With Tim still suffering from kneeitis or something, Jez was hastily drafted in for this encounter. The match started but only 2 adders pairs arrived anywhere near on time so we were forced to claim the 3rd rubber, with their final man turning up at gone 8pm!   Oh well,  1-0 up already 

Steve D and Jez had a very strong start winning their first 21-14, 21-11.  Steve B and Leigh started a bit slower against the 2nds and quickly realised that this was really Adders' 1st pair. Despite some good moments from us, we felt a little trapped and were hustled into playing our opponents game, eventually bowing out 15-21, 14-21. Matt and Jon played out of order and faced this same pair, again finding their patient and attack-absorbing style difficult to break down...eventually losing 10-21, 13-21.   Score now 2-2

The match then seemed winnable for a moment, with Steve D and Jez stamping their authority on their 2nd rubber, winning 21-15, but narrowly missing out 18-21 in the 2nd game.  After a very even battle with Jez having fun with baseline rallies (!!) and Steve D scuttling around at the front trying to get involved, they were eventually pushed out 10-21. Steve B and Leigh returned to court after a pep talk and stormed to a 21-15, 21-10 victory over the 1sts showing that they can actually play disciplined and orthodox shots occasionally!!!

Matt and Jon then faced the very same pair and looked to be in control in the first game, before their opponents stepped up a gear with new motivation...probably knowing that winning their rubber was becoming more crucial.  Unfortunately, the momentum stayed in their favour and M & J lost 17-21, 10-21.  Score now 3-4

With Matt & Jon having now finished their rubbers (we claimed their 1st), Steve & Jez returned to court one last time against the toughest pair.  Again, the Adders tactics proved too frustrating and this one was lost again in straight games 17-21, 15-21. 

Meanwhile, Steve B and Leigh were also on court fighting hard to finish off the 3rd pair.  After taking the 1st game 21-9 in great style, the 2nd game went to Adders 21-18 before setting up a nail biting decider.  We managed to get 20-17 up and then proceeded to squander 3 match points, before going to set and then crumbled to a crushing 24-22 defeat!  Nightmare!!!  

Conclusion

Disappointing first match .... definitely winnable but perhaps the difference was a bit of confidence and self belief! 

 

The joys of Barker Butts as a venue were even better than usual!   Not only was it approaching absolute zero inside the hall, but a huge scaffolding structure inside meant that chairs were lined up along one of the walls for spectators so people's feet were pretty much in the tramlines during play on one court, lovely!    In fact, I managed to smack my racket into a bunch of watching female spectators during one game.....I'm such a smoothy!       (NB.  No femmes were actually harmed in the making of this....)

 

With two matches on and only one court available to start, Steve D and Tim went on against a tough 1st pair, and after a close battle, lost out 13-21, 23-21, 17-21.  Steve B and Jez had a fun battle against a new monsoon 2nd pair, and eventually gelling to win convincingly 21-16, 21-16.   Matt and Jon worked hard against the Monsoon 3rds but it looked liked hard work on defense and errors seemed to make the difference with our boys going down 14-21, 17-21.  Score now 1-2

 

Steve D and Tim then squared up with the 2nds but found them far trickier than we had and their inspired play earned them a cheeky win over our 1sts which ended 21-14, 14-21, 20-22 in a nailbiter.   Steve B and Jez continued their energetic play against the Monsoon 3rds and pulled back from way down in the 1st game to take the game to set, eventually winning 24-22 with nerves of steel, w00p!   We kept the 2nd game under control from the start and although it took a few tries, managed to finish it off at 21-17, hurrah!   Finally, Jon and Matt level pegged with the strong Monsoon 1sts for the beginning of both games but consistent serving by Monsoon kept them ahead and they eventually won 11-21, 14-21.  Score now 2-4

 

Things looked a little shakey at this point with Monsoon on match point and us needing the final 3 rubbers to force the win.  

 

Steve D and Tim finally showed their true form by beating Monsoon 3rds in another 3-game battle, ending 21-18, 17-21, 21-18.   Then in an absolutely thrilling game, Steve B and Jez took on Monsoon 1sts and initially made life hard for the first game, losing 7-21, oops!   However after a rallying pep talk, we changed tactics and outplayed them to win the next 21-16.  It was literally point for point until near the end when Monsoon surged ahead to earn themselves 4 match points at 16-20.   We saved every one and levelled it at 20-20 before Monsoon creped ahead at 20-21 .........and then got a lucky net cord to seal the match.   Gutted!    Finally, it was 10:30pm so we left Matt and Jon to it to finish the remaining dead rubber.....and rather annoyingly, they won 21-18, 21-16, meaning that we were oh so close to unexpectantly winning 5-4 ourselves. 

 

Conclusion

 

Enjoyable match overall, but really one we should have won, given the pairings on paper.   Get well soon to Steve D who was suffering with a bad chest, again thanks for Jez for standing in for Leigh. This needs to be one we win at home if we have any chance of clinging on to Premier status!

 

It fell to ex-swine flu victim Steve B, ex-knee problem Tim, post-Vegas Leigh, ex-cough sufferer Steve D to try and put in a respectable performance to justify their 1st and 2nd pair status. That said, Jon Newland has found excellent form recently...seemingly powered by mushed apples which he brings along in a tupperware container to each match..... and Matt must be feeding off his youthful partner's abundant energy as they are becoming a dangerous pair!   

The match started with Steve D and Tim just missing out in a 3-game rubber, ending 21-23 to Monsoon but in a fantastic match.   Steve B & Leigh played a solid game in their 1st, just keeping the shuttle in (good tactic...try it!) and rode the momentum to etch in their first rubber 21-18, 21-10.  Matt and Jon played an excellent game against a tough 3rd pair, but eventually just missed out 19-21, 18-21.   Score 1-2

Steve B and Leigh took their solid play to a whole new level in the next rubber vs the strong Monsoon 1st pair to win the first 21-18.  After a shuffle in tactics which caught us off guard, we then threw the next game away 10-21 after a bad start.   However some quality and ambitious net play from Leigh and excellent mid and rear court play from Steve B kept us ahead until the final whistle, winning 21-18 again!  Brilliant!!!    Meanwhile Matt and Jon battled with the 2nd pair but couldn't break through, losing 15-21, 13-21.  Finally, Steve D and Tim had a strong win 21-12, 21-19 using good deception and attacking play.   Score now 3-3

Matt and Jon built upon their play in the earlier games and blasted the Monsoon 1st pair opponents off court with a 21-15, 21-17 win which put the team in an excellent position to clinch the match.   Steve D and Tim dutifully won the 1st game in a comfortable 21-12 but then lost the next 14-21 to make the decider & match rubber a real nail-biter.  Fortunately, they got it together and won convincingly 21-11 to seal the match in our favour but it wasn't over just yet... 

Steve B and Leigh decided to make it a clean sweep for them as a pair by beating the Monsoon 3rds, 21-17, 21-17 with some good serving, aggressive service returns and a real mix of shots to keep them guessing!   Score now 6-3 

Conclusion

Absolutely delighted with this unexpected win.  It's a real boost to show we can beat a team that came top of the premier table last season.

Hopefully a few more home wins might be enough to keep us in Premier but it's still going to be an uphill battle if we keep getting pipped 5-4!