LATEST MATCH REPORTS...

After the disappointment of last months match result away to Berkshire and the previously mentioned problems it was good to know that the majority of the C team would be back together to take on a Hampshire team we had already beaten 27-17 at home this season. In Darren's absence, who was having his first match off in 5 years for a jolly at a wedding for the weekend, it was left to me to step in and captain the side for the day.

Yet the day didn't exactly start according to plan! A couple of further players dropping out before the match and a missing player meant the squad was reduced to a very bare minimum, with the B team having to take one of our players up. Paul Dawson was the lucky, or unlucky, player that was selected. I know Paul is very commited to the C team and was only taken due to his 3/4 for the Bs last month, a victim of his own success you might say! So, with a little reshuffling and bringing in Alan Boltwood from the Seniors and Rob Hearn from the reserve list, we had our line up and were ready to go.

The first quarter saw us come out of the blocks well, and we quickly established a 7-2 lead through good play on our part and some interesting decision making on some of their players parts. Paul Williams was handed his frame on a plate when their player was on a touching black ball with Pauls yellow lodged behind it, but for some reason he played into the black leaving Paul 2 shots, foul snooker, and an easy finish. Myself I was fortunate my opponent messed up his position on the black on B&D to let me to the table and, eventually, win the frame. On a slight downside, we lost the last two frames, with Mark Hester somehow failing to sink the black with 2 shots, to lead 7-4.

It was at this point that the food break was called! Strange time for it admittedly but it was agreed we should break for food then, and as every other team had already started queuing up, we did as well. Again, it is worth mentioning how good the food is at the Academy and it was shown in the amount of people going back for seconds!!

So, food break over, back to the pool. The second quarter again saw us playing well, but this time we didn't dominate the set and, from a position of being 7-2 up in the first, proceeded to lose 5 on the bounce and suddenly be at 7-7. A big full length double up and down the table to get out of a snooker, pot his ball and land plum on the black saw Alan Boltwood edge us back in front. Their guy playing Paul Williams decided to not pot anything off the break so Paul showed his quality and promptly dished him up! I myself experienced a rare thing in County pool when my opponent was time fouled, leaving me to finish the frame. We edged the second quarter 6-5 to leave ourselves 13-9 up at the halfway point. Good going so far.

The third quarter saw us trading frames with the Hampshire guys, who to their credit stayed with us all the way. The highlights being Andre Cox, Lee Bushell and Alan Boltwood taking their third frames. Andre even finding the time to wait and make sure the crowd was watching before knocking in a long black! They took the set however 6-5, I'm just glad Rob Hearn won the last frame or it might have been worse. 18-15 up.

The fourth quarter is where the real action of the match happened though. Luck was certainly starting to favour them a bit, and although we were still not playing badly. We lost the first frame of the set but then won the next four to lead 22-16. Draw achieved, now six frames to secure the win. Surely we should be able to get one.....! Well, the bad omens were there when Andre was robbed of his 4/4 by a fluked black which went nowhere near the intended pocket but bounced off two cushions into the middle. Gutting at the best of time, but with Andre pushing for the Region rankings and us only needing one more frame, even more so! Frames were then lost by Alan, Paul W, Lee and Rob meaning it was 22-21 with just one frame to play......mine! Sadly, their luck held out and ours didn't and they claimed the last frame to reel off six frames in a row and secure a draw. Unbelievable, but in keeping with how the match went for us.

So the overall scores then. Three guys secured 3/4 for the day. Andre as mentioned unlucky, Lee Bushell solid throughout the day, and Alan, who plodded his way to 3/4 (his words not mine!) on loan from the Seniors.

On 2/4 for the day was myself, Rob Hearn, Paul Williams and Ben Williamson. Ben can consider himself to be very unfortunate to only get 2 as that does not give a true reflection of his excellent play on the day. Rob did well coming into the side and took his frames well. I'm especially pleased for Paul who has had a bit of a bad time at County this year and deserved to win his frames. The last guy on 2/4 was Mark Hester, who after losing, and possibly gift wrapping, his first two frames might have made way for a substitute but as that wasn't an option he played on a took out his last two frame well.

Nobody went home empty handed today, everyone contributed to our 22. The remaining guys, Baz Folkard, Will Gayler and Michael Bonney all getting 1/4. Baz was not quite on his game today and it showed. Will and Michael can consider themselves very unlucky as, like Ben, their good play was not justifiably rewarded with the wins they deserved. I'm sure all three of them will bounce back next match.

So, man of the match time then. As nobody got 4/4 then I have to call it from one of the 3/4 guys. Solid performances as they all were, with both Andre and Lee getting MOTM praise before, I'm going to hand this one to Alan, who performed very well on his first outting for the Cs and stepping across from the Seniors, which I am, and the team was, grateful for on the day.

Our next County match sees us welcome Surrey to Peckham, which will be as usual a good, tough challenge for us. As mentioned by Rupe in one of the posts, Surrey C lost to Berkshire C today, which means that our draw, disappointing as it is, is a point gained rather than points lost. We are 4 points clear with two to play and a victory over Surrey will all but see us claim our, and Londons, first C team Regional win, which we thoroughly deserve this year! Darren will be back to captian the side again next time and I can thankfully step back down to just playing again!

C'mon London!!