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| Report: | This was always going to be a tough one for Dulwich 3 as they were missing numbers 2,3 and 4 with Dulwich 4 bolstered by new recruits topping and tailing their team.
However, it could easily have been a win for the patched up 3rd team as two matches went to 5 sets and they were nip and tuck most of the way.
First up were Antonio and new boy Paul Sweeny and this was a very tight match. Antonio was determined to wash away last weeks disaster but Paul took the early lead in the 1st and kept ahead all the way until game point at which point Antinio pulled it out of the bag to go 1 up. The 2nd saw Antonio more in control although just as he seemed to be moving ahead Paul then took 3 points in a row to go 6-5 up. The game continued to swing one way and the other with Antonio getting to game point 1st and after a couple of handouts finished it off to go 2 up. The 3rd saw Antonio march off to a big lead at 5-0 but Paul pulled things back in a couple of bursts and at 7-6 up looked in the right place to start making things hard for Antonio. At 7-7 there followed numerous handout before Paul secured game point only for Antonio once again to find the shots to finish it off for a 3-0 win.
On the other court Ian was taking on Olly and the 1st was close early on and then Olly put in a string of points in two bursts to reach game point and soon had it won. The 2nd saw Ian pick up the pace and he was soon in a commanding lead only to be pegged back by some good retrieving by Olly followed up with some clinical boasts. At 5-5 it was anyone's then Ian went 7-5 up and Olly seemed about to give up just at the point when Ian missed a chance to go to game point and that was the cue for Olly to put together a series of strong rallys which gradually saw him overhaul the deficit and then take the lead and then the game to go 2 up. The 3rd again saw Ian starting off the stronger and at 5-0 it seemed this time he might get his name on the scoreboard. Olly staged a mini fight back and as Ian went 6-3 up it seemed that he just needed to tough it out but Olly dug in and managed to go from 6-3 down to match point. Ian got it back to 8-8 but Olly had too much and finished it off to win 3-0
Next up were Paul the Hunter v Paul the Holder. Hunter started off ok but Holder was soon taking a lead and gradually working away at the scoreboard. Hunter seemed to have an edge down the back hand court but Holder was getting to most of what Hunter was doing and the first game ended with Holder a clear winner. The 2nd saw Hunter taking an early lead by persisting to drive down the back hand court but Holder pulled things back level and went ahead. A couple of handouts did not stop the flow and soon enough it was 2-0 to Holder. The 3rd saw Holder gaining confidence and it was one way traffic and soon another 3-0 was on the scoreboard.
Next up it was Duncan V Duncan in a father versus son like matchup. Duncan the younger was too sharp and too fit early on and shot off to an 8-1 lead in the 1st and despite a numerous handouts it ended 9-1. Duncan the elder found his feet (they were on court 4) in the 2nd and was in charge at 4-1 but Duncan the younger then put together a string of winning rallys and soon enough he was game point up and once again finished it off to go 2 up. The 3rd saw Duncan the elder managing to point his feet in the right direction and although it seemed to be going virtually identically to the previous game just as Duncan the younger got level the elder ground out the points to get a game on the board. The 4th saw elder in charge all the way and younger starting to find it hard to maintain the pace so soon enough it was 2-2 and all the play for. The 5th was nip and tuck up until a bunch of handouts at 4-4 then the younger seemed to falter as elder found his form with some nice drops and that was it done - 3-2 to the elder.
The final game saw Greg and Ben in a clash of two very different styles. Greg took a early lead with Ben making more mistakes and Greg being a little sharper. However Ben suddenly started reeling off the points and won 8 in a row to take the 1st game. The 2nd saw Ben in control after a slow start and although Greg staged a fight back at game point down Ben finished it off to go 2 up. The 3rd saw Greg in determined mood and he stormed off to a 7-0 lead. Ben was not going to let it go easily and things switched around to such an extent that at 7-7 it looked like Ben would take it but Greg held firm to get his name on the board. The 4th looked to be going Ben's way but at 5-0 down Greg dug in and got it back to 4-5. Ben put another point on the board but Greg was determined not to let him have the game and that determination saw him take the game to make it 2-2. The 5th saw Greg leading early on but as in the previous 2 it would go one way then the other so at 7-7 no one in the gallery could predict who would win this one. Greg got to match point 1st but Ben was not done and he managed to get things level then take the remaining points for a well deserved win.
So Dulwich 4 took the honours but hopefully a fuller strength 3rd team in the return fixture will make things different next time. |
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| Author: | Ian Armstrong |
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