Match: Knutsford 3 Away to AP Club 2

Date: 9th December 2010

The final match of the year and the objective was to get to the half way stage in the promotion spot but this required a good win against high flying opposition.
Match preparations were hampered by player availability, the Captains absence and subsequently his non attendance and at the last minute an attack of Man Flu.
Contrary to the substitute Captains plan, David O'Brien exchanged positions with Graham to compensate for his apparent lack of fitness due to Man Flu. David stepped up to the mark and made a very courageous fight against veteran Jim Toole, dominating rally's through distinguished stroke play but lacking the guile of his opponent to kill off the game. Whilst David eventually lost 3 - 1 there is a campaign to get awarded another game on the basis that winning the first point of the match took 15 minutes.
Keen to get his game out of the way, Graham blew his opponent away 3- 0 leaving the Captain distraught that he should have had the strength in his convictions to leave the order as instructed. If Mrs Hunter is reading, I am delighted to report that it is a cold at worst and it will no doubt clear up before the Club outing next week!!
Frantic telephone calls were going on as Gary, who had requested an early start had not arrived (8.30 pm). Was he coming? Do we need to call Bill to ensure he drops in on his way past? decisions decisions. Then like Mr Ben, Gary suddenly appeared. Gary was straight out of the blocks or bed in his case. 8 - 4 up in the first and then a collapse. However after some coaching normal service was resumed and his experience shined through and soon the match was finished off 3 - 1.
Tony entered the arena and soon after having done so was 2 games down. Gary suggested that using the strings as opposed to the frame would help and indeed it did and Tony after a titanic battle took the next two games. 7 - 6 up in the fifth game with serve, Tony went for a winner only to be rugby tackled by his opponent from behind, the ball was in the tin, an appeal for a let but the opponent denied contact, Under cross examination he admitted contact but after the shot was taken. Both players turned to the marker, Graham whose name remains anonymous and no let was awarded. Tony then became overcome with flash backs of his previous match with the same opponent who had adopted a similar strategy and mentally he had now lost and 5 minutes later he had literally.
The match score was 2 - 2. Next at number 5 was Graham. Graham had counted four opponents on the balcony and was quietly confident; he then noticed the score card filled in showing a win so his confidence then broke in to a celebration with lager. This was short lived when a man wearing a track suit straight from a gym workout came up the stairs. The track suited man took one look at the physique of Graham and decided he had had enough punishment for one day and it was back to the lager for Graham claiming a meteoric rise in the individual performance league.

Scorecard