INTER CLUB MATCHES Drawn Rinks...Fixture Dates and Results for Season 2021-2022 Members unable to play in any of the matches listed should contact Match Secretary Margaret Brown as soon as possible. Members should also, where possible, remain for the meal when this has been organized. Skips should contact team members as a reminder not less than 7 days before each match.

INTER CLUBS 2021-22

Avondale Heather Six Rinks--L.I.R. Monday 4th October 21 @ 5.45pm When walking in to the bar for the annual interclub with Avondale I thought I had walked in to an annual bank robber’s convention with all the face masks on show. I then realised this was quite an improvement for some people …myself included as well as Alison Taylor and President Brian. Maybe this could be the new normal for these two! You both know this is only said in jest. It was nice to see everyone back together in the ice rink after COVID has kept us apart for so long. One of the things we keep hearing about in the news is disruption to supply chains due to COVID and BREXIT. Obviously in Uddingston they’re having supply problems with razors as Willie Cannon demonstrated with his new unshaven feral look. Now moving on to the games. George Strang’s EK team of Willie Cannon, Willie King and Bill Gibson took on the Avondale team skipped by Greg Allan on sheet A. George was 5-0 up after 2 ends but then Greg clawed 5 shots back in the next 2 ends to tie at half way. George got a 1 in the 5th end and Greg got a 2 in the 6th end. This game was nip and tuck all the way so fittingly George and his team got a 1 in the 7th end and the game finished 7 each. Game 2 on sheet B was skipped by Lockhart Steele, with Katie Richardson at 3, James Hair at 2nd and Margaret Brown with her trusty cue at lead. This team played against Andrew Neilson’s Avondale team. This was a closely fought game with Lockhart getting a 4 in the 4th end to lead 4-2. Andrews’s team came back into the game and this one finished in another draw with both teams scoring 5. Sheet C saw EK team of skip, Jim Strang with James Baird, John King and Brian Cassidy against Avondale skip Alex Flemming. Jim’s team were always in control in this game and were 5-3 up after 6 ends. A 2 in the last end made them overall winners with a final score of 7-3 to EK&H. EK&H team of Willie Boyd, Neil Fyfe and Alison Taylor were skipped by Eric Richardson on sheet D against Graeme Allan’s Avondale team. Eric was ahead 3-2 after 3 ends but from there on Graeme took control and in the end Avondale narrowly won this game 8-7. Avondale’s team skipped by Aileen Neilson took on Steve Russell’s EK team of Margaret Richardson, Ryan Asher and Caroline Morrison on sheet E. Avondale were 4-3 up after 6 ends but 3 shots in the last 2 ends gave EK&H a 6-4 win. Willie Baird and his team of Emma Craig, Helen Drummond and Mhairi Baird took on the Avondale Team skipped by Allan Hall on sheet E. Willie and his team got off to a great start with a 4 in the first end. After 6 ends the score had evened out to 7 each but then a loss of 2 1’s in the last two ends meant this game finished 9-7 to Avondale. The highlight of the night for me were two shots played by the Strang brothers. Jim Strang on sheet C played a cracker in the 6th end where he hit two red stones out and left EK lying with 5 in the house. Not to be outdone, in the last end George used his last stone for a skilful tap up to finish with a peel. Apologies to any other great shots I missed, of which I’m sure there were many, but I was too busy eating one of Stuart’s delicious meals for my tea! So after a great’s night curling the final score was EK&H 39 and Avondale 36. A fine buffet was provided by Stuart and the teams enjoyed a drink together in the bar after the game. The match is close with only 3 shots in it for the second leg on 10th January 2022. I hope this finds you all well and we continue with a good curling season. Positive Past President, Wille.

