Neston1 vs CheshireOaks1
Match Report by EMMA CUMMINGSNeston 1st team welcomed a strong CO side this week in what promised to be a competitive fixture and it didn’t disappoint, even if the scoreline didn’t quite fall in our favour.
From the outset, CO appeared to be playing a few tactical games of their own, particularly around where to position their women. There was a sense of indecision early on, which made for an interesting and slightly unpredictable start to the evening.
Neston found the opening sets tough going, with CO settling into their rhythm quickly. However, a standout moment came from Lydia and Emma, who battled brilliantly to take a set off CO’s bottom pair no small feat on a challenging night. Unfortunately, that proved to be the only set Neston could convert, with CO edging the remaining rubbers.
There was also intrigue in the Neston lineup, with Coyle making his debut as 2nd man. Whether this was a masterstroke of tactical genius or simply a roll of the dice remains up for debate, but a solid effort nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Thom Jones continues his season-long campaign (some might say protest) about playing top man. While his case is being made loud and clear, this week perhaps showed he was missing his usual partner-in-crime, Andy Heath. In fairness to Heath, he had a fairly decent excuse, choosing this particular week to propose to his girlfriend. Congratulations are very much in order, though the timing during tennis season has raised a few eyebrows in the Neston camp!
All in all, despite the result, it was an enjoyable evening of tennis played in great spirit. The real highlight? The post-match scran, which as always did not disappoint. And one final observation, Cheshire Oaks certainly seem to have a knack for “recruitment”… anyone fancy a free membership?
Final Score
2 - 46
From left: Amber Richardson, Emma Cummings, Thom Jones, Guy Bradshaw, Jack Coyle, Lydia Preece, Rachel Schofield (C)
