Team D were at full strength with Deemo, Jim, Steve and Bob. My team A had Colin kindly subbing for Alan, and we were a full four this game, with me, Dave, Colin and Fiona, on a wet Friday night.
Team D won the toss, and Team A chose play blue stones. We started well, with blue stones accumulating in the house, guarded by a number of short stones in front. With our stones done we were lying four, fairly well covered, but Deemo’s final stone was a fine delicate wick-in off a counter on the right, rolling onto the button, to score one.
Second end was similar, but this time we had two blue stones well tucked-in behind a jumble of mixed stones, and those two remained safely.
A single brought scores level 2-2 after three ends, and team D moved clear with a 2 at the next.
There were some strange wee lumps in the ice in front of the hack at the far end, which affected some releases, but the ice staff said just play on. The ice otherwise was playing ok for curl, but was proving quite difficult for length.
The next ends were interesting, as blue counters often built up, but team D managed consistently to achieve a single counter each time.
So what was to be the final end started with Team D going first, and Bob laying two nice counters in the four-foot, but Fiona’s second stone was shot of the match: a perfect double take-out, and then lie across from her first stone. Colin and Dave then lay other counters, which managed to survive all comers. So after Deemo’s last, we were lying four, securing a draw. I then had an open left-hand side to lay my last for a 5, and so the match 7-6! Quite a turnaround, from an intriguing game, and the bar was still open.
