Tuesday saw Teams A and C take to the ice, each with a Super Sub in the shape of Alison, covering for Katie and we welcomed Valerie from the Disnae Club who stepped in for Anne.
The first two ends were tense and tight, the players working out just how the ice was reacting to the stones. Short stones, long stones and congested houses made for exciting shot making. So it was honours even after two ends, one shot each.
Team A started the third end by building a good head, each side were finding the house but it was the red stones who were proving to be most accurate. Jim had the hammer and an opportunity, if not to take the end, then to reduce the deficit. However the curling Gods did not look favourably on the last stone, online, good weight but the connection went the wrong way, moved a red and Margaret had scored a four. OUCH!
Undeterred, Jim came out fighting in the fourth. this time it was the yellows who occupied the best positions. Although narrowly missing an opportunity to lie three with one last red stone to go, Margaret narrowly missed dislodging her opponent and it was two to Team C.
That helped narrow the gap and in the fifth Jim's rink continued to control the head in the early stages. Then the skilled cue deliveries by Margaret found gaps, wicks, and taps. Two stones later the reds were lying two and had restored their comfortable lead.
Four down and three ends to play, Jim wasn't done yet. A bit of a guddle outside the house but the yellows had found the spaces and were lying three, well guarded and with the hammer. Would Jim risk going for a four? Was there the space to score safely or would it end up with a two? Jim made his call, Bill performed his impression of a certain feathered bird and Jim let his last stone fall short, took the three and reduced the deficit to only one.
The seventh end was an absolute guddle, was anyone going to manage to get a stone in the house! Well, yes they did and when they did, the stones were well guarded. With great shots from Bill and Margaret, they found a gap, opened it up and left a shot for Margaret to steal a single. Was that going to be enough to take the victory. The clock was approaching 1915 but the bell hadn't sounded so it was on to the eighth end.
Jim had already taken a three in the sixth, could he repeat it? Some wonderful Lead shots and guards by the Seconds set up a very close finish to the match, everyone was looking for a good draw down the right side. Two stones were nestled together on the four foot, guarded. It needed a yellow stone to slide in and take a score. In the end it was the red of Team A who were lying by one and they won an exciting and close fought game 9 -6.
