Britain’s men’s curling team bowed out of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver before the medal stage following a 7-6 defeat by Sweden in the extra end of their play-off which would have seen them through to the semi final.

The reigning world champions failed to live up to their reputation when a poor first five ends required them to claw their way back into the match to draw level only to lose it in the extra end.

For David Murdoch, the defeat on the verge of medal success was all too familiar. The skipper was in a similar position four years ago in Turin when his team, favourites to take gold, fell short and lost the third-placed play-off to the United States.

"It's heartbreaking - it's the worst result possible as far as the team is concerned,” said Murdoch.

"We just put ourselves in a position where every game mattered so much at the end of the week. We had our backs to the wall and we just didn't finish off matches the way we're used to.

"We did everything we possibly could for the last two years. We trained six days a week and practised as much as we possibly could and came into this week as world champions. But sometimes weeks just don't go for you."

The British team, Ewan Macdonald, Euan Byers, Peter Smith and Murdoch, headed to Vancouver as world champions and legitimate favourites after beating Canada in four consecutive games en route to the title. But in reality the team that expected a bronze medal at the very least started sluggishly with an opening game defeat to Sweden and Tuesday’s defeat to Norway.

Britain started badly when Byers' missed take-out allowed the Swedes to play out the remainder of the end for a two, and although Murdoch hit straight back to level, his missed take-out in the third gave Sweden the advantage back.
A nightmare fourth end, in which Ewan Macdonald's attempted draw deflected off one of his own guards, then Murdoch missed his take-out shot, nudged Sweden a point further ahead against the hammer.

With their chances seemingly fading, Murdoch's men stole points in three consecutive ends against the hammer to even the score at 5-5 at the end of the seventh, although the Swedes still retained the final stone.

An inch-perfect series of guards throughout the eighth had their desired effect of forcing the Swedes to take a one, giving them a 6-5 lead but crucially giving Murdoch back the advantage of the hammer.
Choosing to blank the penultimate end in order to retain the hammer for the last end, Murdoch's men looked on course for two but his stone was slightly over-swept and a brilliant double take-out by Edin forced the extra end.

Murdoch added: "We weren't sharp at all. We gave them a head-start but the team showed a lot of character in the last five ends and we curled the way we should have been curling.

"In the 10th end we over-swept my rock - another inch and I'm standing here with a smile on my face and a place in the semi-finals but it's not to be."

The elimination from the Games comes the day after Eve Muirhead’s women’s team also exited the competition, bringing an end to Britain’s curling hopes.