Leslie reports from the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships:"David Murdoch, Glen Muirhead, Ross Paterson and Richard Woods were on the ice at the Megasport Arena in Moscow this morning against Norway's Olympic silver medallist Thomas Ulsrud.
The game started tamely with David taking his one at the first end, then Ulsrud tapped back for two in the second. In the third David drew for two to regain the lead 3-2.
A poor fourth end saw the Scots in trouble. David went to play his second stone facing three Norwegian counters but failed to get the desired hit and roll, leaving his only stone in the house bare. A minute later Norway were claiming four shots as Ulsrud hit and rolled perfectly to lie the four and take a 6-4 lead into the break.
The sixth and seventh ends were blanked and in the eighth Ulsrud picked up as he released his last stone of the end, and only managed to push a Scottish guard in to first shot. David drew for two.
Ninth and Ulsrud was forced to hit and lie for a single to lead 7-6 into the last end but the Scots had the hammer.
In the final end, David lay the two needed for victory as Ulsrud went to play the double take-out on his out-turn. The Norwegian skip blew the shot well wide, handing the win to Scotland.
Germany meanwhile comfortably beat France 7-4 and still head the ranking table, undefeated after four games."
Results: Sweden 9 Italy 4, Switzerland 7 Latvia 6, Germany 7 France 4, Scotland 8 Norway 7, Denmark 6 Czech Republic 5
Standings after 4 Rounds: 4/0 Germany, 3/1 Denmark, Scotland, Sweden, 2/2 Norway, Switzerland, 1/3 Czech Republic, France, Latvia, 0/4 Italy.
Mike Haggerty's report is here.
All the results are here.
Top: Photo of Richard and Ross watching behind Thomas Ulsrud is © Leslie Ingram-Brown.
