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 | Fixture Details | |  | | |
Home | Return to Division Fixtures
| Nom | Home Player | Nom | Away Player | Result | Games |
| 1 | Chris Sayer | 11 | Darren Beavers | 3 | 0 | 9/5 10/8 9/1 | | 2 | Jerry Staffurth | 13A | Paul Tinnans | 1 | 3 | 2/9 7/9 9/0 3/9 | | 3 | Tom Candy | 15 | Trevor Grant | 1 | 3 | 9/6 0/9 1/9 3/9 | | 5 | Mark Fleming | 24 | Nick Wise | 3 | 0 | 9/2 9/5 9/2 | | 6 | Chris Morgan | 43 | Chris Harris | 3 | 1 | 9/6 1/9 9/0 9/5 | | | | | | | | | | | Games: | 11 | 7 | |
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| | | Bonus: | 5 | 0 | |
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| | | Result: | 16 | 7 | |
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| Report: | Another ‘must win’ match for Knole. The usual rumours of mass injury epidemics sweeping Park Langley had also given the hosts some hope. Was it to be another in a long line of false dawns or a withering green shoot of recovery?
Knole nearly stole all 20 points before the start as the Langley strangers struggled to decide their playing order. Unfortunately captain KC rode to the rescue just as the PL 3rd string was about to kick off against the KP 2nd.
Trevor (bad leg) eventually started against Tom and proved himself to be more laid back even than slow starter Tom. A 6-1 lead evaporated, allowing Tom to steal the first 9-6. Then Trevor stepped up a gear, without waiting for Tom’s response. An unusually harsh spell of marking by KC which, if anything, favoured the Knole man, did not prevent Trevor from rattling off the next three games. Tom was lucky not to be hauled up for abuse of his own racket. Afterwards, he also moaned that he was facing too many fit young players, with no consideration for his own advancing years. Trevor, probably a young-looking 50-something himself, took issue with captain and marker KC – not for the ‘bad’ calls but with his own lowly ranking. You can’t please some people, can you?
Jerry – suffering from flu – gave everything against another PL ‘find’. Trevor’s 2nd string place had been taken by young upstart Paul, who showed only occasional flashes of fallibility. Jerry knicked the third game 9-0 when a series of youthful errors allowed him in. It didn’t take long, though, for the balance to be restored. PL took a 2-0 lead in double quick time and it looked like an early bath for the Knole hopefuls.
Luckily, Mark had brought his annoying game of accuracy and unplayable winners with him. Coupled with a Nick lacking in confidence, the 3-0 result put a spark of hope back in the Knole camp fire.
Chris Morgan came up against first timer Chris Harris, a lookalike of dead ringer Dave of England and Div 1 fame. Not surprising to find that they are brothers. Chris, the badminton player, is a bit of a joker. The marker didn’t see the joke, though. And Knole officials were under instructions to be severe on bad behaviour, following recent tantrumic incidents. The backlash meant a first conduct warning for Chris H for insulting behaviour. It was about to be followed by another – for two shoulder charges that left opponent Chris M gasping for breath. Luckily for both of them, the victim recovered just enough to whisper an apology – for not getting out of the way! The call for calm and good behaviour seemed to slow Chris H a little. He stopped hitting screaming winners and stayed well out of his opponent's way, as Chris M levelled the score 2-2.
In the deciding rubber, Darren (bad leg) was given an easy ride back to fitness by generous African co-continental Chris Sayer. Darren was allowed to show some of his skills in the second game, as Chris eased his foot of the pedal. In the end, the Saffa was too strong for the Zimba and a polite game ended in Knole’s favour, sealing the come back win for the home side.
A civilised supper followed. KC on the dog and bone to gather news of his far flung flock in struggling strategising PL2. Zimbabwean Darren regaling us with incomplete gynaecological anecdotes from his compatriot Dr Hunter Gillies of Outer Kent – the same Dr Hunter who is (too) much talked about on the Forum. I say ‘incomplete’ anecdotes, although I don’t think Darren started or finished any of them. Still, nice to know he remembered hearing them, I think.
Knole foolishly dreaming of saving themselves from the drop. Only a couple more wins. Dulwich next week. Piece of cake.
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| Author: | JJ |
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