The summer has flown by and in a flash we’re back in action in the 2025/26 Edinburgh League. Firstly, a big thanks to our sponsors, Cullen Kilshaw and AMT Auto, who continue their support of the Club. On the table, we have several new look teams this season and have entered an additional sixth team in Division 5 of the League. With a few of our teams scheduled to play Edinburgh University in Week 1, their matches were postponed leaving just three of our teams in action.
The season got underway on Tuesday 16th September as Team 4 travelled to take on Corstorphine in Division 3. This season sees Patrick Shanks and Chamika Diyunugalge joined by new teammates, Aidan Craig, Jay Jayalath and Ian Hislop (when he can be bothered staying in the country)! Their first match saw all three new players to the team in action as Aidan, Ian and Jay made the trip to Napier University to take on Corstorphine’s 3rd Team. It was great to have young Aidan back after a season away and he was flung into the deep end as he took on Marc Burn in match 1 of the night – the first end was close but went to Aidan 15-13 and from there he relaxed to win comfortably in straight sets. Wins then followed for Ian and Jay and the visitors found themselves 3-0 up after the first round of singles matches. Not an end dropped so far and that continued with three further excellent wins to give the Penicuik trio an unassailable 6-0 lead. Jay and Aidan combined in the doubles and lost out in five tight ends, deuce in the fifth. That was the only blip on an excellent night for Team 4 as all three players won their last games to give Penicuik a 9-1 victory – a great start to the season.
Team 5 this season are made up of Roscoe Cairney, Mat Dyluk, Rachel Petrie and new player to the Club, Iain Caddell. They were at home on Wednesday 17th September as they hosted Corstorphine 4. Roscoe, Rachel and Mat took to the table in a re-match of their first match of the 2024/25 season. Rachel got the team off to a great start with a straightforward win in Match 1 before Roscoe took on Corstorphine’s number 1, Fergus Harrison. Having won the first end Roscoe lost the next two 6-11, 5-11 but then forced a decider with an 11-7 win in the fourth – this match could have gone either way, but it was the Corstorphine player who won the decider 11-8. Mat lost his opener as the hosts fell behind for the first time – two wins out of the next three however and the scores were levelled again at 3-3 going into the doubles fixture. Maybe some doubles practice needed as Rachel and Roscoe fell to a 3-0 defeat – advantage Corstorphine. Roscoe kept the match alive with his second win of the night and when Mat defeated his opposite number, they led 5-4. Rachel faced the undefeated Fergus in the last match of the night knowing that a win would secure overall victory for the hosts – it wasn’t to be as she lost out in four ends – a close match throughout and probably a 5-5 draw was a fair result in the end.
Finally in Week 1, our new Team 6 were in action with a visit to Ocean Terminal. This season will be a learning curve for the team of Ian Millar, Tony Walker, John Grant, Stuart Bennett, Bill Purdie and Michael Daly. Four of the six players are new to the league, and their first taste of Division 5 action saw them take on a strong Murrayfield side. Ian, Tony and young Michael made the trip to the north side of the city, and they got off to a slow start with all three players losing their opening matches. The second set of three matches resulted in the same outcome; however, all three players played well in their respective matches and acquitted themselves well. The doubles saw Michael & Tony give their opponents a good run for their money but without success. Michael came closest to a win on the night with a 14-12 defeat in his final match of the night, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a whitewash as the Murrayfield outfit secured a 10-0 win. Nothing to be worried about for this trio, however. A good first taste of league action for Michael and Tony against far more experienced opponents. Things can only get better.
And so, to our first Player of the Week Award of the new season. All of Team 4 were undefeated in singles play. Jay and Aidan both dropped one end whereas Ian strolled through the evening with the loss of only 42 points over his 9 ends won, an average of less than 5 points lost per game. But we know this award is not just about who wins the most – sorry Ian! The most important win of the week came in Team 5s match v Corstorphine. At 4-4, the pressure was on but Mat was up to the task as he won the important 5th match to give Penicuik a point in their opener – Well done to Mat.
Finally, our controversy of the week section. It’s too early in the season for that isn’t it? Instead let’s look at a highlight from the week – Rachel in the third end of her second match of the night was 10-4 down and looked in real trouble – she, and her teammates, were delighted when she got into Rachel determined mode and rolled off 8 points in a row for a 12-10 win – moral for the week – even when it looks impossible, never give up!
OK one minor controversy to whet our appetite for the rest of the season. In the same Team 5 match, Rachel was umpiring and when a Corstorphine opponent lost against Roscoe - Rachel’s outstretched hand was ignored as the opponent stomped off in a bit of a mood. Now come on guys, we all hate losing but no need for that.
