Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Taarnby."David Edwards, Kerry Barr, Scott Macleod and Louise Edwards got off to the worst possible start against the Netherlands at the European Mixed Curling Championship in Denmark. Facing four shots the skip was forced to make a perfect draw. In the second, a poor last stone by the Scottish skip and Mark Neeleman drew for two which was immediately countered by a two for Scotland as Edwards drew to the four foot.
Facing four shots in the fourth, Neeleman hit with his last to collect a single shot and tie the game 3-3 at the break.
Fifth and Edwards drew for two. Facing two shots Neeleman drew for a single in the sixth before stealing a single in the seventh as Edwards last stone raise take-out just failed. The game was tied 5-5 coming home.
With the house open but the Scots lying two shots Neeleman almost froze his last stone draw in the four foot, forcing the hit from Edwards. But the running stone hit the angle wrong and it was to be a 5-6 loss for the Scots.
After the game Edwards said, "I threw the last stone slightly tight. Perhaps we should have left it alone (without sweeping) and hit the target stone squarer. We struggled with the ice early on as it was quicker then before. We have to covert the last stone into twos which we failed to do today as the two we scored were thanks to opposition mistakes."
In other games England downed Ireland 6-4 whilst Wales had a 6-4 win over Russia. Other results can be found here.
Top photo: Kerry Barr and Scott Macleod work on their skip's stone. Note that this pic is of Scott 'The Destroyer' Macleod, and not of a Scott with any other name. Apologies to Scott for getting his name wrong yesterday, and only now corrected. (So much for the proofreading abilities of my blogallies! I don't mind if you point out errors. Really I don't.) Of course I should have picked up Leslie's blooper myself, but you all know by now how name dyslexic I am. But no excuses. Mea Culpa. Macleod, Macleod, Macleod... x a hundred.Above: Louise Edwards.
Photos © Leslie Ingram-Brown
