A closely contested promotion tussle reached it’s conclusion on Sunday with a clash between the first and second placed teams. With just a point separating the top two, both Kilspindie and Haddington knew a win would be enough to take the second division title, but with Glen also in the race, defeat was almost certain to mean missing out on promotion.

And it was Kilspindie that made the most of home advantage to emerge victorious.  There was no repeat of the nerve-jangling cup tie between the same teams three weeks ago, and in the end the 3-2 scoreline probably didn’t reflect the home team’s dominant performance.

Only one game went the distance, with George Blair and David Warner securing the third tie for Haddington on the eighteenth green.  But by that time it was already too little, too late with Kilpsindie winning out in the country in matches 4 and 5.

Perhaps the decisive result came at the top of the order where both sides fielded experienced pairings.  John Hall and Bob Humble took charge against Andrew Doctor and Keith Nicholson, and when the Kilspindie duo finished the job on the sixteenth green they knew it meant their team had done enough, with one point already in the bag and Graeme White and Martin Hay well ahead a few holes back.

There was satisfaction, and perhaps a little relief, for home skipper Gordon Lynch.  And the Kilspindie players and supporters alike were delighted to celebrate their club’s first taste of Winter League honours since their solitary win in the Stroke Play tournament some 30 years ago.

The win also meant a ‘2^nd Division double’ for John Hall, who lifted the trophy with former club Royal Musselburgh last season.

Meanwhile Glen sealed Haddington’s fate when they duly delivered the win they needed to secure promotion.  The ultimate yo-yo team, Glen have never failed in a promotion bid, having won the second division title on each of the three previous occasions they have contested it.  Their final test was away at Musselburgh Old, as was the case last time they chased promotion.  And just as they did in March 2010, Innes Christie’s side produced an assured performance at least in each of the three ties they needed for the win.