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3rd Team Captain - Howard Lane

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After a lucky escape at the Cock traffic lights (going straight over on a right turn filter), we felt blessed and confident that nothing could go wrong at Alveley, since they were behind us in points and we had beaten their first team!

However we met a very determined opposition who afterward admitted that was the best they ever played!

All the matches were very close and both Wrekin pairs had a 10 point tie break against their second pair and unfortunately we lost them both!

As the dark clouds gathered (in more ways than one) Howard and Steve were playing their 10 point tie break, now with an audience as the other match had finished, so we
had to endure some friendly heckling (such as 'the sandwiches will be curled up') as we fought back from 4-1 down to 10-10, but it was all over after a slightly long volley.

So we didn't play our best but perhaps deserved a better result from the two tie breaks.
A special mention for Paul who stood in valiantly for Lee (who is still learning to drive) - lobbing and volleying well, and even getting most of his serves in!

Alveley2 are now just 2 point behind us, and we both have just one game left so if we do the same or better against Longden 2 as they do against Worfield1 we should stay in this Division.

SO come on team, lets give Longden what for on Thursday!

Howard

Church Stretton elite get beat. (7-1)

It was a lovely evening in Church Stretton for a game of Tennis with everyone arriving on
time and raring to go. We had support from Lee's family, but support for the home team was noticably lacking! We usually have close games against them so were looking forward to a good contest.

Howard and Steve got off to a good start, winning the first set 6-4, but undaunted the experienced first pair were able to come back winning the second set 6-3. Howard lost a ball in a thick bush and one of many balls smashed over the fence nearly landed onto the railway! They eventually won the tie break after we had managed to come back to 7-7 from 5-2 down.

Meanwhile Joey and Lee had a shaky start against the second pair, loosing the first set. However a return to form saw them winning the second set and the tie break fairly comfortably, so it was one all with all to play for.

After the change over the initial resistance from the Home team started to fade and we won both rubbers relatively easily.

So not long after 9 we were tucking in to well filled sandwiches (there were only two each but Lee has 3 anyway!) and chips.

First pair Howard & Steve
Second pair Joey & Lee

The cream of Worfield rises to the top!

Worfield1 beat Wrekin3 8-0.

Ist Pair: Howard & Steve lost 1-6, 0-6 and 3-6, 0-6.

2nd Pair Phil & Joey lost 1-6, 2-6 and 3-6 5-7.

It was a full house again with the second team also playing, so after warming up on the two bottom
courts we tossed a coin and had to move to the gritty courts.

The Worfield first pair (both called James) were fairly solid, two young(ish) lads with good serves and some hard shots.
James II was a lefty with a nasty slice serve which we struggled a bit to control.

Basically we were out hit and lost quite easily.

Phil and Joey also struggled to find their form and also lost quite quickly, suffering a lot of bad luck along the way!

At the start of the second rubber Steve and howard thought they had the measure of the second pair but after missinga chance to go 3-1 up, the
mistakes started creeping in again and despite some agressive net play from Steve we went downhill very quickly.

Phil and Joey found some form and had a better match against the first pair, but eventually lost after a hard fought second set.

We were so early at the pub the back room was still occupied but we were still hungry enough to eat all the food (even some of the green stuff)

Thanks to Carol for supporting!

Howard

Cream of Albrighton whipped into a winning frenzy!

It was a drizzly night but the opposition were obviously keen, as they arrived first
and had to phone Paul to be let in! After a short warm up we got down to it but Steve and Howard were a bit rusty from their Holidays and were overwhelmed by a young and tall and hard hitting first team and never really got into their stride, loosing 1-6, 1-6.

After a short wait Joey and Lee were also beaten easily by a consitent 2nd pair 6-2, 6-2, although they did have longer rallies.

We performed better after the change over but were still unable to control the match and evetually lost both rubbers. Albrighton admitted they had a stronger team than last year so were always going to be tough. Two of them had to go early so there were more sandwiches to go round, but Howard still had the last one!

Hopefully by next week Steve Howard and Lee will have got over their holidays and will be match fit!

Result:
Howard and Steve lost 1-6, 1-6 and 4-6, 5-7
Joey and Lee lost 2-6, 2-6, 4-6, 4-6.

The cream of Alveley gets whipped!

Wrekin 3 beat Alveley 1 7-1

As the first team were also playing, the captains tossed a coin to decide who got the least gravelly courts and the thirds won the toss.

After beating Woodfield5 7-1 the mood was confident and yet tinged with slight apprehension at playing a first team. As we watched 3 of their team warm up our worries seemed justified as we watched some quality serves and volleys! As often happens, there was one straggler who got lost using his Sat-Nav which didn't have Golf Links Lane on it.(Maybe worth mentioning on the website Paul)

The second pair (Joey & Lee) started their match whilst we we waiting and the first pair (Howard & Steve) started theirs soon after. Howard and Steve were able to take advantage of the first pairs mistakes despite facing some tricky sliced serves and some good volleys. Steve was always looking to finish off the point at the net which worked most of the time!

This tactic, along with some consistent serving from Howard gave us a win of 6-3, 6-4, despite a more consitent effort by the opposition in the second set. Meanwhile Joey and Lee faced a lively second pair, losing the first set 3-6, but managing to come back to win the second set 6-4 and the 10 point tie break.

So with two wins under our belts and a now floodlit arena, Howard & Steve set about the second pair with gusto after a long rest and several fags whilst waiting for the other match to finish.

Again we faced some solid resitance and fast sliced serves, but with Steve now getting some good first serves in and still attacking the net, we managed to come through 6-3 6-4 again, despite some dodgy net play from Howard!

Meanwhile Joey and Lee were facing a more consistent first pair resulting in some long rallies and ever hungrier spectators who, at one point persuaded the players to play a let after a dispute over a line call. We eventually lost the match 3-6, 6-7 after a close tie break.

We got to the pub just as the first team were leaving, having already been there an hour!
The sandwiches arrived quickly and were consumed even faster!

So well done team on our second 7-1 win and thanks to Paul Carol Trevor and Ray for their support and also Carol for opening the toilets - luxury!

Howard Lane - Captain

Woodfield 5 - Home

7-1 Thrashing!

After being beaten 7-1 by the second team last week (even though we were within I game of a potential win), there was an air of tension from the need to perform better.

Woodfield5 had come down from division 3 so we thought they must be quite handy, even though the first team had beaten them 8-0 last season. One of their guys turned up on time but the others were late as they had to wait for someone, but unfortunately they weren't late enough for us to claim a rubber! So we allowed them a short warm up and got straight down to it.

The first pair (Howard and Steve) got off to a steady start against an apparently solid first pair but as Steve's volleying improved, the mistakes started to appear in the opposition allowing us to take the set 6-2. It was a similar story in the second set as we maintained our consistency to take the second set 6-2 also. Meanwhile, the second pair -Phil and Joey (who had been warming up for an hour!) swept aside the second pair, 6-1 6-0 one of whom was a last minute substitute.

Woodfield seemed more determined after the swap-over but Howard & Steve remained consistent to overcome the second pair's early resistance to win 6-2 6-3. The Woodfield first pair became more consistent and managed to win the first set 6-3, but we came back to win the second set.

So to the 10 point tie-break! We had won the match by this stage so only the honour of the second pair was at stake! They were on the back foot most of the way, going behind 7-4, but with some inpressive winning shots managed to claw it back to a nail biting 9-9. A mistake by us made it 9-10 then it was all over bar the sarnies and beer which went down well.

So well done team and lets keep it up and give the Second team something to think about!

Thanks to Paul, Carl and Ray for their support - I hope they picked up a few tips!

Howard