Published 10/05/2024 15:56 by Chris Welch.

It's been a while since I wrote a review, but I thought I would provide some commentary on the closest end to a season I think I've ever had.

The previous week, Cavaliers' unpexpectedly good result against top team Greenleys Sultans of Spin in the latest in a series of good results for us since Christmas put us in a reasonable position to claim the second spot at 119 points and 13 wins, with Valiants sitting in 3rd on 115 and also on 13 wins, however we did not have a good record against this team.  The maths was fairly simple: we needed 4 to win to take us to 123; if we got 3, the points tallies would be level at 122 apiece, but by virtue of the fact Valiants would need to win to achieve that, they'd then have one more win and claim the spot.

Sultans of Spin already had the top spot sewn up, which mean the two teams battling this final match were scrapping for the final promotion spot.

First up, the recently returned from injury Peter Carr lined up against Cavaliers' Adam Snowdon.  Peter's consistency proved too much for Adam in the first two legs, who scored 6 and 7 respectively, then managed to battle a leg back in the fird in deuce; however Peter managed to pull through in the fourth and take an early lead - Valiants 1 (116), Cavaliers 0 (119).

Slava Volokha for Valiants then took on John Bradley in a tit-for-tat exchange that ended with John just prevailing deuce in the final leg in the first of five games of the evening to go the distance - Valiants 1 (116), Cavaliers 1 (120).

The youngest of the Baggaley family, James Carter for Greenleys then to the table against me.  I was buoyed from having managed to beat his older brother the previous week, but aside from the first leg, James played an excellent game and I was unable to stop him hitting too many past me - Valiants 2 (117), Cavaliers 1 (120).

For the doubles, James and Slava teamed up against Cavaliers' John and I.  The first combination worked better for Valiants and they took the first and third games, whilst Cavaliers managed the second and fourth to force a decider.  We tried to stay with them for the first half of that, which proved relatively successful, but fell behind after the change of ends.  Somehow, we managed to claw back that deficit and win out 11-9 - Valiants 2 (117), Cavaliers 2 (121).

Next up Slava and Adam battled it out for a half-time lead.  Similar to my game against James, he managed to take the first leg, but was unable to stop Slava for the next three, who won through 11-9 in the fourth - Valiants 3 (118), Cavaliers 2 (121).

I then played Peter Carr, who had beaten me convincingly the first time round.  I tried to move him around and play some drop shots when he was back from the table, however it was not enough - this was the only game to be sewn up in 3 legs, although I did manage to get 8 in two of them and went down 14-12 in the second - Valiants 4 (119), Cavaliers 2 (121).

The final standings were inching closer and closer; James and John were up next and after losing the first two, John staged a comeback in the third only to lose out 11-9 in the fourth - Valiants 5 (120), Cavaliers 2 (121).

Slava and I were next up; I went 2-0 up and was at least 9-4 up in the third, I really should have had it sewn up at this point, however Slava stepped up and took me to deuce and then took the third game 11-9 to force another leg.  He then managed to win the next one with the same score and setup another decider - the third of five.  Having gone behind in this fifth leg, I somehow managed to pull something out and win through - Valiants 5 (120), Cavaliers 3 (122).  We now needed one more game of the next two and Valiants needed to win both; Valiants' best hope was a level points tally now with the match win taking them over the line.

In the penultimate game, James and Adam lined up - Adam had won through in the fifth leg in the previous encounter, and managed to take a close first leg.  James bounced back well, however, and managed to win the next two to go 2-1 up; the fourth game saw Adam at 10-2 down and it looked certain that Valiants would clinch the first of the two they needed.  Adam, however, had other ideas and managed to valiantly (ironically) claim 10 points in a row to force the next decider.  You could have forgiven James, especially at such a young age, to have fallen to pieces at this point - however he showed incredible wits to come back and win the final leg, again 12-10 - Valiants 6 (121), Cavaliers 3 (122) - and with that, Valiants sealed the match win, which they needed should the scores be level.

The final game was between Peter and John - no pressure or anything, but the winner seals promotion for their team!  John was the lower ranked player, but had managed to prevail against Peter - third in the averages - in their one previous meeting.  John took the first leg, but lost out in the second and an agonisingly close third.  He took the fourth 11-9 to force the final decider of the night.  Peter, though, had the edge to clinch the decider 11-6 - Valiants 7 (122) and the all-important 14th win of their season, Cavaliers 3 (122).

Thanks to Valiants for an excellent game - we go again next season!