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Wrest Park

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Bryan Harral (0) and Cliff Hayes (20) beat Alan Clark (2) and Robin Barry (10) +10

John Bevington (1) and Richard Keighley (18) lost to John Smallbone (3½) and Adam Huby (10) -8T

Bryan Harral beat Alan Clark +17

John Bevington lost to John Smallbone -3T

Richard Keighley beat Adam Huby +3T

Cliff Hayes beat Robin Barry +8T

In the doubles John Smallbone got off to a cracking start by going round to 4-back on the fourth turn, at one point having to thank his partner’s intervention when he was on the verge of heading for 1-back before having run 6. Richard played well but we were left with too much to do. Bryan had a good break which helped set up his and Cliff’s win.

After lunch Bryan was the first to finish. John B got to penult early but John S was always dangerous and the turning point came when JB went to run 2-back, where a massive rabbit run allowed the ball to go through but, having reached the top of the hill, roll back into the jaws. JS hit in from near 3-back and established a narrow lead which he held to the end. All was not lost as both Richard and Cliff won on time to seal a well-earned win.

v Northampton (home)     16 May     drew 3-3

Bryan Harral (0) and Peter Aspinall (11) lost to Mike Hills (2½) and Jane Evans (18) -9

John Bevington (1) and John Tew (9) beat Peter Stansfield (3) and Richard Cain (9) +7T

Bryan Harral lost to Mike Hills -18

John Bevington beat Peter Stansfield +6T

John Tew lost to Richard Cain -15

Peter Aspinall beat Jane Evans +6T

In the doubles Bryan and Peter seemed to have the upper hand when Peter pegged Mike out, but Jane managed to get round only to miss the peg from a short distance. However she hit in shortly afterwards and made sure. The two Johns made it 1-1, with Richard struggling to find his form.

After lunch Northampton moved into a 3-1 lead after Bryan, battling a heavy cold and a succession of blobbed hoops, lost to Mike and Richard found his form to beat John T. Peter beat Jane and John B then put together a good break with time fast approaching to gain a six point lead. Peter hit in on his last turn but failed hoop 4, so we salvaged a draw which, as Bryan said, at one point seemed to be wishful thinking.

v St Albans (home)     27 April     won 5-1

Bryan Harral (0) and Peter Aspinall (11) beat Heather Bennett (4) and Geoff Morrisson (18) +3T

John Tew (9) and Richard Keighley (18) beat Chris Frost (4.5) and Roger Bowman (14) +22

Bryan Harral beat Heather Bennett +16

John Tew lost to Chris Frost -12

Peter Aspinall beat Roger Bowman +18

Richard Keighley beat Geoff Morrisson +15

This season’s campaign got off to a bright start with a good win against St Albans who beat us 4-0 last year and thus pipped us for the title. Typical weather - dull with occasional insistent drizzle. The next match is at home to Northampton on 16 May.

Beds & Herts League 2017

v Melgrave (away)      4 Sept     lost 0-4

Bryan Harral (0) and Geoff Strutt (9) lost to Robert Skeen (6) and Peter Whiting (6) -5

Peter Aspinall (10) lost to Keith Harker (8) -22

Bryan Harral and Peter Aspinall lost to Robert Skeen and keith harker -16

Geoff Strutt lost to Peter Whiting -2

This was the playoff for second place, so we still made the podium. The winners were Watford, and the final League table is on the EACF website.

v Letchworth (home)     18 July     won 5-1

Bryan Harral (0) and Peter Aspinall (10) beat George Woolhouse (2½) and Jeremy Scott (3½) +22

David Woolley (8) and Richard Keighley (18) beat Ian Mantle (3) and Martin King (14) +1T

Bryan Harral beat George Woolhouse +8

David Woolley lost to Ian Mantle -18

Peter Aspinall beat Jeremy Scott +5

Richard Keighley beat John Hall +19

v Enfield (away)     28 June     lost 2-4

Bryan Harral (0) and Peter Aspinall (10) beat David Frost (4½) and John Street (8) +10T

David Woolley (7) and Geoff Strutt (9) lost to Tony Elliott (6) and Michael Broadway (14) -14T

Bryan Harral beat David Frost +17

David Woolley lost to Tony Elliott -11

Geoff Strutt lost to John Street -11

Peter Aspinall lost to Michael Broadway -17

v Watford (away)     3 June     won 4-2

Under the greenwood tree - Alan Clark and, in the far distance, Cliff Hayes in play in the singles. Robin Barry and Bryan Harral’s left knee look on from the shade.