Milton Keynes/ North Herts Challenge Match
Match report - by Dave Gatiss
First leg
North Herts Premier League Champions 'Bedwell A' came to Milton Keynes Centre to play MK Premier League Champions Newport Pagnell Avengers Wednesday 12th May for the 1st leg of the North Herts/ MK Inter-league challenge cup.
Newport Pagnell Avengers - Dave Gatiss, Steve Munson, Ian Bird
Bedwell A - Steve Dobbins, Jimmy Walsh, Stu Mylrea
First Gatiss takes on the excellent chopper Dobbins looking to avenge (of course) his defeat in this year's MK top 8. After a good start winning the first, a good fight back in the second by Dobbins. Gatiss gradually took control with variations of speed and slow spin to win in 4.
Munson proved as he has in the past to be a thorn in the side of Walsh. Although always a tight match throughout and predictably going to a 5th end. Munson was simply more consistent in attack and took the match.
Ian Bird Comfortably beat Mylrea in 3 sets.
Munson Starts the match against Dobbins incredibly strongly with some unstoppable loop kills, but soon Dobbins starts to return them often with interest on the chop and gradually turns the game around in an exciting 5 end match in which the heavy defense ultimately frustrates Munson. Dobbins wins.
Gatiss takes on Mylrea and although he seems to be in control most of the time. Mylrea often surprises Gatiss with awkward up to table fast looping to take the 2nd end. Consistent 5 ball attack eventually becomes to much for Mylrea and Gatiss wins in 4.
Bird takes on walsh and although was very competitive in all ends never really looked like beating the more solid attack of walsh who wins in 3.
Munson with a slow start becomes far too strong for Mylrea and wins in 3.
Dobbins has far to much variation as Birds touch lets him down badly to lose an easy 3 ends.
Gatiss starts very strongly and takes first 2 ends against Walsh and looks the winner all the way, but Walsh becomes more confident with his attack to fight his way back to 2-2. The 5th is tight with Walsh edging it 10-8.
Doubles Saw Walsh and Dobbins take a 2 nil lead before Munson and Gatiss fight back in the 3rd and 10-4 up in the 2nd.. lose it completely to let the N Herts pair take the match in 4.
5-5 the result and all to play for in the return leg next week.
Second leg
Newport Pagnell Avengers made the return Journey to Stevenage to play Bedwell A in the second leg of the North Herts/MK Inter-league Challenge Cup.
Bedwell A - Steve Dobbins, Jimmy Walsh, Stu Mylrea
Newport Pagnell Avengers - Dave Gatiss, Steve Munson, Ryan Keates
First up was Gatiss against Walsh. Walsh takes a big lead in the 1st although Gatiss fights back to lose only 8 in that game and uses this momentum to take the 2nd, lose a close 3rd, take the 4th... and with determination and a better fitness level than the 1st leg.. wins comfortably in the 5th. Good start for Newport.
Munson never looked in any real trouble against Mylrea and wins in 3.
Keates struggles to get going against Dobbins... puts up a fighting performance only and never looked comfortable to lose in 3.
Gatiss plays Dobbins and starts strongly as in the 1st leg but Dobbins this time hung on after losing the first leg and gradually pulls back to grind out the win the 3-1.
A double blow for Newport when Munson loses to Walsh in a tight 5 ends to lose another match that was won in the first leg... on those stats at this point Newport are one down from the first leg only as Gatiss has beaten Walsh this time round.
Keates then starts badly against Mylrea but after giving himself a massive (loud) telling off, finds the fight to win in a comfortable 4.
3 all and still all to play for.
Keates takes on Walsh and almost immeadiately begins to show his true form of old with huge opening backhands and finally a confident forehand follow up he has been working on all season. Winning the 1st 2, a small blip on the 3rd... and then confident attack again in the 4th beats a slightly shocked Walsh.
Munson takes on Dobbins who has been in good defensive form tonight. Dobbins seems to be strolling to victory with a 2-0 start but Munson ups the gears a little and starts looping big to take the next 2. The 5th in a nervy affair with Dobbins missing 2 hitting strokes at the death to lose to Munson 11-9.
Gatiss yet again struggles against Mylrea... although taking the first two close ends... starts to get messed up by Mylrea's tactic of taking the weight of the ball which puts Gatiss off some much that he loses the next 2 ends to 5 and 0. Gatiss tries hard to get a lead in the 5th and never relinquishes it although at 9 all, steady topspin only proves just enough for him to take the final end, a 6-3 lead overall and thus negating the doubles match and ultimately wins the tie.
An excellent couple of matches with Newport Pagnell Avengers just coming out on top. All players looking forward to a return tie possible pre winter season and this time next year.
Result: Newport beat Bedwell 11-8 on aggregate