Carrickvale hat-trick puts them in the

Dispatch Trophy history book

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Having started an amazing run by scraping through a match by the skin of their teeth, Carrickvale are now Dispatch Trophy legends after becoming the first team to win the Evening News-sponsored event three years in a row at the Braids.
Succeeding where both the Royal Bank and Bank of Scotland failed in the last 30 years, Allyn Dick, David Ewen, Darren Coyle and Craig Elliot earned their place in the record books with a convincing 9 and 8 final win over Lothians & Borders Police, having earlier negotiated a potential banana skin by beating Temple Golfing Society.
"I think there were a lot of people who didn't want us to win it again, so it is nice that we've all been able to handle the pressure we were under," said Dick as he basked in the glory of a marvellous golfing feat.
Three years ago, Carrickvale stepped on to the first tee at the Braids with no pedigree of any real note in an event that, despite the fact entries have dropped in recent years, is still a marvellous team tournament and one that, as Lord Provost George Grubb acknowledged at Saturday's prize-giving, the city of Edinburgh is rightly proud to host.
Represented at that point by Ewen, Coyle, Elliot and David Yorkston – Dick replaced him in the later rounds that year – they almost went out in the first round, needing two extra holes to finally get the better of Buckstone Golf Club.
Since then, Carrickvale have grown into a major force in the event and, having now been successful in two defences of the magnificent trophy, they're unbeaten in 19 matches over a course where disasters can strike all over the place, especially when the closing holes are into the wind.
On Saturday, it was blowing from the opposite direction and, while Dick and Ewen reckoned they'd been failing to fire on all cylinders earlier in the week, they certainly found top gear against their opponents, Fraser Jervis and John Hunter, in the top match in the final.
The Carrickvale duo were conceded birdies at both the second and third holes – Hunter blocked his tee shot into the gorse at the latter – before Dick, who had driven through the back of the green, holed from five feet for a birdie at the fourth, where Jervis missed from closer range for a half.
Both couples birdied the long fifth before Ewen produced a majestic blow up the hill at the sixth for another conceded birdie.
Hunter's drive at the next kicked off the steep bank, leaving his partner in a bunker at the side of the 14th green. Jervis was also faced with a horrible lie but he conjured up a brilliant recovery and then holed a good par putt for a half, rightly describing it as "a career 4" as he headed off to the next tee.
From there, Dick, a 30-year-old who plays off plus one and must surely be a strong contender for a place in the Lothians six-man team this year, hit a brilliant drive on to the back edge of the green, setting up another hole-winning birdie for Carrickvale.
Despite missing a good chance for a 2 following a lovely tee shot from Ewen at the short ninth, they were out in 29 to be five up, a lead that quickly became seven holes as they also won the tenth and 11th.
The Police pair found gorse just at the side of the tenth while Dick once again showed his undoubted class with a sweetly-struck second shot at the par-5 11th that led to another hole-winning birdie.
In the match behind, Coyle and Elliot were all square against Malcolm Graham and David Black after seven holes before the Carrickvale duo went in front with a birdie at the eighth, Coyle holing there from five feet.
They also won the ninth against the head – the Police pair three-putted from no more than 15 feet while their opponents made a great up and down – and, when Coyle chipped in from 20 feet for a birdie-3 up the hill at the 12th, Carrickvale were almost over the finishing line.
They lost the 14th in the top match after Dick's drive found the gorse and the 13th in the back match after three-putting that green but a half at the 15th for Dick and Ewen was good enough to secure the first title hat-trick in the event's 119-year history.
"An opportunity like this doesn't come along very often and it's a great feeling," declared Dick, who joined Kingsknowe this year, having previously played most of his golf at Shotts. "I was delighted when I became the first player to win the Scottish Mid-Amateur back-to-back but this tops it, due to the fact it's a team achievement."
Ewen, a 42-year-old who plays off one, added: "To be part of this is phenomenal and I'm so pleased for everyone connected with Carrickvale, especially George Alexander and his wife, Babs"
Coyle, 27, and Elliot, ten years his senior, were also delighted. "No-one can ever take this achievement away from us," declared Coyle, while Elliot, who describes the Dispatch as his 'Major' these days, rightly pointed out that, though the numbers may not be as great as they once were, the quality is still evident in the event.
On one of the hottest days for many a year up at the Braids, Alexander must have been sweltering in his 'lucky' jumper, the Carrickvale stalwart admitting he was almost speechless over what the club had achieved.
"The guys themselves would admit they hadn't been at their best earlier in the week but today, when it mattered most, they were awesome," he declared.
Echoing that view, Jervis, a credit to his club along with the three others, said: "You've got to take your hats off to the Carrickvale lads. They were fantastic and Allyn Dick in particular is a quality player."
Despite their historic achievement, Carrickvale will not be getting to keep the trophy and only time will tell if the same quartet decide to try and go for four in a row.
"It will be their decision," admitted Alexander, "but, in the meantime, we're going to savour this incredible feat."
Results:
Third round
Edinburgh Thistle bt Heriots 4 and 2.
Harrison B bt Braids United 5 and 3.
Lothian & Borders Police bt Scottish Life 4 and 3.
Riccarton bt Silverknowes at 19th.

Carrickvale bt Bank of Scotland 6 and 4.
Crammond bt Royal Bank 3 and 1.
Third bt Observers 6 and 4.
Temple Golfing Society bt Barnton Hotel 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals:
Harrison B bt Edinburgh Thistle 4 and 3.
Lothian & Borders Police bt Riccarton at 20th.
Carricvale bt Creammond 4 and 3.
Temple Golofing Society bt Third 6 and 4.
Semi-finals:
Lothian & Borders Police bt Harrison B 4 and 2.
Harrison B (S More and M Murray 0; G Mckay and P McCafferty 0), Lothian & Borders Police (F Jervis and J Hunter 0; M Graham and D Black 4).
Carrickvale bt Temple Golfing Society 4 and 2.
Carrickvale (D Ewen and A Dick 0; C Elliot and D Coyle 4); Temple Golfing Society (S Smith and D Miller 0; G Santana and J Shepherd 0).
Final:
Carrickvale bt Lothian & Borders Police 9 and 8.
Lothian & Borders Police (F Jervis and J Hunter 0; M Graham and D Black 0); Carrickvale (D Ewen and A Dick 6; C Elliot and D Coyle 2).