After their promotion last season, the Mens 2 team bravely
chose to start the season with a September away match against Graves, the team
who inflicted our only defeat last season, 6-3.
The team had extensive changes with old captain Ravi now
promoted into the first team, Alistair unavailable, and new captain Steve
spending a few weeks in Canada and writing this match report on behalf of the
team from the Rockies!
With Rob, who was tipped to have a breakthrough season, also
unavailable, the team comprised four of last season’s stalwarts along with two
debutants, “old codger” Mick (his words not mine!) and Nathan, who promise to
bring experience, skill, commitment and humour into the club!
I must warn you though, the “staple diet” at the moment here
in Canada is wildlife and beer, so this match report may be a bit off kilter,
with too much observing one, and too much drinking the other!
Graves are a strong side at home, last season the hall
played quick and we could not get to grips with it, losing 6-3. This season, we
went one worse, unfortunately coming out on the wrong end of a 7-2 scoreline,
which included an injury retirement from Graves (their second injury on the
trot facing us), gifting us a rubber.
Their strong first pair of the Grizzly and Bald Eagle took
all three rubbers, but the Coyote and Racoon struggled, and lost one game to
Jamie and Richard in straight ends, before squeezing past our other two pairs
in three. The third pair of the Otter and Wolf had looked to be surging through
with five games won on the trot, but injury to the Otter caused a retirement,
giving Jamie and Richard another rubber! The final result, 7-2 to the home
side, and congratulations from Ranmoor for their first win in a tough new
division, hopefully ours will not be far behind!
Man of the Match performance (after consulting with the
spies in the camp) goes to Jamie, after missing the last match at home to
Graves and coming back with Richard and scoring at least 15 points in every
game! No ring of rage today we suspect…..
Well done also to our two debutants, Nathan and Mick, playing
in a very tough away fixture against a newly promoted side full of confidence,
in a new pair. Well done too to Jethron and Deepak for helping them through it
and also trying out new pairs with the new guys. This experience will help us
in the season ahead!