Moray Province East curling latest: Forres rink skipped by Charlie Watt jnr maintain their long winning run on Moray Leisure Centre ice rink
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As the Moray Province East curling league resumed after the seasonal break, it was a case of normal service resumed.
Almost inevitably, Charlie Watt jnr racked up yet another win in what must now be close to the Province’s longest winning record.
Albeit without the maestro Charlie himself, the rink didn’t let him down as they notched up an 8-5 win against Georgia Clarke’s juniors.
Fellow junior Owen Watson was in great form, winning six ends against Lynn Roberts’ Wheels rink in his comprehensive 12-1 win.
Earlier in the week the Wheels team had a superb game against Linda Hardie's Forres rink.
It was 4-4 after skip Billy Cormack picked up a two-shot steal at the fifth end and he was happy to give up a single in the sixth to carry the hammer into the last end.
Lying six counting stones as opposing skip Carol Bennett stepped up to play her stones, Cormack's rink must have had great hopes of victory.
Bennett, however, had other ideas as a couple of belting rocks allowed the Forres rink a tight 7-4 victory and a large sigh of relief.
Ballindalloch’s Gordie Kennedy kept his promotion hopes on track with a big win against Helen Downey.
The wily Speyside skip scored at all of the first seven ends before the Elgin team counted a consolation single in the eighth and final end.
Elgin’s Bob Stewart did all his damage in the first two ends of his game against Linda Hardie, scoring a 3 and then a 5 for a lead that the Forres team could never quite overhaul despite picking up six shots in the last two ends.
In the Open Knockout, old rivals Kenny OswaId and Alan Campbell had an absolutely gargantuan battle which came down to the last stone.
The Elgin skip went into the final end three shots back, but with the hammer. Some skilful tactics kept Oswald in the hunt, but in the end, a deuce was not quite enough and the Buckie quartet advance to next week’s quarter-finals.
Moray Province East results
Division 3
O Watson (Moray Juniors) 12 L Roberts (Wheels) 1
G Clarke (Moray Juniors) 5 C Watt jnr (Forres) 8
H Downey (Elgin) 3 G Kennedy (Ballindalloch) 11
R Stewart (Elgin) 10 L Hardie (Forres) 8
L Hardie (Forres) 7 L Roberts (Wheels) 4
Moray Province Open Knockout
K OswaId (Elgin) 5 A Campbell (Buckie) 6
