Surprise surprise, we won. Not sure how we managed it, but I think we got Cornerkicky and Superlube on a bad day. So bowled over, can’t remember the details.

We had Snudge back from extended leave in the sun in South Africa, lead; Keith second and Geemo at third.

Team Herd lost the toss and elected to go yellow. We managed to get a well-placed stone early on and opted to protect it as best as we could. Blue were unable to shift it, but the opposition was piling in the blues. Panic stations!  In the final count that early stone counted, one up against the head.

Second end followed much the same pattern with well-placed stones from the lead and second with guard stones the option for later players. Close play continued, with no build ups from either side, but repeated failures from the blues and good stones early on from us served us well.

Sixth end saw Geemo not quite with it, asking me to play a guard on last stone. After much arm waving the penny dropped and he eventually set things for a draw through a gap and onto a back blue. Success.

Last end saw the Blues getting back into the game and a three was on the cards. Superlube was asked to carry out one of his specials – unfortunately he was off-line and managed to take out his own stones leaving only one counting. Yellow was lying second.  Decision was to protect this stone leaving blue with only one counting.

Kind regards

Ken.

‘Seconds Out – Round Two!’

Both rinks took to the ice with Rink ‘D‘ fielding ‘Tides Out’ skipping with ‘The Young Yin’ at 3rd, ‘Sweet Chariot’ at 2nd and ‘Blue’ as anchor man lead. Rink ‘Deemo’ was fielding ‘Ivor the Engine’ at 3rd, ‘Newsprint’ at 2nd and ‘Flour Power’ in as a sub for ‘Maverick’ who was off on Choral duties.

Ends 1 through 4 was a testing period with ‘Deemo’ striking the first point and thereafter the rinks swapping single shots at alternating ends. After four ends it was all tied at 2 shots each. Tension was mounting!

Rink ‘Deemo’ managed to break the sequence with a two in the fifth end without the hammer – that was the breakthrough that was needed. Rink ‘Deemo’ took another single in the sixth end, again against the hammer, to go three shots up with time counting down and looking as if the seventh end would be time up! Keeping the pressure on ‘Tides out’ was the aim and a cluster of three stones behind an opposing stone giving some cover from a direct assault proved pivotal with ‘Tides out’ only managing to chip out one of the shots. ‘Deemo’ was able to replace the missing shot to keep the cluster of three which remained intact as ‘Tide Out’s attempt at a final draw just managed to slide through the house leaving a count of three to rink ‘Deemo’.

The game was a far closer encounter than the score line would indicate with very few stones going through the house; in fact the sixth end had only one or two stones not in play at its end with the critical counting shot going the way of rink ‘Deemo’. Fluke shots?  There were none that come to mind – just some very accurate play from both rinks with sweepers quick to answer the call and playing an integral part in each end.

The bell being rung, handshakes were made with congratulations all round for a keenly contested game and then we all retired to the rejuvenated bar to enjoy the new facilities for the much missed ‘Après curl’ experience when jovial banter was the order of the day – life at the rink has returned to something akin to ‘times past’.

Bye for now.

Deemo

Everyone has their own truth these days and recollection may vary.

Team MacConnachie, yellow, were up against team Herd, blue, and unfortunately stalwart member Geemo was double booked – however, Special K stood in and performed brilliantly.

Although we won the toss we ended the first end two down due to lack of accurate shots from yours truly. Blue managed to get good positioning in the second early on, with a good stone in place from Keith which was well protected. Both Superlube and Cornerkicky failed to penetrate and we managed to steal a one.

The third end saw Colin place a yellow at front of house on the centre line with a follow up tucked up behind just forward of the button. Repeated attempts failed to shift it with yellow managing to place further protection. Skip’s attempt of trying to draw round and reduce the accumulating score failed. Down a further three.

The fourth end started well for blue with stones placed all over front of house. Yellow’s attempts at taking any of them out failed, either coming up short or running through. Worries that Superlube would carry out his famed complicated take outs were unfounded. Skip steps up to the mark to put a guard in the gap leading to the centre, good line and weight for the job, but team had other ideas and swept it into the centre. A great chance for Cornerkicky but both stones went haywire and fell short. With me having last stone, all I had to do was repeat my last shot. Released perfectly, unfortunately the inbuilt brakes within the stone came into play and the stone fell short. A four and all even.

Next two ends saw chances for blue but anytime we built up a position it was surgically cut. At the final end we managed to get a stone well placed and protected by both, but yellow was always counting second. My first attempt at wicking off a yellow failed as it involved running down the outside ice which was hardly used and so rather sticky. The last stone involved tapping up a blue on the opposite side to push it into the centre and finish with a draw. The stone looked good for line and weight but just short of the house performed a wobble to the outside and missed the mark. Final score 8-6 for team B, but all very enjoyable.

Ken Herd.