Match Report
Adeyfield 1st 9 - 1 Adeyfield A
Double satisfaction for the League leaders, following this result.
A great night’s work for Adeyfield 1st playing a ‘double points’ match ** against our second string side, who are no longer the pushovers of yesteryear, making us fight for every win.
** NB: The previous match between the two teams was unable to be played to to Hall unavailability, and future Hall unavailability and another Postponement left playing for double points as the only viable option to fulfil the fixture.
Supremo Nigel Finn walked in to a 3-0 scoreline, as he predicted he would, after finishing a tutorial nearby, and stayed to support the team (as usual), until the end, watching some engrossing play along the way. My game with Les Leech, for instance, was far from dull, offering flight (of the ball) not seen since the halcyon days of the Middlesex spin twins Edmunds & Embury. But it was mainly a case of a topspin treat, courtesy of the other 4 players. Mike Branscombe got into so many good positions, only to miss his serve with an air shot or into the net, at vital moments late in the games. At one point he even crawled to the other end on his hands and knees, in penitence or disappointment (?), after missing a serve at match point down.
John Bleakley outplayed me for the only ‘A’ team win, his smooth control always keeping me on the back foot. Alarm bells were ringing at one stage between Mike Boardman & Les, as the ace defender raced into a 7-1 lead, but, just like a Vauxhall Viva car, slow to get going but once his motor was running Mike was firing on all cylinders, he soon overtook a distraught Les still stuck on 7.
Good pick by the non-playing skipper to go for the ex Shaw champions, Mike Boardman & Mark York, in the doubles, as they were in excellent form and stormed to a straight games victory, coming from 7-10 down in the third game to win.
This result puts us 11 points clear of Crown & Sceptre 1st, with four matches left - a sizeable lead, but C&S 1st have the easier run-in. Still all to play for then.