We were delighted to welcome our friends from the East, Broughty Ferry Curling Club, for a return match after our visit there last year.
The match was instigated following discussions with our Past President Steve Malloy who moved through to ‘The Ferry’ a couple of years ago and joined the local curling club.
After last year’s defeat at Dundee Ice Rink, we were eager to balance the books. Our team of Craig Thomson, Sandy Halliday, Alan Smith and John Duthie (of Drystanes), a welcome late addition due to a call-off, took an early lead but were pegged back on some difficult ice and were lying 1 down at the 6th end. An unfortunate slip by Broty’s skip, Steve Malloy turned the game round and Giffnock entered the final end 2 ahead. An attempt to defend a winning position with a guarding stone failed and Steve, with the final stone of the afternoon, was able to play a fine draw into the house and take two. Spontaneous applause greeted this terrific shot (at least in Steve’s mind) and the skips shook hands on a peeled match.
The Broty team of Steve, Alastair Scott (Match Secy), Alys Esslement (President) and Craig Smith (Newbie) were regaled with stories of the history of Giffnock over a fine meal afterwards. Unsurprisingly, the “half bottle” incident was raised as was a protest from our own Alan Smith at the opposing team’s Secretary attempting to pinch his stick.
The Broty team were delighted to receive gifts of ties and pins from Secretary Alan, and thanked the club profusely for their great generosity. The return match is already in planning with a suggestion of meeting at a halfway venue such as Kinross. We all look forward to it.
