TEAM GB EASE TO VICTORY OVER OLYMPIC HOSTS IN BEIJING

Heavy scoring at just two ends, accompanied by supreme patience saw Team GB out-play hosts China to get an important two-game day at the Winter Olympics off to an ideal start in Beijing’s Ice Cube.

The final scoreline was 7-6, but it was a much more comfortable victory than that suggests, with Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan grabbing hold of the match with a four at the second end, before they waited for their next opportunity and pounced when it was presented at the eighth end.

“We enjoyed that game,” said skip Mouat.

“It was a different sort of game to those we’ve had so far and it felt like they didn’t want to take us on, because we’re a very good drawing and attacking team. So, I can understand why they didn’t do that, but it was nice to get that four in the second end which kind of relaxed things and knew that we were in a good, confident position from there.

“We just wanted to stay patient and play the scoreboard a bit, so you’re trying to score in all the even ends, which helps you stay in control and the big three in eight was a really good way to almost secure the game for us.” 

While they had started without the hammer, they applied maximum pressure at the opening end as Hardie capitalised on a miss by Chinese third Zou Qiang to freeze onto his own previous shot stone that was hidden behind a guard and after Mouat’s deliveries they were lying three, forcing opposing skip Ma Xiuyue to play a superb draw with his final stone just to score one.

After Hardie applied pressure again with a double take out, then a well-executed hit and roll, Xiuyue found himself under pressure again when another hit and roll from Mouat with his first left him all but frozen on the Chinese shot stone on the button. He turned up the power to remove it, but his shooter also ran out of the house, leaving Mouat with a chance to play a hack weight takeout around a guard which removed the lone Chinese stone still in play and he delivered it perfectly to score a four.

A conservative approach from China then allowed the British men to patiently blank the next three ends, before they then tried to force at the eighth end, only for another miss by Zou to allow Hardie and Mouat to set up a two and when Xiuyue then missed everything with an attempted double take out with his last, it left the British skip drawing for a decisive three.

They controlled things from there and could start plotting their approach to their second match of the day against opponents who have lost all four matches so far, but whom Mouat will treat with utmost respect.

“Denmark are a really solid team,” he said.

“We played them at the Euros and they gave us one of our best games there. They are obviously very talented Making the Olympics is tough in itself, so we’re not expecting it to be easy in any way. They’ve had a rough start, but they’ll be motivated to come out and play well against us, I’m sure.”

Having been constantly involved in the action since three days before the official opening of the Games, Mouat came into the day refreshed after taking advantage of a day off, which let him fully embrace the multi-sport environment.

“I had a really good day,” he said.

“I managed to sleep in until about nine, which is the first time for a long time, so I was really happy to chill, watch the curling and watch some of the other sports that Team GB are in. It was really nice to feel like being part of that one team again, instead of just the curlers.

“I watched the figure skating and the snowboard cross mixed team, which was really interesting. I really want to try that, but maybe not when I’m curling because I’ll probably break my leg.”

His full focus has now returned to the task in hand, however and on a day that will see them pass the halfway stage of the men’s round-robin, he reckons he has a strong idea of what will be required to make the semi-finals.

“Obviously looking back to the Mixed Doubles last week, I’ve got a wee bit of experience of what the round-robin can look like, so seven or eight wins would be ideal, but six will probably be enough,” he reckoned.