Linlithgow League
Murrayfield Curling, 4th November 2012
| H | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total | ||
| Edinburgh University | * | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | |
| DAFS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 4 | ||
Edinburgh University entered their fifth Linlithgow League match this season as the underdogs, taking on DAFS, a team with a long history of wins behind them. However, in the first two ends the teams were generally pretty well balanced. Some well-placed guards from Wheeldon in both ends set the house up nicely for some skilful curling from both teams. Williams struggled with his weight for much of the game, though performed well when asked for two take-outs in the second end. Some clever tactics from Spain and McGaan allowed the university team to win a point in each end, a promising start to the match.
However, the tables turned in the third and fourth ends, as DAFS slowly crept ahead, equalising after two points in the third end and one in the fourth, though some nice draws and take outs from McGaan and Spain limited the points gained by the opposition.
The fifth end was very close, with the majority of stones in play, and DAFS putting up a strong side, however a tap-up from Spain allowed the university team to gain two points, putting them again in the lead. By the sixth end the effect of persistent sweeping was taking its toll, and tiredness began to creep in. DAFS won the end with a point, drawing neck-and-neck with the students.
Wheeldon set up the seventh end nicely, with a couple of subtle draws behind the opposition’s first guard. This was followed by McGaan drawing nicely, though DAFS did their utmost to prevent the university from taking the end by placing one of their stones ever so slightly closer to the button. It fell to Spain to remedy this, and she did not disappoint, using her stone to tap up one of McGaan’s, in the process sending DAFS’ stone towards the back of the house, leaving the university sitting three.
It came as a very welcome victory, the Club’s first this season, and hopefully will bode well for future matches, both in the Linlithgow and SSS Leagues. To echo a phrase well used on the ice: “more of the same please!”
Rory Williams