Match Report

Injuries are a common occurence in top level sport and occasionally we get them in local league table tennis too.

Matches between the Sandgrounders and Titans at the Labour Club seem particularly cursed.

Last time out Titan's Wayne Nolan broke his finger and this time, in the first match of the evening, home skipper Nick Foss , having the difficult enough task of playing the excellent Minh Le pulled a muscle in his thigh thereby rendering that task impossible - 3-0 to the visitors.

Colin Fyles though gave the scoreline a look of perfect symmetry as he beat Wayne in identical fashion.

John Barker was a new face to the Sandgrounders but it would seem that he knew exactly where the Labour club was as he arrived at 6.45 pm before we had even put the table up. No matter he did the only sensible thing and got himself a pint whilst we did the hard work. John had waited patiently for his turn and the wait was worth it as he and home team favourite Chris Foley indulged themselves in a great 5 setter which John eventually won.

Colin then returned to the table but was quickly despatched by the imperious Minh by now well on his way to yet another POM award.

Captain Nick hobbled about but was unable to snatch a point off John.

The doubles was another epic game . Colin and Chris took a 2 game lead against Minh and John , both ending14-12 , only to be pegged back and eventually lose the next three all 11-9.

Things were looking grim for the Sandgrounders who had been overtaken at the top of the table by Mawdesley the previous night when they crushed their Smash stablemates who themselves were without their inspirational skipper Martin Machin after a nasty operation, get well soon fella.

Chris , however was playing really well and she stayed on the table to play Wayne who was complaining that the Labour club was too cold. What a thing to say , you know that Jezza always gives you a warm welcome ! The watching Ian Wolstenholme commented that the last time he played here it was boiling - yes that's because you were wearing jeans Ian ! However the cold was clearly affecting Wayne as Chris played with precision and control beating him 3-0.

By this time in the evening John seemed sufficiently lubricated , returned and displayed his best form but it wasn't good enough as Colin was in superb form himself winning 3-1.

Chris despite a brave effort could not stop a straight set win against Minh the merciless.

We were left with the final match of the evening , or were we? The Fossmeister not wanting to do further damage to his thigh contemplated a concession but decided to give it a go . A wise decision it would prove to be as , from a static position, he was able to control the game and take a 2-0 lead with an out of sorts Wayne very helpfully putting everything down his backhand.

The penny dropped and Wayne started to move Nick around a bit and with some success as he got it back to 2-2.

Into the final game and Wayne's form deserted him and his confidence ebbed away and Nick was able to take the decider.

The 16 points was perhaps more than the Sandgrounders could ,in all the circumstances, reasonably expect but even though it puts them back on top ( by 3 points ) as Ian Wolstenholme succintly put it ...... "they ( Mawdesley ) think it's all over ...... it soon will be ".

Wigan MP Lisa Nandy was also in the crowd as part of her nationwide " Have a shandy with Nandy " tour of Labour Clubs to drum up support in her campaign for Labour leadership. There was no doubt where her sympathies laid as she was seen celebrating with a pint or two with John.

Gabby Logan was covering the game for 5live and being a registered first aider was on hand to offer assistance to Captain Nick ....." No Gabby it's a lot higher up than that "..... Perhaps we should leave them to it.

Written by: Nick Foss
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