In three of tonights four games, it really was a case of “a game of two halves.”
H Reid 8 – 6 T Wilson
It took until the last stone in the ninth end for Hugh Reid to get the fat lady singing, but singing she is. Having won the first four ends, everything was going to plan with Hugh beating Tommy Wilson 6-1 after six ends. The seventh started with some short guards which Tommy got around to put the pressure on. Unable to clear the front, it only got worse for Hugh as Tommy took a four. Tommy then stole a single in the eighth to tie the game 6-6. In the ninth, again a big head built up with Tommy lying 2, leaving Hugh to pick his way through the guards. Hugh’s final shot came down with enough weight to shift both of Tommy’s stones to win by 2. Only bottom of the table Jim Young can now prevent Hugh Reid going unbeaten for the second season running.
T Reid 8 – 10 D Mundell
With David Mundell scoring 3 in the 2nd, then stealing 2’s in the 3rd, 4th and 5th ends, this game looked destined for an early end. Restricted to a single in the 6th, Tom Reid trailed 9-2, but then, like the game next door, it all changed. In the seventh, Tom stole a 4 to put the brakes on Dave’s runaway train but it was all a bit too late. Despite another 2 in the ninth, Dave took the advantage in the race for the 3rd promotion place.
P Barrett 9 – 6 J Craig
Still not safe from relegation, vice-president John Craig handed responsibility to president Jim Kirkwood to try and get a much needed win. All was going well and after winning four of the first five ends, Jim was leading Peter Barrett 6-2. On tricky ice, Peter’s young rink were struggling to match the shots of Jim’s more mature rink. Another 4 was to change the game, only this time Peter got it in the 6th end to tie the game. Getting two early stones round the guards was the key to Peter stealing 2 in the seventh. The eighth followed a similar pattern with Jim trying to clear guards to no avail.
M Noble 6 – 10 S Smith
Playing his last game, Malcolm Noble needed a win against Stuart Smith to keep the pressure on Hugh Reid. Malcolm opened with a 3, which Stuart countered with a 2, then stole a single. After six ends the rinks were tied 6-6 with the turning point again coming in the seventh. This time it was Stuart who took a 3 and followed it with a single steal to move up to fourth place. Despite the loss, Malcolm’s rink have secured second place in the league behind Hugh Reid.
What’s Next
With Hugh Reid and Malcolm Noble securing first and second, there are four rinks chasing the final promotion slot. David Mundell’s win over Tom Reid puts him in pole position, but with an inferior shots difference, must beat Peter Barrett. If Mundell falters, Stuart Smith would move into third with a win over already relegated Douglas Reid. If Smith loses, then Peter Barrett or Tom Reid could claim the final spot. With Barrett having a two shot advantage over Reid, it could be an interesting contest.
At the bottom of the table, with John Craig playing Tommy Wilson, Jim Young and Douglas Reid are already relegated barring exceptional results. A peeled game between Craig and Wilson would relegate Craig. It would also leave Reid needing a 12 shot win over Stuart Smith to escape and relegate Wilson as well. A more likely result will be that the loser of the Craig – Wilson game is relegated.