GB men's curlers lose to Italy after shocking start

Team GB's men were left to rue a shocking first end as a stubborn fightback against hosts Italy in a throbbing Cortina Curling Stadium was not enough to prevent their first defeat of these Winter Olympics.

After winning their opening two matches, including against the Swedish rink who beat them in the gold-medal match four years ago, the British team went into their second high-grade encounter in two days in a strong position.

However, a horrendous first end - during which the Italians stole four points - left them chasing in front of a raucous home crowd armed with horns, bells and whistles.

These British players are the world's top-ranked rink for a reason though, and they slowly reeled in Italy, levelling in the ninth end.

However, the local favourites held firm in the last to win 9-7 and add the scalp of GB to that of the Swedes, who they beat in their opener.

"We had to dig deep and we played nine really good ends and controlled it from there, but we just couldn't do enough to get the win," lead Hammy McMillan told BBC Sport.

Seven wins from the nine round-robin matches will guarantee a place in the semi-finals - fewer may well still be sufficient - so Bruce Mouat's rink are still in a strong spot before facing the Czech Republic on Saturday (13:05 GMT).

GB's women are not in such good shape, though.

After mistakes cost them in their opener to China, another few moments of slackness undermined their attempts to beat South Korea on Friday.

Ultimately, the British rink fell to a 9-3 defeat and are now without a win in their opening two matches, with the daunting task of facing the three medal favourites - Canada, Sweden and Switzerland - in their next four games.

The Canadians are up first on Saturday at 08:05 GMT.

The horrified looks on the faces of the GB curlers said more than words could about that appalling opening end.

Lying one as Mouat threw his final stone, they took a risk in an attempt to claim two, but could not have anticipated just how badly it would go. An unfortunate kiss left none of their red stones in the house but four yellow Italian ones in position.

That might have caused some rinks to unravel but this Scottish quartet are the world's best, and soon righted themselves.

The sides traded singles before a fabulous final Mouat throw - aided by the intervention of the big compass to measure who was nearest the button - ensured GB claimed two to get back to 5-3.

Another splendid team shot - Mouat's throw, Grant Hardie's judgement, and the ferocious sweeping of Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie - forced a steal in the fourth and suddenly it was back to a one-point game at the break.

The Italians blanked the sixth, and claimed two in the seventh to open up a healthy advantage again. But Team GB roared back again with another two and remarkably levelled with one end to go after a steal.

It all came down to the final end but the Italians kept their nerve to edge to victory and cause a thunderous barrage of noise to roll down the wooden bleachers.

"It's pretty surreal, pretty cool," McMillan added. "It's not a typical curling crowd - it's more like a football one. But it's an amazing atmosphere to play in and we're going to have to get used to it and enjoy it."

Much like in their opener with China, the inexperienced GB rink were well in the match at the halfway stage.

Facing a team who finished fourth at the World Championships last spring - two places above the Scottish quartet - they lost the hammer, but forced the Koreans to blank the first end before they took two in the second.

Rebecca Morrison delivered a composed final stone to level, before the sides traded points to go into the break on terms.

However, the GB rink leaked three in the sixth end and Korea stole another in the seventh, to wrest control of the contest.

Four points behind with three ends to play, the British team were in trouble and could not find a way out and ultimately shook hands with two ends to spare.

"It's that pesky second half again," said skip Sophie Jackson. "We usually finish games well so it's frustating.

"It was one shot here and there so we need to stay positive because we have been playing well."