We Are The Champions

 The last match of the Spring League was played on Tuesday night.

We had two substitutes, so thanks to Richard and to Valerie from Disnae for turning out to what was an experience for all, some good, some bad :-(

This was the league decider. if Margaret won, Team A were Champions. If Jim won, it would be Team B. I didn't want to consider the outcomes if the match was peeled!

Things got off to promising start for the C Team, taking a two having dominated the first end. That promise was very quickly replaced by deflation when, with the last stone from Margaret, the score changed from a single to Team C into a seven (say it quietly) to the A Team.

Undeterred but slightly bruised, the Red stones went back down the ice to the end they preferred. Once again they took control and notched up a three! Cutting the deficit to just two felt a lot better........for all of about fifteen minutes!

Once again with last stone Margaret delivered a marvellous shot which, even though it was a Plan B result, was way better than hoped for, kicked a Red stone way, rolled into the four foot and before you could blink......a four!

That really took the wind out the C Team's sails but they battled on, losing a single in the fifth it started to look like too high a mountain to climb. However a two followed and a three in the last end meant the three Skips and an ever accurate Ben proved to strong a combination for the battling Team C.

The result confirmed a huge victory for the A Team and winners of the Spring League. Congratulations to Margaret and her Team, Bill, Sue, Ben and all those who subbed throughout the league.

A Tale of Two Cues

Teams A and C met for an important match at the tail end of the league……and a live blog too! 

In the first end Team B squeezed a single for the yellow stones but don’t blink because the A Team took control in the second end. Margaret is deadly with the cue and before you know it a four was on the board. 

The ice is not being kind to Mara yet, the Reds are in control again, lying two as the Skips take to the hack. Margaret has put up a well placed guard. Mara nudges that stone up and tightens the red stone’s control. Another guard. That yellow stone just isn’t going to turn, it’s clipped another yellow which drifts out and another deuce to the Reds. 

Fourth end and a Yellow stone is on the button with Reds gathering around the outside. That yellow is looking vulnerable and sure enough it soon gets moved. Lots of room in the house if the B Team can get passed those three Reds scoring in the 12ft. A lovely draw from Jim P, in the four foot, just beyond the T but exposed. Margaret the Cue is in the hack! Slightly off line, tap, tap, roll. It’s just touching the four foot. Lovely draw in, bit of a tap n roll. Is that yellow lying two? No! A Red stone has just pipped them and with the last stones nit changing the positions, a single to Team A. 

Tentative lead stones in the fifth, Reds guarding the centre of the house, suddenly scattered and the house is open. Yellow stones are creeping into the twelve foot but there are gaps everywhere. Anything Yellow can do, Red is copying. Nothing in it at the moment. Over to you Skips. Whose going to take advantage? ITMA - It’s That Margaret Again, cuts Mara to one, last stone to come. Drat, it just wouldn’t curl enough. Just a single to Team B. 

That’s more like it for the Yellows. Populating the house and protected by Red guards. It’s another cue stone, this time from Bill and it shatters the head that was building for the B Team. Jim hits straight back, this is exciting. The ice is not Mara’s friend tonight, she is having it all to do and ITMA strikes again! Sneaking in for another single.

The B Team fought back in the seventh end and at this stage in the match the Reds could afford to lose a shot, or maybe two and so it proved to be. Another well contested end with the A Team taking a single but going into the last end requiring a five to Peel was always a tall order. Taking another single in the last end meant it was four ends apiece but that big score in the second end was the difference and the A Team are top of the league with one match remaining.

 This week Team A met Team C and with a bit of a scheduling mix up, Team A could only field three players.......but what a three that included Ronnie as sub! The C Team also had a sub with Richard stepping up for globe trotting Charlie.

Losing the toss, Team C elected to play yellow stones and off they went. Sticky slow ice to start with and everyone testing their weighted stones, there was a group of reds gathering front of house but Jim say the draw was on and with some good stones it was Team C who took the first end with a two.

A similar start to the second on but much less space to exploit when it came to the Skips. Once again Jim was lying two but Margaret has a hammer opportunity to nick in and steal the end. Looking on line and heading for the nick required, despite furious sweeping by Ronnie the stone to stay straight. The resulting wick pushed a red stone out of the way and Team C stole a three.

The third end started similarly to the first, reds on the outer ring of the house and draws possible down the right hand side. This time it was the A Team who took the two. Similarly in the fourth end the A Team took control early on and try as they might the yellow stones were not getting far enough into the house to cause problems. Another two to the reds and the deficit was down to one at the halfway mark.

Confession time from the author........before delivering his first stone of the fifth end, he forgot to clean it. The resulting score on the ice resembled the Mariana Trench, although somehow stone Five made it over the hog line and presented a useful long guard. The ice technicians would not be impressed. This helped Jim's team defend their stones and take another two.

Back up towards the car park end and again Team A were dominant. With the hammer Jim had the chance to steal a single, or if he could dislodge Margaret's scoring stones, even take a two. The line was good, the weight was good but the stone just fell away at the end, shifted one red and Margaret had a single.

There were several opportunities in the seventh end for either team to really take control as the first and second scoring stones, one a piece, were sitting in the twelve foot behind the T line. However with guards from both sides front of house, the draw in was tight and several stones fell short. Initially placing a guard down the left, Jim left Margaret a tricky shot down the right to sneak a single. Nearly but not quite. The reds were lying but there was still a gap for Jim to slip inside. He certainly made his sweepers work for it and with some vigorous brush work the last stone crept into the house and just far enough into the eight foot to make all the gasping for breath worth it!

Need three to peel in the last end the A Team started well, the split the house and were making things difficult. with a couple of yellows just off the brush and wicking red stones in a less than hoped for direction, it might just come off. With her first stone Margaret delivered an excellent stone to sit on top of a yellow and outscore them by two. With the dreaded call of "same again" Margaret sent her last stone down the ice. Good line, good weight, good grief........just inside where it was needed and shifted another red. A single was scored.

So a much needed 8-6 win for Team C and with everyone having two matches left it is still a close thing. Whose your money on????????