The following report from Team Craig member Dougie was untitled. However, I have taken the liberty of giving it the obvious title. I also nominate it as “Holyrood Match Report of the Season”. It contains all the drama and humour one could hope for in a curling game report. JW.
THE WRONG SHOES
As you know Jim was unable to attend and despite valiant efforts failed to find a sub so we three Musketeers (Dougie, James and Richard) soldiered on.
John Mac arrived a tad fraught and it transpired that he had left his curling shoes at home in the hall. However, having found some spare ‘kippers’, he was able to step on the ice and his unique delivery style became even more unique – ‘kippers’ really don’t slide.
Playing on sheet #1 – we all wondered what the edge effect might be and also, as ‘Try Curling’ had been using that sheet in the previous session, whether that would have an impact.
Well, it did – the ‘wall’ side was really rough towards the edge but the sheet was very slick on the other (rink) side and much slower but with more swing.
Despite having lost the toss Team Mac settled to win the first end by one point.
Team Craig won the second, levelling the game (Auld skipping).
Give and take continued and after three ends the game was still all square.
Shooting three stones and single sweeping was starting to take its toll though, so radically, Team Craig decided on a new strategy and rotated skips and other roles.
So going into end four, James Mackintosh was in the house and Auld leading. Richard sweeping his socks off.
Team Craig must have rattled the opposition as the strategy of long guards (more by luck than judgement) and some outrageous luck put Team Craig three points in the lead by end six.
The rolling skip strategy placed Richard in the house for end seven with 20 minutes of play left.
Again, long guards flooded the entry to the house protecting the two counting stones sent earlier by James and Dougie. Somehow Richard managed to find a way through and promoted another to count three.
Six minutes on the clock and score 9-3 to Team Craig.
Last end and again a gaggle of stones blocking the house. Five stones just counting in the rear eight foot. John Mac’s last stone due to be delivered, his previous having opened up a slot which could not be blocked by the opposition.
Somehow – and nobody could believe it – the last stone worked its way down the sheet edge (rink side) and with the assistance of superb sweeping, curled at the perfect time and with perfect weight right onto the button! And this, to paraphrase ‘Wallace & Gromit’, with the WRONG SHOES.
Despite defeat John Mac walked off the ice head held high.
A great game – lots of fun and we retired to the lounge to reflect.
As usual I reserve the right to say all the above is imaginary – except the result, of course.
Dougie.
Holyrood Curling Club 