Avondale Heather Six Rinks-- L.I.R. Monday 10th January 22 @ 5.45pm This is always a major fixture in the curling calendar for both clubs and after having a draw and then an interrupted match (awarded to AH after just 1 leg) due to Covid, it was good for EK&H to get back to winning ways in both legs of this important inter-club match. EK&H went into this match 3 shots up from the 1st leg. Before we went onto the ice, Lockhart whispered in my ear. That was concerning enough, but what he was telling me was worse. He had done as instructed by our VP Margaret Brown, and had called his rink to check their availability. It's a pity he didn't put on his reading glasses, as he had called James Strang instead of James Hair. James Strang had confirmed that he was OK to play and he dutifully turned up. The problem was, he wasn't due to play in Lockhart's rink! So Lockhart had to play with just 3 players. (I think Helen's 'problem' with the soup has now been surpassed!!) However, both clubs had put out the 'big guns' to play in this match. Well, we actually had a wee water pistol that had to be selected, as he was President! As I said afterwards at the presentation of the Neilson Trophy, you would have thought the match was sponsored by Weightwatchers (now called WW for PC reasons) as the 2 Presidents (Jim Raeburn and me) went from being heavy to then being light (with their shots), and in more than one end! The dynamic duo of Willie Cannon and George Strang were teamed up with the more 'experienced' duo of Willie King and Bill Gibson. Maybe there were too many willies in the same team as, after being 3-0 up after 3 ends, they collapsed to a 4-10 defeat. George said that while he was picking up 1's, the opposition, were getting 3s and 4s. However, whilst that was happening, Willie Baird was doing his own version of Lazarus, and after being 2-5 down, won 6-5. Lockhart and his 2 colleagues settled for a 5-5 peel at the bell. Eric Richardson was looking good at 4-3 after 6 ends. It's a pity they were playing so fast, as they managed to get 8 ends in and ended up 4-6. Steve Russell, who I think was making his debut as a skip in this match, will certainly be asked back, after achieving a resounding 9-4 win. This was mirrored by Jim Strang, who despite losing a 2 at the 8th end, won 9-4. So after all that, it finished as a 6 shot victory for EK&H over the 2 legs. After the meal, Jim Strang was presented with the trophy as overall winning skip from the 2 legs. Onwards now to the Centenary Bonspiel, President Brian.

Galston Haymouth Four Rinks--Ayr played Sunday 10th October 2021 Match Report by George Strang After a year without curling it was our first away trip to Ayr playing Galston Haymouth. After navigating the one way system through the ice rink we were ready to play so Jim Strang sorted who was playing who in the absence of Jim Boswell, declaring that “I’m no playing Dykes”. So in the first game, myself played James Dykes, and we got away to a great start winning the first 5 ends. As the day progressed it became clear that a stone in the house guarded was very hard to remove. James won two ends with us winning the overall game 10-3. Lockhart on the next sheet played Gavin Morton this was a very close affair with Lockhart’s rink having to be re-arranged after 2 ends as Helen wasn’t playing very well and Lockhart asked Helen “did you leave that soup boiling in the kitchen” her reply was “oh my god” and she ran away and got changed and drove to Carluke to find the broth was not burnt and Lockhart will be eating it today but with a knife and fork. The good news is the new kitchen was saved. As there was actually nothing to eat in the new kitchen Helen returned to the ice rink for her tea. Obviously no fuel crisis in Carluke. But on the up side this strengthened Lockhart’s team giving Jackie and Fiona and extra stone each. Even with Lockhart fresh airing 4 times, once against a 4, he still managed to beat Gavin 10-6. Gavin in his speech afterwards asked Helen if she went to “Arbroath and back”. In the third game Jim Strang and his team with Jim Craig playing his first game of the season played wee Tam Neil. Jim struggled in this game with a tricky sheet of ice and his weight in the first half of the game but in the second half he came back into it winning 3 of the last 4 ends to make up some of the deficit. In fact Jim was the only person to play 9 ends which in hindsight might have been a mistake. He had the choice of an easy draw with his last shot or a difficult shot off a winger to get a 2 which Willie Cannon had told him would win the game for East Kilbride - let’s just say Willie Cannon canny count. The game finished 9-4 to Tam. In the last game Eric was playing Stuart Wilson (Tommy Campbell’s mate). You could say Eric wasn’t at the races he lost the first 6 ends leaving him 10 shots down when Stuart suggested that Come and Try was happening on sheets 1 and 2. This must have wakened Eric up a bit and he managed to get two in the last two ends to finish 10-2 down. So the final score was 28-26 in favour of Galston with Stuart Wilson winning the Tappit Hen. We had a great meal although Helen decided on the melon instead of the soup and a few stories to finish off the night.

