This was the first meeting of the season between the red in tooth and claw Team Deemo  – at full and scary strength – and Team Waterlow who were a somewhat more motley crew.  With Richard still laid low, his place was taken by super-sub Kay while holidaying Fiona was replaced by the very welcome returning (after a two season gap) reserve Dave Dunsire.  It had been planned that Jim too would be absent but plans change and so he was present and correct in his role as chief tactician to the team.

If the game looked a bit one-sided in favour of Team Morrison, at least in the early ends, the final result didn’t show it with Team W taking a 9-6 victory, decided by the very last stone of the game – tense stuff.

Team Morrison had much the more confident start with more accurate placing of their stones (Mr Laux at lead deserving special mention here, perhaps to attone for his unforced absence at his team’s previous game) and strong finishing from skip Deemo to outfox team W’s more shaky play.  A solid three in the second left Team Morrison four points ahead.

But despite his prolonged absence from the ice, Dave Dunsire was putting lead stones in the house as though he had never been away, building the foundations for a couple of singles for Team W in the third and fourth ends.

It was the fifth end that really raised the stakes – soon you could cut the atmosphere with a cricket stump as the tension ratcheted up.  Despite Team Deemo’s best efforts they couldn’t shift a large clutch of Team W’s stones.  A much valued four left Team W at six points to four.

The pendulum swung again in the sixth with Team Deemo snatching back two shots.  Now it was six all so with an end to go, peels wasn’t a possibility.  Someone had to win – who would it be?. 

There was nothing in it as the seventh end developed and stones built in the house and in the front.  By JW’s final stone he had just one option – to tap out an exposed opposing stone through a slot on one side.  Miraculously it worked leaving Team W lying three stone to the good.  But with last stone, Deemo had exactly the same option.  His shot looked good, the line was right, but was it light?  The sweepers swept like never before but to no avail – the stone stopped short.  A very relieved Team W had taken a valuable victory against strong opposition. Onwards and upwards.

John W.

First encounter of the season for Auld (A) vs MacConnachie (C).

Match played on Sheet 1.

Team A fielding a full team.

Team C subbing Ken for Gill.

First blood to (A) threading a stone though the wall of guards and finding the button.

End 2 changed the fortunes and (C) struck back with 3.

End 3 (A ) Replied with a 2 so back to level pegging.

End 4 one stone win for (A)

End 5 one stone win for (C)

End 6 another 1 stone win for (A); score 5-4.   Sub Ken flagging and having to take a rest between shots.  Vigorous sweeping clearly taking its toll both on the sweepers and the skips.  Auld starting to lose his power of speech trying to communicate over the background noise of the neighbouring rink.

End 7 can (A) hold on?  As the end built up it was looking good for (A) but as is often the way, Skip John MacConnachie cast a magic spell and sneaked a one stone win levelling the game.

What a cracker!

With a number of very near misses the match demonstrated the importance of good sweeping and communication between the skip and the sweepers.

Hope Ken recovers.

Dougie