Moray Province curling league latest as Sandy Howie seizes Division 3 leadership in the east
There’s a new leader at the summit of Moray Province East Division 3 curling league.
Buckie’s Sandy Howie hit the top of the table with victory over fellow title hopeful Alan Douglas.
Douglas counted an opening end deuce, and was 4-2 up after four ends before a count of three shots in the fifth edged the Buckie team ahead and a single steal at the last end gave Howie the win to maintain his 100 per cent league start.
Long time Elgin rivals Bob Stewart and Helen Downey had a tight tussle, as Stewart won four of the seven ends played, though only picking up single shots whilst Downey and co managed a three at the third and a sixth end single to tie the match at 4-4 going down the last.
A craftily-created two-shot steal gave Downie the victory.
Steve Field had to concede a 6-0 defeat to Julie Stewart’s Moray Firth Ladies as he couldn’t raise a full team.
In Division 4 the junior showdown was a near blow-out for Cameron Turnidge, as opponent Ruthie Harris’ only counter was a single at the sixth end and Turnidge piled up the shots to run away with an 11-1 win.
John Key unlocked havoc on Rod Christie’s Buckie rink as he went two better than Turnidge in a 13-1 demolition job with a selection of double and treble shot scores over the seven ends played.
In the West, Tom Pendreigh is top of the Division 1 pile after an 8-4 win over current RCCC president Ali Asher.
Ali Fraser’s Ardclach rink is in a rich vein of form and outfought club-mate Ruaridh Greenwood despite losing a three at the third end, eventually winning 9-4.
Jamie Cattell got off to a flier to lead Gus Forbes 7-0 after three ends and was never seriously troubled by his Nairn club colleague in a 10-3 victory.
In Division 2 , Robbie Asher lost an opening end single before claiming an 11-1 win against John Smart.
Perhaps the week’s strangest game was Fiona Steel’s 6-6 peel with Mike McInnes.
Steel’s ladies won five out of the six ends played to collect their six-shot tally. McInnes went all in at the third end and greedily trousered all his six shots in one fell swoop to keep the pressure on Division 2 leader Asher.
Results, West Division 1: T. Pendreigh (Dalcross) 8 A. Asher (Nairn) 4; R. Greenwood (Ardclach) 4 A. Fraser( Ardclach) 9; A. Forbes (Nairn) 3 J. Cattell (Nairn) 10.
West Division 2: R. Asher (Nairn) 11 J. Smart (Dalcross) 1; F. Steel (Nairn Ladies) 6 M. McInnes (Nairn) 6.
East Division 3: J. Stewart (Moray Firth Ladies) 6 S. Field (Gateway Club) 0; R. Stewart (Elgin) 4 H. Downey (Elgin) 6; A. Howie (Buckie) 6 A. Douglas (Darnaway) 4.
East Division 4: C. Turnidge (Moray Juniors) 11 R. Harris (Moray Juniors) 1; J. Key (Gateway Club) 13 R. Christie (Buckie) 1.
