St Andrews 1
Chaldon 8
Hybrid Division 1
As everyone predicted, a tough home match against probable Division winners. Steve & Sarah were first on but lost in straight games. Then it was Scott & Sowji's turn to succumb to a similar fate, although reaching a respectable 17-21 17-21. I played with Gerry next, but he had an absolute howler and couldn't hit anything in the lines at all. We lost 7-21 8-21, so Chaldon had the first 3 rubbers in the bag.
The match got a bit interesting when Sarah and Sowji won the ladies rubber in a best of 3, producing a good final game score of 21-9. The next in sequence was Man 1 & 2 from each side. Steve was invaluable for this match as he had played Chaldon several times in the mixed 2 team. Though they fought valiantly in another best of 3, they couldn't quite see it out and lost by just two points. Gerry & Sarah resumed the status quo and lost in straight games, as did Sowji and I. Thus it was 1-6 to Chaldon after 7 rubbers.
Steve produced another great performance to nearly take another rubber off the opposition, but playing alongside the relatively green Gerry didn't do him any favours and, though they had a best of 3 too, they again lost by just two points. The final rubber of the night was myself and Scott vs their top two men, Clive and Chris. Just like Robin & Dennis in the New Malden match, this was always going to be an uphill struggle. We succumbed 8-21 17-21 and on another day, could've probably taken that to 3 ends too, but it wasn't to be.
Overall, Chaldon were far stronger than us and were value for the win, but with their strength in depth it was always going to be a big ask. If Steve had managed to clinch 2 of his 3 rubbers, the result would've been a more flattering 3-6, but would still have been a loss. Onwards and upwards...(after more practice of course!)
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