Match 5 - Chelmsford 3 Home
After securing 3 out of 3 matches so far, Chelmsford 3rd team came to visit. We had a feeling this would be quite a tough test, and so it was good to get Chris back. We were still without Colin (calf strain) and Dan (groin strain), so it was also good to have Adrian available to make up what looked like a strong line-up.
First on was Captain Fantastic, who turned out to be Captain Calamitous - not his best performance in an Essex League match, and comfortable loser in 3 straight sets to Alan Burrows. After losing the first 4 points, the Chelmsford man got his game together, and controlled the remainder of the match with a good all-round performance.
Meanwhile, Adrian had started at 3rd string against the sulky but dangerous Sean Lamont. Sean is full of wristy boasts, drops, and lobs, and these proved too good for Adrian in the first 2 games; but the Clements man is nothing if not determined, and never knows when to lie down. He clawed his way back into the match with typical hard endeavour, grinding his way to 2 games all. It seemed that Sean was a spent force as Adrian opened up a 7/4 lead in the 5th, but Adrian could not finish it off, and back came Sean to level at 7/7; it now could go either way, but as has been mentioned before, there is only 1 man you want on your team in this type of situation, and Adrian is that man. Game to Clements.
Paul was enjoying being back at his customary No. 2 position against the evergreen Bernie Bray. Paul seemed more relaxed than of late, and he quickly started to dominate his opponent. He moved his man around the court with good width, opening up many opportunities for winners. Bernie could not cope, and Paul ran out a comfortable 3/0 winner.
Next up was Chris against Mark Gilfrin. Chris has looked in good form all season, and he quickly exerted a stangehold on this encounter. Only the odd lapse in concentration gave Mark any look-in, but the result never looked in doubt - again a 3/0 win to Clements and with it the overall match win, and still unbeaten.
New boy Greg was back at No. 5 for his second dose of Essex League. He was up against Paul Tranter, an experienced and canny campaigner, so it was going to be a tough examination of his credentials. Without knowing that the match had already been decided, the 2 of them conjured up a classic 5 setter. Greg moved his man around the court with his unconventional style of reverse shots, drops and lobs, while Paul kept pace with him with a more conventional driving game. First game to Greg 10/8, the next 2 to Paul, and the 4th to Greg. And so for the 2nd time in his short Essex League career, Greg found himself in a 5 setter. And this one went right to the wire, with match points to both players as the pendulum swung each way at both 8/8 and the 9/9. In the end, the final point went to Paul, followed by both sets of watching teammates erupting into spontaneous applause to acknowledge a thoroughly entertaining match.
Greg had to shoot off, cos he has still not quite realised that Essex League matches involve both food and drink afterwards, and his dearly beloved had cooked him a meal....maybe next time.
The normal buffet again proved too much for everyone, but while scoffing what they could, one interesting discussion arose about the most obnoxious individuals to grace the Essex League circuit. To save any libel cases ensuing (let alone being knee-capped), these people will not be printed here, but it produced a band of arrogant, thuggish, bad-tempered, and unsociable b------s.
Finally, there must be something in the air, or maybe the beer at the Legion; as soon as one of our team starts having babies, then another starts producing....... congrats Chris !
Clements beat Chelmsford 3 3-2 (16-8pts)
Chris beat Mark Gilfrin 9-1 9-7 9-3
Paul beat Bernie Bray 9-3 9-6 9-5
Adrian beat Sean Lamont 5-9 4-9 9-3 9-3 9-7
Dave lost to Alan Burrows 7-9 1-9 6-9
Greg lost to Paul Tranter 10-8 6-9 7-9 9-5 9-10
First on was Captain Fantastic, who turned out to be Captain Calamitous - not his best performance in an Essex League match, and comfortable loser in 3 straight sets to Alan Burrows. After losing the first 4 points, the Chelmsford man got his game together, and controlled the remainder of the match with a good all-round performance.
Meanwhile, Adrian had started at 3rd string against the sulky but dangerous Sean Lamont. Sean is full of wristy boasts, drops, and lobs, and these proved too good for Adrian in the first 2 games; but the Clements man is nothing if not determined, and never knows when to lie down. He clawed his way back into the match with typical hard endeavour, grinding his way to 2 games all. It seemed that Sean was a spent force as Adrian opened up a 7/4 lead in the 5th, but Adrian could not finish it off, and back came Sean to level at 7/7; it now could go either way, but as has been mentioned before, there is only 1 man you want on your team in this type of situation, and Adrian is that man. Game to Clements.
Paul was enjoying being back at his customary No. 2 position against the evergreen Bernie Bray. Paul seemed more relaxed than of late, and he quickly started to dominate his opponent. He moved his man around the court with good width, opening up many opportunities for winners. Bernie could not cope, and Paul ran out a comfortable 3/0 winner.
Next up was Chris against Mark Gilfrin. Chris has looked in good form all season, and he quickly exerted a stangehold on this encounter. Only the odd lapse in concentration gave Mark any look-in, but the result never looked in doubt - again a 3/0 win to Clements and with it the overall match win, and still unbeaten.
New boy Greg was back at No. 5 for his second dose of Essex League. He was up against Paul Tranter, an experienced and canny campaigner, so it was going to be a tough examination of his credentials. Without knowing that the match had already been decided, the 2 of them conjured up a classic 5 setter. Greg moved his man around the court with his unconventional style of reverse shots, drops and lobs, while Paul kept pace with him with a more conventional driving game. First game to Greg 10/8, the next 2 to Paul, and the 4th to Greg. And so for the 2nd time in his short Essex League career, Greg found himself in a 5 setter. And this one went right to the wire, with match points to both players as the pendulum swung each way at both 8/8 and the 9/9. In the end, the final point went to Paul, followed by both sets of watching teammates erupting into spontaneous applause to acknowledge a thoroughly entertaining match.
Greg had to shoot off, cos he has still not quite realised that Essex League matches involve both food and drink afterwards, and his dearly beloved had cooked him a meal....maybe next time.
The normal buffet again proved too much for everyone, but while scoffing what they could, one interesting discussion arose about the most obnoxious individuals to grace the Essex League circuit. To save any libel cases ensuing (let alone being knee-capped), these people will not be printed here, but it produced a band of arrogant, thuggish, bad-tempered, and unsociable b------s.
Finally, there must be something in the air, or maybe the beer at the Legion; as soon as one of our team starts having babies, then another starts producing....... congrats Chris !
Clements beat Chelmsford 3 3-2 (16-8pts)
Chris beat Mark Gilfrin 9-1 9-7 9-3
Paul beat Bernie Bray 9-3 9-6 9-5
Adrian beat Sean Lamont 5-9 4-9 9-3 9-3 9-7
Dave lost to Alan Burrows 7-9 1-9 6-9
Greg lost to Paul Tranter 10-8 6-9 7-9 9-5 9-10
posted by Hodgey at 2:14 PM
1 Comments:
I thought Colin was already starting to throw games after his (dodgy) calf strain. Thats what being an unemployed bum and spending too much time on the golf course does for you. Chris
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