Horsewell the hero, as Warriors ruin the Kings perfect season.
 

A Greenleys grudge match which has produced some exciting encounters over the past few years, proved to be no different this time around.

Nick Howard, Guy Sparrow and Jordan Moss hosted Ricky Taiwo, Ollie Horsewell and Vali Cazacu.

Jordan and Cali were first up, and despite the 3-0 scoreline in favour of the Warriors newcomer, it was no simple match. It was one of those where it could have been 3-0 the other way on a different night, but Vali was too consistent in the end.

Ricky was hoping to take advantage of Nick’s slow starts of late, as he openly eyeballed his opposing captain before the match and said “I’m playing you first”, and his tactics almost paid off.

Losing the first, Ricky stormed back to take the next 2, before Nick was back in it at 2-2. A close 5th end saw the Kings captain win it 11-9, and remain unbeaten in the league against his Warriors counterpart.

If you thought that was close, Ollie and Guy took it up a notch, as they also started a tough 5 setter. Ollie was too consistent in the end, and won 12-10 in the 5th.

The doubles being at match 4 has always intrigued me (every other league I’ve ever played in has had the doubles as match 10) - I believe the argument is to stop it being a dead rubber in the event of a one sided match? Although if anyone has a definitive answer, I’m all ears.

But I’ll also issue a public apology to my good friend, Ricky Taiwo! With both Ollie and Vali winning their match, and Ricky losing his, you’d have thought it would be an Ollie and Vali pairing in the doubles (the downside to the doubles being at 4, is that if you are picking a team on the form of the night, you don’t have a lot to go on).

We joked that Ricky has the worst doubles record in history (which was supported by his team I may add!), yet he decided to play himself alongside Ollie in the doubles. Having just looked at the stats for this season, Ricky and Ollie were 3 wins from 4 doubles matches this year, so in fact, it was an excellent Captains call!

However, that didn’t help him in the slightest, as Nick and Guy crushed them in 3 very easy sets.

Nick continued the attacking flair against Vali, who struggled with the fast serve and big forehand combo, as Nick took it in 3.

Jordan, who was under the whether, and wanting to be anywhere but playing TT, lost to Ollie in 3, before Guy produced the attacking match of the night, dismantling Ricky, who has beaten Guy 5 times out of the last 5!

And now for the biggest “if only” match of the night.

Ollie took a storming 2-0 lead over Nick, before Howard comfortably pulled it back to 2-2.

With a 9-4 (yes…. 9-4) lead in the 5th, it looked to be game over. 9-4 became 9-5, which turned into 9-6 and 7, and then Howard, playing a forehand loop cracked the ball mid shot (it was an edge) - The rule, as everyone knew, was a let. It’s a funny rule in my eyes, and when it happened against me during a British League match, I was pretty annoyed (it was the first time I’d heard of the rule). But in my eyes, an edge is an edge, and despite the sinking feeling I already had, I gave Ollie the point.

He didn’t waste it either, as a few nervous points later saw him make a remarkable comeback, and hold his nerve for a very very fine hatrick.

Guy lost the first to Vali before dominating 2 and 3….. But Vali pegged him back in the 4th to take it to 5. Guy stayed strong for a great win to guarantee the draw at least.

It was one way traffic in the final set though, as Ricky didn’t want to miss I’m a Celebrity on catch up, taking down Jordan in 3.

So the Kings perfect season is over, and the title race is wide open.