McDonald sweeps to another victory
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FORRES curler Mike McDonald's rink maintained their perfect start to the Moray Province East Division 1 season.
Both McDonald and fellow pacesetter Kenny Oswald won in the latest round of matches, and meet next in a battle of the hundred per cent rinks.
McDonald took a couple of ends to get into his stride against Buckie's Alan Campbell, who led by two shots. This was no deterrent to the juggernaut that is the Forres rink. This time, with Marran Nicol at lead, the Forres four powered ahead with seven unanswered shots and another three in the last end gave them a comprehensive victory.
Oswald was always ahead against the Elgin Sunninghill rink for a 7-3 win. In the other Division 1 game, the Fochabers derby was a much closer affair, the decisive blow struck by skip Bill Jaffrey.
In Division 2, Aberlour's Andy Cameron and Eddie Milne's Darnaway had a real scrap, and a 6-5 Darnaway win was testament to a right royal battle. Ryan Mackenzie, fresh from the arrival of a son and heir demonstrated his prowess with a comfortable win over Ian Rae's Darnaway rink.
Jim Farquhar's Elgin team overcame Linda Hardie's Forres foursome who lead 3-1 after four ends, but then running into a storm of shots in the 10-3 defeat.
Meanwhile, in the Moray Superleague, sponsored by Gordon and Macphail, Gavin Nicol retains top spot after a 11-5 win over Mike Watt.
Nicol scored four against the hammer to lead 5-0 after to ends. The next six ends then went with the hammer with Nicol scoring six and Watt five. Alan Campbell's rink, skipped by Stephen Rankin started well against Ally Fraser and were 5-1 up after four ends. Fraser came back with a two at the fifth but Rankin scored doubles at the next two ends to win 9-3.
Angus Gunn stood in for Donald Ross against Neil Durno and was 4-2 ahead after four ends before scoring 3, 2 and 1 to comfortably win 10-2.
Raymond Boyd took a single at the second end to level his game against Mike McInnes' rink skipped by Robbie Cope, who then took the next five ends to win 8-1.
Andy Cameron and Dave Macpherson each won three ends, with Cameron's three doubles securing a 6-3 victory in the end.
