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| Report: | This was a great match to finish the league season off with and there were a couple of humdingers to go with the many Erdinger's that were downed on the night.
1st up were Greg and Paul and this was one of the matches of the night. Greg started off well with 3 quick points but then Paul got settled and started to control the game and at 6-3 up looked good for the 1st. However Greg battled hard and pulled it back level and went ahead. Lots of running and lengthy haphazard rallys ensued and Paul just did enough to take the 1st 9-7. The 2nd was nip and tuck all the way and both players were having to do a lot of running although Paul was ahead most of the time. At 7-7 it was anyones and Paul again pulled it out to go 2 up. The 3rd seemed to be going Pauls way but at 1-4 down and Greg not letting up with his running around the court he managed to get things level and then forge ahead to 7-4. Paul was not going to let it go easy and almost pulled level but this time it was Greg who finished it off to get on the board. The 4th was Gregs all the way until he got to game point at 8-3 up and then Paul made a charge coming all the way back to level it up. Tense times as Paul eventually got a match point but Greg held firm and made it 2-2. The 5th was similar to the 4th with Greg forging ahead so at 7-3 up he seemed about to take it but again Paul was not done and he pulled level and then ahead to get to match point 1st. Both players had worked their socks off and it was no surprise when Greg levelled it up at 8-8 and it was he who had what it took on the night to claim a great win for Dulwich.
Whilst Greg and Paul battled it out Paddy and Neil started up on the other court. Paddy was playing well in the 1st and making it look relatively easy as he sauntered to an 8-2 lead. Neil got a couple of points back but Paddy finished it off to go 1 up. The 2nd saw Neil getting the upper hand and he was able to put together a commanding lead and at 6-2 looked likely yo make it 1-1. Paddy however regained his form was soon pulling it back but the exertions seemed to be having more of an affect on Paddy than Neil but it was Paddy who made it count and he actually won from 6-2 down without dropping another point. The 3rd saw Paddy back in command and he was dictating the play. Neil seemed to have more energy but he was not able to make it count and Paddy's cleaner play soon had him in a commanding position at 7-1 and then soon after with a win to take it 3-0.
Greg and Paul were still at it so next up were Ian A (Dimo) and Ian S (Simo). This was always going to be a crash bang wallop affair as both had strong forehand drives. This turned out to be a dramatic affair with both players taking turn to look like the winner in virtually every game. The 1st saw Dimo race off to an early 6-0 lead only for Simo to promptly bring it back to 6-6. Simo then took the lead and looked a dead cert to take the 1st but just as he reached game point Dimo grasped the nettle and a nice miss-hit drop shot winner followed by another winner to go 1 up. The 2nd was all Simo up until he reached game point at which point Dimo tried a different tack - the don't smash it to smithereens option - and that paid dividends as the score came back together. From 8-1 to 8-8 and it seemed all over but Simo was not done and just as Dimo looked to be about to go 2 up Simo blasted a couple of winners to make it 1-1. The 3rd saw Simo getting an early lead again and at 4-0 was looking good. Back came Dimo to level it up at 5-5 and the tussle began to see who would wilt first. Dimo looked to be the one but just as Simo got another lead Dimo came back again and took 4 points in a row to take the game and go 2-1 up. The 4th saw Dimo in control after a couple of points from Simo and soon it was match point to Dimo. Dimo then tried to live up to his nickname of the day and let Simo back in as he went for one smash too many. Simo came out fighting and despite some sapping rally's he forced his way back from 8-3 down to win 10-8 and force a 5th set - well done. The 5th saw Dimo get an early lead at 4-0 with some solid play but Simo again fought back and at 6-6 it was anyone's. Dimo was the one to take the initiative with some clean winners and that was it. Great match with both players out on their feet.
Greg and Paul had finished by now so it was Duncan and Stefan up on the other court. Stefan started off like a train and was in control in the first so it wasn't long before he had it wrapped up. The 2nd was even more one sided and it was looking like a quick night for Stefan and a tail between the likes night for Duncan. Duncan however was not going to give it up that easy and he started better in the 3rd and got a solid 5-1 lead only for Stefan to pull it back almost level. Duncan then put a couple of bursts in and he was on the board at 2-1 down. The 4th saw Stefan starting off stronger but soon it was Duncan in the ascendancy now and he marched away with the 4th 9-3. The 5th was going to be interesting and it proved to be close early on and just as Duncan seemed to be pulling away at 5-3 Stefan promptly woke up and took 6 points without a reply to win another 5 setter.
Finally it was Tom and John and we all expected another 5 setter here. Tom started the better but John then dampened the early promise to level things up at 4-4 but Tom then moved away again with the cleaner play whilst John was struggling to get himself going. Game point to Tom at 8-4 and John pulled a couple back but Tom finished off to go 1 up. The 2nd was a mirror image of the 1st in play and points score but at 6-4 to Tom it all changed and John seemed to be up to speed now and duly waltzed through to take it 9-6. The 3rd was a key game as it could have gone either way. It started off slow but gradually Tom edged ahead only to see John pull it back but at 5-5 it was all to play for. John edged ahead now then Tom and at 7-7 it was still all to play for. Tom got game point 1st only for John to pull it back to 8-8 at which point Tom pulled out his usual shock tactic of saying set 1. John promptly hit a nick with the serve and Tom was left watching the ball dribble between his legs! Harsh but just what the doctor ordered when your oppo goes for a sneaky one. The 4th saw Tom not happy and making certain that he did not have to call set 1 again! Tom stormed off to a 5-0 lead and John was finding it hard to keep the ball going in the direction he wanted it to whilst Tom just pushed the ball into clear court areas to take some easy points. 5-0 soon became 7-1 and then 9-3 so it was another 5 setter. The baloney saw the teams tucking in to fish an chips by now as it was well past 10:30pm. Tom looked good in the 5th and was again 5-0 up but just as it seemed likely to be all over John sparked into action and suddenly had command of his game and the match and promptly ran through the game for the loss of just 1 more point to take it 9-3 and win the match 3-2.
A great night's entertainment saw Dulwich sneak home 3-2 on the night but it was a fitting match to end the season with. |
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| Author: | Ian Armstrong |
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| Away Report: | |
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| Author: | John Lawton |
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