And finally, the introduction, maybe for one week only, of our quote of the week section! It belongs to John from Team 6 who in summing up the big defeat for the team quoted Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (not often that happens)! His inspiring quote?
“From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success”
We’ll ask him to sing it next week! Ah it’s good to be back.
The season got underway on Tuesday 16th September as Team 4 travelled to take on Corstorphine in Division 3. This season sees Patrick Shanks and Chamika Diyunugalge joined by new teammates, Aidan Craig, Jay Jayalath and Ian Hislop (when he can be bothered staying in the country)! Their first match saw all three new players to the team in action as Aidan, Ian and Jay made the trip to Napier University to take on Corstorphine’s 3rd Team. It was great to have young Aidan back after a season away and he was flung into the deep end as he took on Marc Burn in match 1 of the night – the first end was close but went to Aidan 15-13 and from there he relaxed to win comfortably in straight sets. Wins then followed for Ian and Jay and the visitors found themselves 3-0 up after the first round of singles matches. Not an end dropped so far and that continued with three further excellent wins to give the Penicuik trio an unassailable 6-0 lead. Jay and Aidan combined in the doubles and lost out in five tight ends, deuce in the fifth. That was the only blip on an excellent night for Team 4 as all three players won their last games to give Penicuik a 9-1 victory – a great start to the season.
Team 5 this season are made up of Roscoe Cairney, Mat Dyluk, Rachel Petrie and new player to the Club, Iain Caddell. They were at home on Wednesday 17th September as they hosted Corstorphine 4. Roscoe, Rachel and Mat took to the table in a re-match of their first match of the 2024/25 season. Rachel got the team off to a great start with a straightforward win in Match 1 before Roscoe took on Corstorphine’s number 1, Fergus Harrison. Having won the first end Roscoe lost the next two 6-11, 5-11 but then forced a decider with an 11-7 win in the fourth – this match could have gone either way, but it was the Corstorphine player who won the decider 11-8. Mat lost his opener as the hosts fell behind for the first time – two wins out of the next three however and the scores were levelled again at 3-3 going into the doubles fixture. Maybe some doubles practice needed as Rachel and Roscoe fell to a 3-0 defeat – advantage Corstorphine. Roscoe kept the match alive with his second win of the night and when Mat defeated his opposite number, they led 5-4. Rachel faced the undefeated Fergus in the last match of the night knowing that a win would secure overall victory for the hosts – it wasn’t to be as she lost out in four ends – a close match throughout and probably a 5-5 draw was a fair result in the end.
Finally in Week 1, our new Team 6 were in action with a visit to Ocean Terminal. This season will be a learning curve for the team of Ian Millar, Tony Walker, John Grant, Stuart Bennett, Bill Purdie and Michael Daly. Four of the six players are new to the league, and their first taste of Division 5 action saw them take on a strong Murrayfield side. Ian, Tony and young Michael made the trip to the north side of the city, and they got off to a slow start with all three players losing their opening matches. The second set of three matches resulted in the same outcome; however, all three players played well in their respective matches and acquitted themselves well. The doubles saw Michael & Tony give their opponents a good run for their money but without success. Michael came closest to a win on the night with a 14-12 defeat in his final match of the night, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a whitewash as the Murrayfield outfit secured a 10-0 win. Nothing to be worried about for this trio, however. A good first taste of league action for Michael and Tony against far more experienced opponents. Things can only get better.
And so, to our first Player of the Week Award of the new season. All of Team 4 were undefeated in singles play. Jay and Aidan both dropped one end whereas Ian strolled through the evening with the loss of only 42 points over his 9 ends won, an average of less than 5 points lost per game. But we know this award is not just about who wins the most – sorry Ian! The most important win of the week came in Team 5s match v Corstorphine. At 4-4, the pressure was on but Mat was up to the task as he won the important 5th match to give Penicuik a point in their opener – Well done to Mat.
Finally, our controversy of the week section. It’s too early in the season for that isn’t it? Instead let’s look at a highlight from the week – Rachel in the third end of her second match of the night was 10-4 down and looked in real trouble – she, and her teammates, were delighted when she got into Rachel determined mode and rolled off 8 points in a row for a 12-10 win – moral for the week – even when it looks impossible, never give up!
OK one minor controversy to whet our appetite for the rest of the season. In the same Team 5 match, Rachel was umpiring and when a Corstorphine opponent lost against Roscoe - Rachel’s outstretched hand was ignored as the opponent stomped off in a bit of a mood. Now come on guys, we all hate losing but no need for that.
And finally, the introduction, maybe for one week only, of our quote of the week section! It belongs to John from Team 6 who in summing up the big defeat for the team quoted Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (not often that happens)! His inspiring quote?
“From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success”
We’ll ask him to sing it next week! Ah it’s good to be back.
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