East Leagues update 06/12/17

Howard’s End.
In the opening match of the mixed knockout it was a tale of woe for the Rankin rink against holder Howard Anstruther. Several strong positions for the Elgin team were scotched by skilful last stones from the Forres skip who picked up 4 single score ends against the odds in a 6-4 win.
In the league, Bill Jaffrey’s Fochabers team maintained their 100% record, in a real ding dong match with Howard’s Forres rink.
On big swinging ice where it was difficult to gain the upper hand, the Forres outfit picked up 4 shots at the first end, but were behind 5-4 after 4 ends. A 3 put them back ahead, when Howard played 2 perfect draws to the button, but the Fochabers four came good with 4 shots in the next 2 ends to lead 9-7 going into the last . Things looked bleak for them here, with Forres lying 3 with last stone, but Wilson Burnett played a cracking counter which Howard could only shift back to his own stone, leaving the Fochabers team 1 shot victors.Mike Macdonald’s Forres team kept up their league challenge with a convincing 9-4 win over Ballindalloch. Ryan Mackenzie’s lads were 9-2 down after 6 ends and picked up a consolation deuce in the last end to put a slightly better look to the result.
In Division 3 Ron Christie’s Fochabers team were in fine fettle despite losing an opening end 2. Two 3’s at the next two ends and a further couple of doubles underlined a strong team performance by the Christie combo in a 11-2 win over the  Rob Stenton skipped Bob Stewart rink.
The Moray Juniors teams had a  grand week. In Division 3 Molly Keen had a big scoring match against Charlie Watt’s Forres. The lead changed hands several times, but a run of 7 shots over 3 ends gave Molly a tight 9-8 win.
Andrew McIntyre’s junior team also had a close 1 shot Division 5 win against Sandra MacIver’s Moray Firth Ladies. Sandra was 4-0 up after 3 ends, but the Juniors woke up with a vengeance to lead 6-4 after 5. Sandra could only pick up,a single in the last end to leave the youngsters 1 shot winners.
Saturday sees the annual Christmas Bonspiel at Moray Leisure Centre when a fancy dressed ensemble will gather to play a mixed rink social , but still competitive Festive Curling Extravaganza.
BJ