Dunbar pulled off the surprise result of the season so far when they beat Gullane last weekend.

Clearly the 11 times champions are no strangers to success in this competition, but their start to the current campaign – they opened with a 5-0 defeat at Musselburgh – has done little to suggest a return to the form that saw them dominate the event from 2004 to 2008.

But that changed on Sunday when former Scottish Champion Zander Culverwell teamed up with South East District Champion Danny Kay to lead the way with a 1 hole win at the top of the order at Gullane.  Indeed there was quality and experience throughout the Dunbar lineup as Scott Knowles and Stuart Johnston made their current season debuts whilst Mike Creasey turned out for a second time.  In a high quality match three ties went the distance, with the visitors eventually claiming both points when Alex McLean and Marc Simants prevailed by the narrowest of margins in the anchor match.

And Dunbar must now be considered serious contenders.  Five out of their final six matches are at home, with their sole remaining away assignment against struggling North Berwick.

The reverse brought Gullane’s impressive run of 16 consecutive league and cup wins to an end, and sets up a mouth watering race for the title even with the league just approaching it’s half way point.

But it also left the door open for Royal Musselburgh, the other promoted team, to move into pole position when they edged out the Glen.  Close finishes have become commonplace for Innes Christie’s team and this one was no exception.  But on this occasion the visitors could take nothing from the two ties that went to the eighteenth green, and their efforts came up short.

North Berwick were no match for Musselburgh and next up for the 2013 champions is a daunting trip to Dunbar, where anything less than a win will see them bottom of the table at the half way stage and favourites for relegation.