Had a real strange dream the night before this match. The wife and I were sat watching the television when a man walked into the lounge. He was wearing overalls that had Harry's Removals on the back. Without uttering a word he started rearranging the furniture and when we both stood up to remonstrate with him, he pushed past and put the settee where the armchair was and vice-versa. He then moved the dining table around and all the chairs. Lastly he moved the television to the other side of the room. We both stood there and watched as he surveyed his work until at last he turned and said. 'Didn't like where they were, better now. Bye.' I was completely baffled when I woke up but when I went on to play Harry that night it all made sense. We were having a knock up when he put his bat down and marched over to the tables and chairs and spent five minutes rearranging them all. When he'd finished he said. 'Didn't like them where they were.' Harry never fails does he. I gave him a really good game and I should have taken at least a set off him but the Gods were against me and as well as I played the final shot either just missed the edge or clipped the net and Harry, steady as ever, won in three. Brian had got us underway against Adrian and after going two sets down I suspected it wasn't going to be our night as even though he fought back to take the next two sets, he was far from convincing with his choice of shots, going for big drives when the shot wasn't on and sure enough even his usually decisive chopping let him down and he succumbed rather tamely in the fifth. Ian and Martyn had a good game sharing some big hits but Martyn after going two sets down and coming back to take the third with some incredible retrieving, lost the fourth as his long standing elbow injury began to trouble him once more. I went on against Adrian and it was almost a repeat of my game with Harry. I played some of the best tennis I've played all season but got no luck at all and Adrian was taking no chances and he won in three. Brian overcame Martyn in four sets as the YMCA man struggled to land any of his usual deadly backhand smashes and made too many unforced errors. Brian at last got his drives going and was more steady with his chops. Ian had a great chance of at least taking Harry to five sets but after blowing a set point in the fourth he then served a double fault to hand the set and game to Harry. My game with Martyn went exactly the same as my other two. I played well but struggled with Martyn's fast serve to my backhand and when I needed a wee bit of luck it deserted me and when I thought I had a real chance of taking the third set at 12/12, he won both points with nets. Ian was on great form against Adrian, a player he has never beaten and after a very close first set, which Ian just shaded, Adrian was always playing catch up and once the Barker backhand smash found its length the YMCA man was floundering and when the nets and edges began to play a part in the third set he practically surrendered and sat down grumbling about the injustice of it all. After playing for over sixty years you'd think he'd come to realise that sometimes your opponent plays better than you on the night. Last singles was Brian and Harry and although Brian managed to take a set he struggled in the same way he had against Adrian. Shot selection was his problem as he seemed to get frustrated by the long bouts of chopping and he'd then go for a drive which wasn't on. Harry just chopped and chopped and waited for an opportunity to land his booming forehand and eventually won in four. Ian and I should have taken the doubles after going two sets up but a combination of Martyn and Harry making fewer errors and us losing our concentration, let them back in and we lost in five. So ended a marathon night but there had been some excellent tennis played and good company. Good to see Peter turn up recovering well from his broken ribs, I believe he'll be sleeping on the floor in future!  This win for YMCA moves them to within eight points of the leaders so it looks as if the second half of the season could be very interesting.  L

Written by: Lee Brown