked on to the next round with a fine 10-3 win.

Truants had similar odds as Swots as they were facing the Firemen from Kingsway at Blackness fire station.

The firemen opened a healthy 4-0 lead, and although the next six points were shared evenly, Truants could feel their opponents closing in on victory without giving any ground.

As the firemen extended the lead to 9-3, there was little hope from Truants to overcome the handicaps in all eight remaining ends of the match up.

Sascha Roschy fought valiantly to earn the next two points but the firemen extinguished the hope, to finish 10-5.

Overzealous Swots also played a postponed league match during the week against Telstars.

A strong performance in the first round of singles by Stewart Clark, Jim Houghton and reserve Graeme Elrick put Telstars 3-0 in front.

However, Swots conceded two of these losses by the thinnest of margins in the fifth set of the match.

Howard Lee scored a fine win against Stewart, which inspired reserve Collin Bleak to overcome Jim in straight sets.

Going into the doubles, Swots were trailing by two points, and an epic battle ensued between Dave Beveridge and Howard Lee for Swots and Jim and Graeme for the Telstars.

Neither team were willing to let anything go, but as the match progressed to its logical conclusion, tied at 10-10 Swots showed just a little more resolve to edge their opponents 16-14.

The final three matches were equally disputed, all going to a final set.

Howard managed to beat Graeme to equalize at 4-4, but Telstars were able to clinch the final two matches to win 6-4.