Fords  5  v  M/Side Police  1 

Runaway Div. 1 leaders Fords, Kevin Dolder, Mal McEvoy and Andrew Taylor took on M/Side Police’s team of John Rankin, Paul Gittins & Jonathon Taylor who won the toss for the away team.

First set on was Jon Taylor to play Andrew, a tentative start by both players, but Andrew serving faults, Jon winning the first two games 10 & 8, third game saw Andy settle down a bit giving Jon the chance to hit winners but missing them, the fourth game saw Andy take the lead, but his problem of fault serves at crucial times let Jon catch up, and with some hard hitting won the 4^th game 11-9, and the first set.

1-0 to Police

Fords then called Paul to play Kevin, Kevin back to his normal bat (after his try with pimples in the closed) wins the first 11-9, but Paul battles away to get the next 13-11, Kevin moved up a gear, picking off Paul’s short serves to win 11-6.  4^th game saw a bit of sportsmanship from both players, a great rally, Paul pushing Kevin to the back of the court, ( a long way at Cadwa), Kevin returns with a high floater, Paul drops it short over the net, Kevin runs in to smash it but slips at the last, just managing to lift it back over, giving Paul an easy kill, but doesn’t kill it, Kevin returns the gesture by serving the next point into the net.

1 all

Police call Mal to play Jon, Mal won first by forcing the pace, with some good backhands to win first 11-5, Jon speeded up a bit, forcing Mal to defend a bit more, winning 11-3. Mal slowed his attack, returning a bit slower, Jon rushing in to hit the ‘tempting’ returns from Mal, but missing a lot, Mal picking out his shots for the backhand winners to win 11-6, Jon again upped his game to win the 4^th 11-5. 5^th game saw Mal 5-3 at turn, but Jon came back, and at 9 all, Mal serving gets in a backhand winner from Jon’s loose return, next point Jon miss times a forehand smash and hits off the table, set to Mal.

2-1 to Fords

Fords call Kevin to take on John, but John’s ‘ring rustiness’ was evident in the first game, losing 2-11 against an 80% Kevin, 2^nd game saw John trying to slow down the game with some good defending, but not being able to trouble Kevin with any attacking, another to Kevin 11-9, John kept his head in the next game, making Kevin miss his shots, serving twice into the net, to give John an 11-8 win. In the 4^th game John was 7-5 down, but with 2 good serves, making Kevin return off the table, 7 all. Kevin finally served 10-8 in front with both tentively slowing the game down, Kevin was first to get the chance of a winner, and taking it with unstoppable forehand to win 3 games to 1.

Fords 3-1 in front

Police leave John at the table to play Andy and try and get back into the match, John does get the first game 11-9 with his backhand going well, but missing too many forehand hits, going long off the table. 2^nd game saw both players misjudging the pace of the ball, missing simple winners, Andy winning11-7, but Andy settled down quicker, letting John force the pace, but continuously hitting long with his forehand, even with his delicate returns, just didn’t seem to have his normal control, Andy winning the next two games 3 & 8.

4-1 to Fords

Fords call Mal v Paul to try and clinch the match.

Mal started straight away to force the pace with some good hitting against Paul’s returns off his short serves, at the same time punishing Paul’s long serves, to win first game 11-5, second game Paul pulls back from 5-1 down to a 9-6 lead, but couldn’t keep up the momentum, losing 11-9, Mal made sure of the match with an 11-8 third game win.

A disappointing turnout of spectators for our top Final

The match was played at Cadwa

Match Official -:  Graham Rollinson (who umpired all the games)

Refreshments again by Doug Baker