Trojans v Aylesbury 2

So, the Trojans next outing, this time away to Aylesbury 2. 

Chapples' strategy for this match was admirable.  With Joe absent and Richard G injured, we needed some top line replacements.  He managed to finesse Olly at 1 and Heather  at 2, not bad for the 5^th team.  So, stuffed with ringers we had nothing but confidence for our trip.  What could possibly go wrong?

On arrival, the first cracks appeared.  Was that Dave Herron? What's he doing here?  I'm sure he was in the semi-final of the Bucks closed a year or so ago! And who's that other bloke, I'm sure I've seem him play against our second team before!?

So first up was Heather against Dave Herron, a lefty versus a ginger, what a combo.  Tough one to call.  Heather took a while to get used to the cool courts, but her customary solid play started to tell. Playing great lengths with consistency saw her take the fist game 9-7. Dave then started to play a little deeper in order to cope with Heather's lengths and started to pick her off with some finely judged boasts.  Once on top he never looked back, result 3-1.

Next was Olly against Simon Townsend, a very awkward customer.  Despite some very stylish play from Olly, he was having great difficulty dealing with his unorthodox opponent. (I swear I saw him play one drop shot with the racquet handle vertical). Some fine play from Olly, but just not consistent enough.  Result 3-0.

Yours truly next against Ian Durrant, a tall, gangly customer.  Being a slow starter, I wasn't too worried about taking time to get to grips with my opponent.  Lost the first game.  Started getting better in the second, but despite starting to improve and play some good shots  I struggled to get on the front foot. Unsettled him with a few unorthodox shots, but sad to say, never got to grips with the  occasion.

Result 3-0

Captain for the night, Richard Monson came next, against Alex Woodyer, a very good player.  Richard started a bit erratically, and took a while to adjust, but lost the first game 9-0.  He started the second better and his well known ability to retrieve balls that were well past him, definitely helped, but his lack of match practice started to take its toll.  After he lost the second, I told Heather to give him some advice “but I don't know what to tell him” she said , - “ well just make something up” I urged. Whatever she said, it wasn't quite enough.

Result 3-0

Finally, big John Catchpole was playing a 16 year old girl. It looked like Tarzan versus Jane.  And so it started out, John did a marvelous job of intimidating his opponent and took the first game.  In the second game his opponent calmed her nerves a bit and started to play a very tidy, well crafted game.  1 game all.  Unfortunately as the game continued John tried to play a more cultured game (for him), not a good time to try out new ideas.  Despite telling him to go out there and 'unsettle' his opponent as only he could do, the game morphed into something more like David versus Goliath.  Still, he got one game more than most of us.

Result 3-1.

So we lost he match 5-0, an unnerving crash back to earth – a retreat with dented shields and bent spears.  And the moral of the tale is – make sure your ringers are better than their ringers.