Flamstead 1st   3 - 7   Crown & Sceptre 1st   (Match Report, courtesy of Nick Denney)

Matches between Flamstead 1st and C&S 1st are always eagerly anticipated. In previous seasons they have thrown up some absolute classics, however with the absence of our captain (Angela Smith) we knew things would be very tough.

Straight from the off, things were very exhilarating, with an incredible set between Gary and Nick (who has often come close, but never beaten Gary). Nick got off to a great start, putting Gary on the back foot and taking the first game 11-9, but back came Gary taking games two and three both 11-8. Then an absolutely incredible leg! Yes you did read that correctly, 25-23! Brought back memories of when the legs were played up to 21, but Nick finally managed to edge it after having 11 game points! He led 5-4 at the change of ends of the decider, but Gary proved too strong in the end, coming out an 11-8 winner in the 5th. An incredible set! Marc and Alan the served up a typical cagey match, as it always does, with Alan’s slow high looping somewhat throwing Marc off his stride a bit, losing the first 12-10 but then coming back strongly 11-2 in the next. Games 3 and 4 were shared but Alan eventually came out on top 14-12 in the 5th . . .  and it had just turned 9.00PM!!!

Settling in for the night, things started to speed up somewhat with John and Gary winning their matches against Antony and Marc respectively, and Flamstead were 4-0 down. Things took a turn in the next two games with Nick continuing his good record against John, and Antony grinding out a great win against Alan (both by 3 legs to 1), to bring the score back to 4-2. John and Gary won the next two games fairly comfortably (as well as the doubles), with Nick squeezing in a cagey win against Alan in the middle. 7-3 to the away side in the end, and somehow we were all finished by 11PM!!!