Nip and Tuck……..kind of.

 Match Two of the Spring league proved to be a tight affair…..honest!

The ice was sticky and slow to start with, challenging all the players to find their weight and length. In the first end this caused a right old guddle but there were a couple of gaps and it was Team B who found one, held it, took the single against the head and moved on to the second end. 

It was similar situation going back down the ice, not many opportunities to build a decent head, some stones actually drifted through the back but most hung about out front giving the Skips some head scratching when trying to find a way through. Once again it was Team B who prevailed and took another single.

Into the third end and there was still nothing in it, tight head, few gaps, it was going to require a wick from somewhere to get a score and with the Red stones lying one it looked like they were going to prevail. However the last stone wicked the wrong way, slide a yellow onto the two foot and Joe’s C Team were on the board.

The ice was starting to speed up, the teams had got their eye in and the game was still as tight as a tight thing. Joe was guarding a single and Jim could not make any progress, so if was another single and the score was 2-2. Absolutely nothing in it. 

In the fifth things began to change, Joe again built a head and Jim was looking to get in his way. Not this time. Joe was in control and the first two of the match went on the board.

The match has now found a pattern, tight heads, small gaps, not much being given by either side and often one good stone making the difference. Team C stayed strong and took a couple more singles so going into the last end it was 6-2.

The eighth end was tit for tat with stones being dislodged by both sides but not much in the way of good scores looking likely. Jim had several stones in the eight and twelve foot but with his last stone Joe found a draw and gently slipped almost on to the button. Jim had one shot, wick off his own stone, slide across the house, tap the scoring yellow out and lie five to Peel (the irony of scoring five was not lost on Jim!)

It looked good as it travelled down the ice but was just too true as it wicked off his own stone. It slid towards the scoring yellow, tapped it but only nearer the button. Another single to Joe and a 7-2 win.The scorecard does not reflect how tight this match was but a win is a win!

Well done Joe and Team C 😊🥌