Broadberry Sports

DLWE Musketeers Paulthos, Fintagnan & Swing-amis

Well Giffnock 1 are always a tough proposition and as I’d moved to No.2 at the moment I thought ‘at least I wouldn’t have to get tonked by Owen Hadden….. again!’ However he’s also up to No.2 so nae luck there either!

First home match of the season and when I arrived early I found Ken McBrearty knocking up (for Newlands 3), so I joined him for a tune up. The hit soon deteriorated into squash-teckers with each of us trying to play a more ridiculous shot! (It was a draw! Topspin-forehand-volley-nic versus lob-boast-roller!).

Owen soon arrived to break up these shenanigans and although I started well in our match the inevitable soon kicked in and Owen was well in control. The gulf was so big that we ended up playing a sub-conscious training game, by pumping everything to the back (but he won this as well!).

Next on was ‘Andrew (100% record) Glen’ at No.5 against Calum Stout. I was only half watching this and every time I glanced at a rally, I saw it Calum winning in the main, but all the rallies were hard and Andrew was definitely playing well. When I saw Andrew later I said “Unlucky” to which he replied, “What do you mean I won!” (maybe MOTM again this week for Andrew? Still with his 100%-win record!).

Paul Treon was on next v Matt Stout and Paul lost a very one sided 1st game, but played much better after that and although it was 3-0, the last 2 games were much tighter and he made his opponent work for it.

On next were the No.1s with Craig Valente-Wallace v Stu George. Craig wanted to borrow my Harrow Vapor racket, so what could I say! But I’m glad I did; what a game this was and an unbelievably gutsy performance from Craig. Stu took the 1st reasonably comfortably, but Craig countered with a much more attacking game and some unbelievable physicality; he was throwing himself around the court like a man possessed. The 2nd was tight, but Stu edged it – and the 3rd was another ding-dong, but Craig won that one (great team point!). The 4th was more convincing for Stu, as Craig was like the proverbial burst-baw! (having said that he still chased everything he could). I could easily give MOTM to Craig for that performance, fantastic to watch.

Last on was Finlay McGhee and after last week’s heroics, he was really up against it this week v Chris Murphy. Unfortunately there was just too much of a gulf between the two players, but it didn’t stop Fin playing really well, especially in the 2nd game. However Chris was in control of the match and won 3-0.

So a loss of 4-16, but realistically quite a good performance against one of the Division’s top teams.

Both chicken & veggie pasta for dinner and it was hot, great and there was plenty of it! Result!

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1st game back and where are the most unusual courts in the West to go and pay on? Whitecraigs RFC you say – well maybe, but I was thinking about the Hamilton saunas.

Still things were looking up as we had an early start with 2 games on before 6pm. And what’s more we were 2-0 up, so it would be a short night at Hamilton right? Well you’d think!

The 2 matches in question were our new No.5 Andrew Glen & our old No.1 Craig (4-team-shirts) Valente Wallace and both did the on-court business. Andrew had his first ever victory in Division 1, with a 3-0 over Norman Patterson (so MOTM surely to Andrew!) and Craig beat Calum 3-1 (surviving a game ball to Calum in the 4th).

All it would take was for me to win at No.2 and secure the points! Right? Wrong! Chris McGeady had other ideas and was up 2-0 and 9-3 before you could say “What’s the ****ing temperature on this court!” Then an unlikely comeback began as I won the 3rd 12-10 and then the 4th as well – but Chris recouped just at the right time to take a tough 5th game and the match.

Well Paul Treon would definitely bring the match home! 11-3 in the 1st – easy! But Steven Healey had other ideas as well! He won the 2nd 13-11 and then the next 2 as well! Disaster!! (MOTM to Stephen)

Finlay McGhee v Colin Towers were on last at 2-2 in ‘The Battle for Hobbiton’ (!)

Great start for Fin going 2-0 up with some punishing rallies, but Colin fought back in a lung busting 3rd to take it to 2-1 and in the 4th he was in charge as well. Was there a nail-biting 5th to look forward to then? Just then, Fin got back into the match with some much straighter play and an amazing run of points, from 1-7 down, to 12-10 up, which meant he won an unlikely game and the match victory was ours (and he secured the bonus points as well!).

Quote of the Night from Norman:

Fin “As the home team, do you find the courts hot, Norman?

Norman “Well they’re good for growing tomatoes in!”

Calum remembered I was a veggi so a very nice meal for me and curry for the lads (and rice only for Colin T – only the 2nd time I’ve seen him eat after a match, in about 25 years!).

Discussions on the intricacies of the “Hamilton Ladder Challenge” system ensued! Turns out you can be 1 one week and 5 the next! But you must accept the challenge!

It’s good to be back on a Wednesday night – especially with a 15-8 team win.

(checkout ‘Broadberry Sports’ on Facebook to see some video clips of the match)

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