Caberfeidh grind out gritty win in curling showdown

CHARLIE Munro and his Caberfeidh rink remained within two points of league leader Ian Fraser (Belmaduthy) after a gritty win over the Belmaduthy first skip, Peter Fraser in round six of the Province A League.

It was a vital game for Munro and he could not afford to lose ground and second place in his bid for the Allan Moore Trophy, a trophy no Caberfeidh rink has won since the 1997/98 season. Lining up with a full-strength rink of Alistair Macintyre, Miles and Erica Mack against the feared opposition of Peter Fraser, the league challengers won the first two ends with single counts.

Fraser came back with a single in end three but a fourth, fifth and sixth end where they took five shots won the game 7-2 to keep Munro on course for a show down game at the end of the league programme in March against Iain Fraser.

It was the turn of Davie MacLennan, the Belmaduthy fourth skip, to sit out round six but he still held onto third place in the table with seven points although outgoing league champion Allan MacLennan (Invergordon) edged two points closer to him with a last gasp win over the Champion’s club-mate Douglas Gordon.

This should have been an easy ride for MacLennan, Gordon is still looking for his first points, but the Invergordon third rink made up of Locheye curlers, Christine Mackenzie, Mike Sangster and Willie McRae took singles in the opening three ends and went 4-2 in front with a fourth single in end six. MacLennan’s double in the 7th end tied up the score before flooring the plucky Gordon with a closing treble.

Iain Fraser’s progress to the title was unhindered by a changed Avoch line up and in a one sided affair won 10-4 to keep Belmaduthy’s unbeaten run intact. Richard Mackenzie was able to fit in his league game before jetting out to Canada but he left with a defeat by, from across the Dornoch Firth Bridge Ian Mackay’s Caberfeidh rink, who with stood the Locheye Skips for both points and make his position a bit safer in the table.

The Caberfeidh Club still have three rinks in the top four of the B League playing for the Webster Trophy, the top two, Ian McIntyre (Caberfeidh 8) and Ross Urquhart (Muir of Ord 1)winning again as did the chasing pair Coreen MacRae (Alness) and Bill Shirran (Caberfeidh 2).

Caberfeidh’s Iain McIntyre with Iain Munro, Susan Munro and Sandra Ross scrambled home 5-4 with a final end steal against Mike Paul (Belmaduthy) to maintain their two point advantage over Muir of Ord’s Ross Urquhart after Urquhart’s outfit put the Ross Ladies (Marion Burns) to the sword by seven shots.

Coreen Macrae brought her winning run up to three games with the help of substitute third player, Joan Fraser from Sutherland Province. Four shots in end three set up the 9-3 win over Frank Nicol (Caberfeidh 7).

Bill Shirran bagged two triple counting ends in his 7-5 result over Neil Gillies (Killearnan) which leaves the Province President still in the drop zone. Duncan Mackenzie (Muir of Ord 3) moved to a safer middle of the table position after a scare from Cabefeidh’s first skip, Bob Brown. Brown was coasting with a 9-2 lead after five ends before Mackenzie, the Allangrange KO Trophy winner found six shots in the sixth end and stole the points at 10-9 with a final end double.

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