Gullane’s latest win, away at the Glen, means the 2010 champions have reached the half way point in the season with their 100% record in tact.  And with three home games in their remaining five the title is now firmly within their grasp.

Some resilient golf from the home team helped limit the damage on Sunday, but Gullane always looked to be in control and led four out of five matches for most of the day.  The exception was in match 3 where a creditable performance from home pairing James Pennycuick and Greig Govenlock saw them take control early against former teammate George Thomson and his partner Ross Thomson, eventually running out 4/3 winners.  But the visitors weren’t about to loosen their grip, and it wasn’t long before Scott Walker & Duncan Low delivered their point on the sixteenth green, followed soon after by Murray Saunders & Scott Gillies, then John Clelland & Greg Houlston.  In a strong finish Glen’s Graeme Noblett and skipper Innes Christie overturned a two hole deficit (after thirteen) to win their match on the last green and narrow the margin of defeat.

Defending champions North Berwick couldn’t take advantage of a weakened Musselburgh team, and slumped to a second successive defeat on the road.  The visitors might consider themselves unfortunate not to take something from this game with three ties going the distance, but the home team claimed a hard fought and well deserved victory courtesy of a finishing par (the only one of the day on the long eighteenth) from Tom Cordery and Brian Henderson.

And with Longniddry continuing their resurgence with a draw at Kilspindie it seems likely that most attention on the top flight from here in will be focused on the battle for survival.

Just two points separate the bottom five and there are sure to be some mouth watering matches ahead as the race intensifies.  Musselburgh can consolidate their position with a home win against Glen in a fortnight, although the visitors know they will steer clear of the drop zone with a repeat of the win they inflicted on Alex Chisholm’s side in the season opener.  Meanwhile a rejuvenated Longniddry side will be looking forward to their visit to North Berwick with some confidence – it was against the same opponents that Paul Gibson’s side broke their league duck just two weeks ago, and a repeat performance would lift them out of the bottom two.

Meanwhile Kilpsindie know they need to make the most of home advantage.  They remain unbeaten on home turf this term, but must now face a Gullane side that seem every bit as comfortable on the road as they do on their own patch.

Read the story in the Evening News here.