Match: Knutsford 1 Away to Sandbach 1

Date: 27th January 2011

Promotion chasing knutsfords 1sts were hoping to dispatch sandbach 1 on their home patch. Knutsford were fired up with a warm feeling in their bellies on a chilly night. The courts were as usual rather cold in the south Cheshire town but as justin turned up bang on time both steve and john were already firing on all cylinders.
First up was steve smith against the glass clad gentlemen mr bottomley. Steve took the first with his usual deep shots followed by some tight drops to knick. Risley went down to give some encouragement to find steve in the zone and ready to kill off his oppo. But the second didn't go to Steve's plan and the game drew level. Not to be underterred by his oppos determination to ruin his evening Steve dug deep and finally prevailed the winner in 4. First points to knutsford.
Meanwhile on the other court John was up against young the young mr innocent, he too of glass clad appearance. Did Sandbach really think that we played this badly!!! Well not at all.... John a seasonal slow starter couldn't believe it when he was 5-0 up in the space of a few minutes. After some monster rallies and incredible pick-ups John lost the next 8 points without a break. He clawed it back to 8-8 after Richard had a game point but put an easy drive into the tin. John finally won the first 10-9 and never looked back. An easy win in the end.
So with the match looking like it was going Knutsfords way on stepped Chris Smith against lefty Jon Higgin. A usual flurry of hard hitting drives 2 inches above the tin followed by either broad smiles of joy or cries of pain from smithy saw the game swing one way to the other. At 2-2 Smithy is fast becoming the firsts team mr marathon man and the match swung into the fifth and deciding game. It was looking bad for knutsford when he lost a string of points to find his oppo on 7 and needing 2 points for victory. The fire in the belly raged and smithy pulled it back to win 9-7. Game and match to knutsford.
On the other court Streff was pitted against grumbling lefty Steve Oakes. Steve, a clear 3 stone heavier than our man looked like he was up for pounding. Streff was looking good as he warmed up by slashing multiple shots into the tin. Was this a sign of what was to follow!!! We hoped not. Some lose shots from streff didn't put his oppo under pressure and the rotund mr oakes rolled around the court picking up all of streffs loose balls. At 1-0 down on came the support crew for much needed encouragement. After last weeks telling off his team mates were concerned for his mental well being and provided sound encouragement and advice. Did it work? Did it hell!!! Streff buried the rubber in the tin more times than we could count and cries of higher, up a little and aim at the plaster! Still didn't manage to see him pull through. His head went down and it was all lost. Much needed post match councelling was needed to get him into the pub to cry into his pint rather than sulk off home.
Finally yours truly stepped onto court with smithy the younger providing words of encouragement and smith senior marking. Some deft drops and shots to length surprised smith senior and risley won the first without losing a point. A true captains performance dispatched his sandbach oppo with only 6 points lost. Bish bash bosh..............
A good beer, chilli and chips awaited and promotion chasing 1sts were back on track. So a chilli night all round and looking forward to next weeks encounter, knutsford went swaggering off into the night a happy bunch. Allswagger next week...bring it on!!!

Scorecard