Red Stones Get The Measure

 Teams A and B met on the ice this week in the fourth game of the League.

The A Team, playing with red stones got off to a flying start in the first end, setting up a potentially painful score with only the Skips to deliver. Bill, stepping in for Margaret, had done all he could to stop Mara from being on the receiving end and even Mara was thinking things looked bleak. 

It may be a cliché but also a truism. Its not over until the last stone is delivered. Mara went for a gap, needing to draw, tap her own stone and move the reds further out. Frantic sweeping to get the stone close enough, it slid in, did everything it had to do and the Red Team looked on in disbelief. Team B were lying five against and in the end they took a two!

It was only the first end..........

Back down the other end Bill was not taking this lightly and the attack was on in the second end. Another head was building well. Nicely placed guards were protecting his stones and try as they could Mara's team were not getting the breaks on the ice and couldn't get passed the guards. Lying three and with the hammer, Bill chose to throw short and take the score.

The third end was a very tight affair. several stones trapped in and around the two foot made it hard for both Skips to make any headway. With the B Team certainly scoring a single, a measure was called by the A Team's third.....................at this point I'll hold my hands up and say I should have received a yellow card for time wasting..............having called the measure, then taking a second look at the stones, it was going to be two to Yellow. However we went through the process and my poor call was found out. :-(

Ever onward and with consistently good Lead stones from Ben, Bill again got the better of things and took another three in the fourth end. Big scores from both sides but still a close game at the halfway mark with only two shots in it.

There was some scrappy shots in the next two ends, not really helping either Skip to take control of the head. Close calls but the A Team took two singles. In the seventh, more good guards making it hard for stones to draw around and into the house. Mara taking a single and with a few minutes before the bell, onto the eighth. Mara needed three to Peel. Bill had last stone.

Guards went up and some other stones fell short making the front of house a bit congested. Both Thirds played accurate shots to move those stones that were in the house out towards the margins. however there was still a chance for the B Team to find a draw into the house, or the A Team to further protect their slender single stone.

Team B's last stone came up a bit short and clipped a guard. At that, Bill shook hands with Mara to bring a close match to a conclusion. Chances could have been taken, some were and in the end the A Team came out victors 9-5.

That closes the gap in the League on points but Team B are still ahead on Ends and Shots. All to play for!