An excellent game, which unfortunately David had to miss due to Anne being rushed to the Royal. Good news that she is home and recovering well.

I should really write a report immediately following the game due obviously to dotage 😂😁. However, the first 6 ends were quite engrossing with the ends shared 3 all. Jim won the 1st, 3rd and 5th heading for the bar and Ken winning the 2nd, 4th and 6th to try and escape paying the bar bill. The standard of play was very good with everyone contributing from both teams so by end 6, score 7 to 6 to Jim.

So to end 7, where Kay, whose sweeping for the evening was immense, laid 2 on the outside right behind Rob’s 2 stones which were just in front of the house. DD paying his usual dead weight laid 2 in the middle but Billy played 2 fantastic takeouts so now lying 3. James played a heavy stone and Steve capitalised with a draw right behind the guards which James failed to move and Steve laid another to lie 5. So up to Ken whose weight had been phenomenal all evening played a fine takeout, which Jim then reciprocated with taking Ken’s out. Ken then unfortunately played his last stone a little heavy ad JC was left with an easy draw for a 6.

I would have to say the score flattered to deceive, an excellent game played in very good spirit.

Just one sub this match, with Bob standing in for Steve, and otherwise normal line-ups. Team D won the toss and got yellow stones.

First end, shooting towards the pavilion end, Team C got a couple of stones counting, but Rob took out one with his first stone, and a take-out and roll on the second, for a starting 3.

Team D were all playing neatly – Dave was finding good lengths into the house and James producing shots to order, so we were getting the initiative and holding onto it.  Ken was equally on-form.

We strangely got to 7-0 again (this time in our favour!), and I mentioned to Deemo that anything can happen (worrying myself!).  They did score 1, but that was to be it.

Things were going our way: for example, in end 8 the four-foot with a counting blue stone was all fully guarded, so I tried for a wick-in off a stone to the right.  My stone over-curled, but then it deflected off a guard stone and on to make that wick-in anyway. Crazy.

Post-game drinks were convivial, with best wishes all round for Christmas and New Year – and then we’re into the Thirds competition. 

See you in 2025.

Rob

This was a rather astonishing match, and the match card shows how it swung.

Each team fielded one sub – Bob Cameron for team D joining James, Ken and Rob playing yellow stones, and Fiona Auld for team A with David, Dougie and John.

The early ends went to team A, with team D a bit wayward, especially with losing a four in the second end.  After four ends it was 7-0, but in curling never say never.

End 5 looked fairly innocuous, but some blue stones ran through, and some attempted yellow guards ran on into the house.  Then when Rob took out a blue, suddenly there were six yellow stones with the house to themselves.  John’s last stone stopped wide, and there was an opening for Rob’s last – with good sweeping – to draw in and count for a rare 7.

Amazing, but of course that only meant all-square, so hard work then needed, with team A having the hammer.

Yellow did manage to steal one in the next end. Then the tense final end saw a couple of blues scoring for a while, but a yellow then outscored them.  Rob’s final stone curled well to lay a good guard on it about two yards out, and despite long deliberations John’s final shot could not find a way through.

7-9 result, memorable game!

Cheers, Rob