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 | Fixture Details | |  | | |
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| Report: | Both teams turned out a reduced outfit for the match just before the Easter break and Sundridge were a man short when their number 1 pulled out with an illness on the day.
1st up where neighbours and car pool mates Dave and Andy. These are a well matched pair and it was no surprise when the 1st game was a close one. Dave got ahead early only for Andy to reduce the gap and the same happened again until at 5-4 up Dave won 3 in a row as Andy's concentration dropped a little. Andy pulled it back and it looked like he was about to bring things level but Dave managed to finish it off to go one up. The 2nd started of in a similar vain until Andy raised his game and took a 2 point lead at 5-3. Dave dragged it back level and went one ahead only for Andy to march off to game point as Dave's concentration lapsed a little. Dave regrouped and pulled it back level only for Andy to finish it off to make it 1-1. The 3rd saw Dave's form drop as Andy's rose and after a scuffle early on Andy ran away with it to go 2-1 up, The 4th was a revers of the 3rd with Dave walking away with it - maybe Andy was saving himself for the 5th set. The 5ht set turned out to be a replica of the 3rd set with Andy on top and Dave struggling to keep in the game and very soon Andy had it wrapped up.
Next up where Harry and Pascal and these two seemed well matched. Pascal took an early 3-0 lead but Harry soon had it level and forged ahead to 6-3. Pascal upped his game and seemed to be reading Harry's game although Harry was largely putting at the back of the court where Pascal was only too happy to receive it. Needless to say Pascal forged back level then off to game point and the win. The 2nd however saw Pascal resting on his laurels whilst Harry put him to the sword and after just a few handouts it was bagel time. The 3rd saw a little resistance from Pascal but not much and once Harry had stemmed a potential reawakening from Pascal he had that one wrapped up for the loss of just 2 points. The 4th saw Pascal ready to put up a fight and he grabbed the first 3 points and looked back to his 1st game face. Harry dug in and levelled then a tussle began to see who would take control and it was Harry who won that battle and he raced away to match point. Pascal however was not done and just as the game seemed over Pascal played a couple of great winners as Harry lost his nerve and began to make mistakes that had not been see to date. Pascal got it back level at 8-8 and seemed likely to force a 5th set but just at that point Harry's nerve returned and he grabbed the serve back and pushed through to win it.
Next up where Olly and Ray with Olly just about recovered after putting a ring on it. Olly was in charge from the start as Ray tried every shot he had but they all seemed to go in the tin. Olly walked off to game point and despite Ray getting a couple of points Olly had the first game won. The 2nd saw Ray playing a little better and he had an early lead but once Olly levelled at 3-3 he began to take control again and he marched off with the rest of the game to go 2 up. The 3rd saw Ray improving again and it was close most of the way although the two players were getting a little tangled up but neither player was asking for lets when likely to be awarded strokes and they just played on. Ray won his final point to make it 6-4 down at which point Olly upped his pace and ran out the winner 3-0. The guys stayed on court and apparently Ray carried on improving and won the next two.
Finally we had Dunc and Dave - that famous duo from yesteryear! Duncan had a great start to the match whilst Dave tried to get to grips with Duncan's style and at 5-0 up Duncan know doubt thought this game was his however Dave fights all the way for every point and his tenacity got him back in to it then level then ahead at which point the game swung one way then the other Each player had game points but it was Dave who won it in the end to surprisingly go 1 up. The 2nd was another tough game very similar to the first with Duncan getting a solid lead only to see Dave pull it back and level things at 4-4. So this time the ding dong began a little earlier and it was hard to see who was going to win this one. Dave got a slender lead at 6-5 and made that 7-5 to make him the favourite but Duncan was not going to allow then and he then levelled at 7-7 then had a game point. Dave fended that off and and levelled at 8-8 but it was Duncan who's nerve held out to win what looked to be a crucial 2nd game to make it level as 2-0 down looked like a tough one to come back from. The 3rd saw a significant change and Dave struggled to maintain his form of the first 2 games whilst Duncan began to play his solid reliable game and without too much trouble he marched away with it for the loss of just 1 point which was quite a shock based on what had happened in the first 2. The 4th game was much the same and soon enough Duncan had it wrapped up in what looked certain to be a 5 setter based on the first 2 games.
A 4-1 win for Dulwich in their final home match of the season secured 4th spot and Sundridge Park grabbed enough points to secure their place in division 2 for next season. |
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| Author: | Ian Armstrong |
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