Saturday, 26th November . News just in……Bruce Mowat wins European Gold again! Also at this time another (maybe not so big) match takes place at Murrayfield featuring players from DAFS Curling Club against Penicuik Curling Club.
In what looked like a step away from responsibility in the DAFS rink, Graham Thompson persuaded Jon Pickup to take charge of proceedings on their behalf with David Lindsay at Third and Catriona Graham as Lead. For Penicuik, the line up was Sweeping Master Jim Cowper at Lead, David Ballantyne at Second, while Mrs Ramsay supported Mr Ramsay at Third.
The first end of any game is always a tester as teams find out ice speeds and capabilities of opposition players, but the brilliant Penicuik Skip stole the first end with a near perfect draw hide to the button for a 1. Trouble brewed for Penicuik in the 2nd and 3rd ends when a 2 then a 1 were lost.
Not to worry though! Penicuik were in the game again at the 4th with both blue and yellow stones contesting closely for the button spot. Penicuik had last stone which needed to nudge the sitting opposition stone for shot. It had to be the right weight and line which it mostly was but at the last moment the handle changed which, rather than the expected , gave Penicuik a 3.
We were back in charge and stole a further 2 at the 5th end making the score DAFS 3 Penicuik 6. Being a friendly match, Penicuik pulled back and let our opponents back into the game by leaving them the opportunity of a 1.
A lot of thought had gone into the DAFS game which resulted in time catching up with us (nothing to do with Graham of course) Four minutes to the bell and the 7th end started.
It proved to be a very tight last end. Jim and David playing the stones asked to split the house each play only to be countered by their opposite number. DAFS were now lying 2 when it was the turn of the ‘Man of the Match’ , Pamela, who played her second double take out of the game. Unfortunately, the DAFS Third got the better of us and drew shot.
It was now all up to the Skip shots. Mr Pickup played his first stone and took a second counter for DAFS. The poor Penicuik Skip had so much pressure on him… the two DAFS stones were hidden and best that could be done would be to chip one out. Just that wee bit too much weight saw it ‘stay out’ and slip by. The final DAFS stone was perfect weight but could not hide which left them sitting with 3 counting stones. Oh! that poor, poor Penicuik Skip, what to do? Try and chip out again which might work or take the easier 3rd DAFS stone and not miss the gap. A wick in might have been possible but best to be sociable and submit the 2 to DAFS which left the game after 7 ends at 6-6.
As is the custom, the eight players retired to the Bar to relive the game and discuss the if and maybe. 6pm. – better get home for Strictly!
Report by Jim Ramsay
Penicuik Curling Club 