First semi final of the day here in the Co-op Funeralcare International Open here at Newton Hall Holiday Park in Blackpool was an all Scottish affair between two exponents of the sport with Head Coach for Scotland’s Commonwealth Games Team, David Gourlay, facing up to one of the masters, six times World Indoor Champion, Alex Marshall MBE. The first set and it took both players a few ends to settle in with the score tied at 2 all in end four. Gourlay managed a triple off Marshall next end but promptly dropped a double in the next. End seven and after a hard tussle Gourlay took a single, then dropped short next end and Marshall grabbed a double back to level the set at 6 all. Nail biting stuff as Gourlay only just managed to sneak off with a single on the last end to take the first set 7,6.
Second set and 3 all going into end four it was Gourlay that drpped a single away and then again in the next end where he went walkabout and shots went awry and Marshall walked away with a full house - set score 3-8. Gourlay dug in and managed a single in end eight but Marshall sealed the set with asmile with a double and a treble to force the much needed tie break - 4,13.
Into the tie break and Marshall played a blinder to take a single and first end, second end and this time it was Gourlay that managed to walk away with that. Players shake hands as they go into the final end three - Gourlay drew in a close one and marshall just a tad short of it and after the dust had settled between the two battlers it was Gourlay that emerged victorious as he heads into the final later today.