Stewarton Heather Three Rinks--L.I.R. Tuesday 12th October 21@ 5.45pm It's "jist no fair". Poor Willie Baird had me (Brian Cassidy) as his lead and even on one of my good days, that's bad news. This wasn't one of my good days!! The opposition had Marion McDonald's sister, Janice, a former Scottish Champion, as their lead. On the plus side we did have Jim Craig as second and Marion Craig as third. Margaret Brown had listed our rinks as 1,2 and 3. So, I thought that suggesting to SH that we play their rinks in order 1,2 and 3 would be a simple arrangement. That was until I told Willie and Lockhart who they were playing. Apparently Willie has played David Mundell almost every time in this fixture. It seems that Lockhart is still having nightmares about his last encounter with David Reid (his son-in-law) when we last hosted the fixture. David grannied him!!! Lockhart was supported by Jim Strang, Emma Craig and Margaret Ferguson. Our other rink was skipped by Ryan Asher with Neil Fyfe, Alison Taylor and Willie Craig taking on Alan Smith. So that was the state of play before we even got onto the ice. At the 1st end Ryan started well, whilst at the same time Willie and Lockhart fell behind. Lockhart recovered well and after a blanked 4th end (all good matches must have a blank end), at the 5th he was sitting 3-3. Two ends later he was leading 5-4. However his final shot in the 8th end frustrated him as it got caught and didn't do as he had planned. This left David able to finish their match with a 2, to give a score of 5-6 to SH. Willie decided to play a bit of a hitting game but he failed to ask the rest of us if we could hit! It didn't take long for him to discover that there were gaps in our abilities. However, after 5 ends we were sitting at 4-4 so all still to play for. If only we'd played for it! Our match ended 5-8 to SH. The last match to finish was Ryan's. At all times in his match he was in the lead and gave the rest of us some hope that we might still win the event. It wasn't to be and despite his rink's valiant efforts he could only achieve a score of 6-3. This wasn't enough to make up for the rest of us, After a nice meal, where SH offered great praise to our ice rink's catering team, I presented the trophy to David Mundell. The ease in which he disassembled the trophy to put it into its box to take back to Greenacres demonstrated an unfortunate (from our point of view) familiarity with this practice. I declined Jim Craig's offer of a stool to stand on whilst he took the photo!! So, now it's onto the Mearns Coronation match on the 1st November.

Mearns Coronation Two Rinks--Monday 1st November 2021 @ 6.30pm Galleon The writing was on the wall when John King opened his boot at Eaglesham only to find that the guys approaching with the curling brushes were actually Mearns Coronation (MC) players and not EK&H. Needless to say, the boot was promptly SHUT!! Onward to the Galleon Ice Rink. At the rink I felt we had an OK hand. An Ace (Steve Russell - Skip), 2 Kings (John and Willie) and a Joker (me!!). We got off to a good start - I won the toss! Then we got a 2 at the first end. James Dykes (MC Skip and brother of our Willie) said he was just getting used to the ice being so good and quick and not having a mist over the rink - my stones didn't make the head - I wished we'd had a mist!! It's all relative. This could also be said regarding the curlers playing in this match. I was frightened to talk about anyone in case it was a brother or cousin or even a husband (James Morrison spouse of our Caroline!) of the person I was speaking to! Not only that but my neighbour, one David Lawson of EK&H was playing as a sub for THEM! They said he was a late replacement. "Not late enough" I said! Anyway, as we completed the second end it was looking like a good 4 for us, except, by this time James Dykes had got used to the ice and managed to get on the board with a 1. Our score card was easy to mark up. On our side the total remained at 2 whilst MC managed to make millimetres count as their stones scraped past guards whilst we watched our stones take a wick. Anyway, the MC rink's quality shone through and they achieved a score of 13. On the other sheet they didn't bother with a scorecard as they didn't have a pen. So I asked Willie Dykes, whose rink was made up of Chris Rennie, James Strang and Bill Gibson, for some feedback for the report. In his normal friendly elaborative style, Willie informed me it was 7-6 to THEM! So that ended a disappointing evening at the Galleon for EK&H and it was onto the Pub down at the traffic lights. Well those were the directions we were given, except that when you walk out the front door at the Galleon, there's lights on the left and lights on the right! Thankfully Willie King had fixed the pumps in this pub, and he was able to guide us there. We all enjoyed a bit of chat and a burger followed by a wee joke - well it took a bit longer than James Dykes had intended but Willie King helped him with the punchline. It was all good fun.

