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 | Fixture Details | |  | | |
Home | Return to Division Fixtures
| Nom | Home Player | Nom | Away Player | Result | Games |
| 2 | Marc Aldridge | 2 | Mark Steeden | 3 | 0 | 9/5 9/6 9/1 | | 4 | Gordon McManus | 4 | Steve Falla | 3 | 2 | 9/4 4/9 1/9 9/4 9/2 | | 7 | Mark Lennox | 8 | Matt Badger | 3 | 0 | 9/5 10/8 9/4 | | 8 | Ray Bushell | 7 | Rob Lewis | 3 | 1 | 9/6 1/9 9/3 9/1 | | 12 | Simon Wanford | 16 | Joss Stafford | 2 | 3 | 9/5 9/4 6/9 0/9 0/9 | | | | | | | | | | | Games: | 14 | 6 | |
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| | | Bonus: | 5 | 0 | |
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| | | Result: | 19 | 6 | |
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| Report: | Bexley vrs "Below Strength" Biggin Hill!!
Rumour had it that Biggin Hill, with Mark Lennox (cut leg) and John Lane (back) out, were a heavily weakened side. So Bexley merrily trotted up expecting to be handed 20points on a nicely garnished plate with a side salad of banter..not so, someone gave the chef the wrong menu, this meal left a bitter after-taste!!....In fact the BH captain was playing his cards so close to his chest that he had faked two "out of office" auto-replies asking him what team he had out.
First up, Marc Alridge vs Mark Steeden at 1 and Ray Bushell vrs Rob Lewis at 4. Marc vs Mark was a 3-0 victory for the home side. Marc's boasts proving too good for a (dare I say it) sluggish Steeden. With the games tending to say level until 4-4, Marc then began to pull away as errors crept into Steeden's game.
Betting had it that Ray and Rob would have a tight match and it certainly looked that way at first with Ray clinching the first 9-6. Rob fought back stunningly to win the second 9-1 but something happened in the 3rd and 4th game. I couldn't tell you exactly what happened because I was on court, but the thing was that Ray won!! Ray tells me it was his battling spirit, spectacular length and tricky drops so I'll have to take his word on that!!! 3-1 to Ray and the Lewis swear box was brought out.then borrowed by Matt later on.
At 3, Mark Lennox vrs Matt "Pensioner" Badger. Fashion was the order of the day with both players sporting right-calf bandages. Pretty much the same thing happened in all 3 games. Mr Lennox would race out of the blocks to develop a great lead (8-0 in 2nd!) with good tight drives whilst old man Badger took to hacking around the court determined to break the tin rather than his racket. Mid-way through each game, inspiration would hit and Matt would claw his way back into it (back to 8-8 in 2nd!!). Just at the moment when the balcony sensed the match could go against the home team, Matt would reassure them otherwise. 3-0 Lennox and the match was secured for "below strength" Biggin Hill with Bexley picking up one solitary point so far
..24yr old, prime of his life, Matt proceeded to pull a muscle taking his shoe off..drab!!!
At 5, Joss vrs Simon Wanford. Joss decided to give his team mates a heart attack by going 2-0 down. At 6-6 in the third it was looking likely that crafty Simon was going to end Joss' unbeaten priory run. Not to be..Joss battled well and apparently only took one hit on his foot this week to raise his game. Winning the 3rd 9-6, his confidence soared to finish the next two 9-0 9-0. Great comeback again. I asked Simon what happened in the second half of his game.his response has been censored down to "well played Joss"!! The Wanford dagger is now in for sharpening for the return match. 3 more much needed points for Bexley!!
Lastly, the game of the night Gordon McMannnus vs Steve Falla. Always seems to go the 5 sets, this match and it the two players were happy to oblige again. The first 2 games were shared 9-4 each. Steve got his nose in front in the third, winning 9-1 as Gordon appeared to lose concentration. However Gordon got it together in the 4th and 5th bringing out some amazing backhand drops to win despite Falla's heroic retreiving. 3-2 to Gordon and 19-6 the match points!!!
WARNING: Beware the next time Biggin Hill tell you they are under strength!!! Next time, during the car journey, the Bexley players will have a ban on all soft and calming radio stations, in particular Mr Fallas choice of "Smooth FM" will be altered to something closer to "Rage FM"
Matt Badger (Bexley)
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| Author: | Matt Badger |
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