A Full Rink

 For the first time this season both teams had their regular players on the ice which was good to see.

It was the fourth match of the league and as with the others,  it got off to a close start. The ice was not being kind to either side, stones slowing up suddenly and very little draw away from the centre line. It might be a case of who can adapt best in these circumstances.

Jim’s team took a single in the first end and Bill responded with a brace. Both ends were tight and could have gone either way. Similarly in the third it looked like Bill might sneak it again but Jim squeezed in for another single. In the fourth Bill built up a well guarded head. Jim looked to exploit the left hand side which was running more favourably but couldn’t quite dislodge the scoring stones to prevent Bill securing his second brace. 

So it was 4-2 at the halfway way point and really nothing in it. Both teams were producing accurate shots and equally getting caught out by the ice. It was fair to say no one had really gotten to grips with the way it changed from end to end…….and side to side! 

In the fifth there was plenty of movement around the front of the house and Bill’s team made the gains with three stones scoring when Jim took to the hack. His first stone did some damage and cut the deficit but Bill responded in kind. It was down to Jim to try and limit the score but his last stone came up short. An important three to Bill at this stage in the match.

Jim fought back in the sixth. He was lying two and Bill’s team were not able to get inside his stones. There was an opportunity to draw down the left again, slip into the four foot and steal a much needed three. The line was good, the weight was too good. Slipping past the tricky guards the stone crept into the house but would not draw. It clipped the outside scoring stone and both slid out of the house. An almost certain three became a heartbreaking single.

The seventh end was the closest yet. Both sides in the house, almost a measure to see who was scoring and by how many but it still required accurate shots from the Skips to resolve this one. With his first, Bill was heavy, shifted a couple of stones but no harm done. Still lying two. Jim drew in from the left, perfect weight and removed an outlier. Bill had to be spot on to get his last stone in through the gap on the right. It was light, drifted to the left and closed the gap slightly but still only lying one.

Jim had another draw from the left. He could take a two here, if he can shift the scoring stone. It was close,  the sweepers worked hard to keep it straight but the stone wandered too far left, clipped a yellow and with that the single went to Bill.

The bell intervened which gave Team A a lead of three matches to one with one to play. But as has been said through the autumn league, this year it’s about having fun and enjoying being on the ice. I think this week showed that is very much the case 😊