JANUARY has been a busy time for the Bute Curling Club. On January 6, a rink skipped by Mike Hislop with Duncan Lyon at third, Peter Martin and Sam Bryan at lead headed to the Waterfront for the monthly Argyll Province game. In the morning game Bute had the better of Tighnabruaich/Glen Orchy in a close match, but in the afternoon match Oban came out clear winners.
With the last stone of the match and with Oban lying with four stones in the house, Hislop sent down a strong take-out shot and cleared the house which, although satisfying, did not alter the outcome of the match. On January 7, 19 curlers were ready on the pier when word came through that problems at the Waterfront had resulted in water on the ice and no play was possible. Nine curlers quickly decided to head for Greenacres Ice Rink and played a three handed round robin for the Millbank Trophy, which was won by Alex Robertson with Nicola Speirs and Sam Bryan.
On January 20 there was a rearranged Argyll Province game postponed from December. Bute had a rink skipped by Mike Hislop with Bill Stein at third, Donald Kinnear and Sam Bryan at lead. The morning game against Millport was evenly matched for the first four ends, but Millport eased ahead in the last two ends to win the match. In the afternoon game a reshaped Bute rink faced Oban and on this occasion Bute had the upper-hand–two shots up with the last end to play.
Alas, the Oban rink upped their game and took the final end by four shots to win the match by two shots. A good game of curling and although beaten the Bute rink felt they had played well and were unfortunate to lose. On January 21, two rinks from Bute headed to Greenacres for the annual County Cup match against Millport.
This is always a keenly fought occasion with Millport having triumphed in the past years, but Bute never far away from that elusive win. In the morning games a Bute rink skipped by Donald Kinnear with Mike Hislop at third, Helen Martin and Sam Bryan at lead fared no better than the previous day, with a close match up to the last two ends which Millport won to secure victory.
On the other sheet the Bute rink skipped by Bill Stein with Peter Martin at third, Doreen Hislop and Colin McFarlane at lead were up against a strong Millport rink who ran out comfortable winners. In the afternoon matches the Kinnear rink faced the victors over Team Stein but this time the Bute rink were in control, leading after four ends by seven shots to one but two great ends by Millport saw the scores level going into to the last end. With Bute lying with two stones and with skips stones to come, Millport could not find a way through leaving the Bute rink winners by two shots.
On the other sheet the Stein rink were having a similar battle with Millport, again peels going into the final end. With Bute lying shot from early in the end it was all down to keeping guards in place and this was achieved, leaving Bute the winners. With Millport winning both morning games and Bute prevailing on both sheets in the afternoon, it was down to the number of ends won by each club over the day’s play and, alas for Bute, Millport came out on top to retain the County Cup yet again. Another close and enjoyable contest with Bute’s local rivals.