Coulter Three Rinks--L.I.R. Sunday 21st November 21 @5.45pm Well, this match against COOTER was neck and neck until the final end. As far as the ties on each sheet went it was 1-Coulter, 1-Peel, and 1- EK&H. However, it's shots that count and in the end it was a successful evening for the hosts (that's us). I mentioned to VP Margaret Brown that her tactics were superb. I wasn't on the ice!! Those on the ice included Tommy Campbell with his wobbly knee, Stella Cassidy, Rosalind Jamieson and Chris Rennie with their rests and Margaret Brown with her cue. From the restaurant I was wondering if I was watching the old crocks. (I did have another sentence here but replaced it in case it wasn't PC enough!!). Willie Cannon also blessed us with his presence. He seems to be spending a bit more time in the country instead of his jet set lifestyle - the red eye to London. I did struggle a bit to monitor the proceedings as there was a major glare from the rink - it was John Gilmour's shiny dome! (I should talk!!). On Rink A we had William Boyd playing against Meikle Jackson. Meikle started well and it was the 3rd end before William got on the board. In the 4th end Willie Cannon played a "stoater" of a draw to help William get back to peels. On Rink B it was Willie Baird v Colin Wright. Like William Boyd, it was the 3rd end before Colin got on the board to pull back to peels after being 2 down. On Rink C it was James Baird up against James Moffatt. As in Rink B it was peels (2-2) after 3 ends. After 5 ends EK&H were 1 shot up and it was still all to play for. It was a really tight match. Willie Baird would build up a lot of stones in the head only to see Colin play some beauties and cut down the lead. There were even times when Willie would come out the head to assist his sweepers as he tried to make a difference. At the 4th end it was Willie's turn to play the beauty, to take out 2 yellows and gain a 2 shot advantage. On "C" Chris Rennie cleared the head leaving it open for the skip. They could have saved a bit of time by cutting out the "middle men" and just letting the skips play. Then they could have got for their tea earlier! On "A" it was a measure at the 6th end. Willie Cannon used all his civil engineering skills to make sure the hole was in the right place to ensure that the red stone was shot. In the 7th end Meikle played a terrific shot to knock William's own red into the head onto a yellow which hit another red and left yellow counting to win this tie. Not only that......he meant it! So, it was left to me to take the cards and calculate the result. In summary it was rink A:3-4; rink B:9-4; rink C: 4-4; Overall: EK&H winners with +4 Spectators could have been forgiven for thinking that the (EK&H) club were also playing on Rink D as Caroline Morrison, David Lawson, Marion McDonald and Willie Dykes played in a match for "another club". The competitions weren't over yet as following a nice bite to eat courtesy of Stewart Love, we were encouraged to take part in a Coulters club tradition where each person tossed a coin and somehow, through complex means, there was a winner at each table (I like this game as I won the big "kitty" at my table - thankfully they were kind to me, and I didn't have to top up the cash to buy a round!) A good night was had by all and it was good to see Lillias (King) Hyslop under better circumstances than the last couple of times we've met. Rinks - William Boyd, Willie Cannon, John Gilmour, and Rosalind Jamieson; Willie Baird, Tommy Campbell, Margaret Brown and Stewart Webster; James Baird, Steve Russell, Chris Rennie and Stella Cassidy

Biggar Two Rinks--L.I.R. Tuesday 15th February 22 @ 2.30pm Lesmahagow Three Rinks--L.I.R. Sunday 6th March 22 @ 5.45pm Hamilton & Thornyhill Three Rinks--L.I.R. Sunday 10th October @ 2.30pm

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Last Update To This Page 22nd November 2021