scottish curling competitions 2019-2020
We were invited to play the Rink Championship finals at Forfar Ice Rink to make up the numbers after a series of withdrawals so we went into this with low expectations, the aim to soak up the experience and learn from it. We were not disappointed by the level of play from all the teams. We gave Crosshill a good fight in the first game, but they clinched it with a spectacular heavy draw to chip out Norman Ainslie's stone lying shot behind what looked like a solid wall of stones protecting it. In the second game the Aberdeen side were just too good and very tidy with it, not allowing us to get into the game. Against Strathkinnes we lost the way in the middle of the game losing 6 shots in two consecutive ends before getting 3 back in the next two. That was the last game on Friday. We then had to travel back for a single game against one of the favourites, which contained 3 junior champion winners along with the Perth iceman. We didn't score unfortunately. They played well. See Scottish Curling for results.
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Knockout - After we gave away a six in the second end! It was never in doubt as 5 ends out of 7 won. A good game, winning 10 v 7. In the second game, Torbrex turned up one player short, so disqualified. Another tough game against Kilsyth but we managed to win 3 ends this time, playing a bit better overall. Still straightforward win for them with John Davie skipping again.
FVA Knockout - Neck and neck after 6 ends at 6 v 6. We then managed to clear out all the opposition stones to lie 4 and despite their best efforts we scored the 4 despite the fact that Norman ought to have made it 5. We then blocked their means of scoring more than 1 and we shook hands at 10 v 7. Kilsyth played with John Davie as skip and were overwhelming in their play. We were never going to worry them. Rink Championship - Buccaneers failed to turn up for the semi-final so we progressed through to the final.Against Keir, we lost the toss but caught them out and managed to steal a 1. They showed their class by scoring a 4 in the next, but didn't play well in the third end and with stones spread out Norman drew in for a 3. We couldn't stop them building up a big head in the next end and they eventually chipped our scoring stone out to take a 5. They then played defensively to limit us to a single shot while coming back with a 3. We shook hands at 5 v 12 Dunn Trophy - Denny failed to turn up with 4 players so the game didn't start. Borestone & Stirling had Derek Young as skip and won the first 3 ends. We then won the next 2, lost 1 then took the next 2 to draw level. Not enough to win it though. Aitken Trophy - A good start with 5 ends secured to a score of 10 v 4. We went on a run of 4 ends in a row but couldn't quite steal the final end. The second game was almost a whitewash ending 17 v 2, unfortunately we needed one more end to tie for the trophy which we would have won on shots, unbelievable. FVA Bonspiel - Really happy about this one because Buchlyvie have beaten us so many times in Area competitions, ended 6 v 3 in shots and despite losing two ends in a row we then won all the rest with single shots. Stirlinghsire won too, with Borestone & Stirling getting the trophy for a slightly better score than us. Murray Trophy - At last we have a Province Trophy after so many near things. 12 ends usually secures the trophy and we did it. As the Province Secretary said, "Congratulations to Sauchie & Bannockburn who had a convincing win in the Murray Trophy held this week. They were helped by managing to play 8 ends both nights maybe a lesson to us all on rate of play." |