Edinburgh Open Pairs
Murrayfield Curling, 5th February 2012
H | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total | ||
Ted Edmunds & Fraser Stockton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 0 | ||
Dave Anderson & Jim Ramsay | * | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | x | 9 | |
*Denotes hammer |
With qualification now beyond them and tiredness already playing its part, Edmunds and Stockton faced two familiar Penicuik players in their final game.
Despite being aware of the importance of not losing a big end straight away, Edmunds and Stockton gave away a five – made all the more frustrating by several of Penicuik’s counters only biting.
Heads were beginning to drop and while Stockton and Edmunds’ hitting games improved for the remainder of the game, it was the Penicuik players’ ability to find tee-weight when required that saw them through the remaining ends to a very comfortable 9-0 victory.
One positive from this encounter was the third end when Stockton managed to get more stones in play both in and out of the house leading to a much slower, tactical battle the result of which being Edmunds was left with a very tight port – barely a stone’s width – to draw in for a single. Having dismissed the port as impossible and then having watched the Penicuik men make the shot, Edmunds was now determined to have a go. The line was perfect but despite furious last ditch sweeping from both players once the stone had passed through, it came up short.
Both players agreed that throughout the day’s competition, concentration needed to be full from the first end to the last as losing big ends early on cost the team. Brave play from both was to be commended but they were unable to match the consistency of their opponents. An enjoyable experience was marred, perhaps, by the results but it hasn’t dampened the pairs’ enthusiasm for this format of the game.
Ted Edmunds