Published 19/04/2024 12:12 by Martin Johnson.

Match Report   (courtesy of Martin Johnson)

Milton Keynes Cavaliers  versus  Mursley Hawks  (Round 9 of Fixtures)

It was one of those matches where the final scoreline did not really do justice to the match itself, with every set seeing the momentum switching as the games progressed, with six sets going to a decider (four at 11-9 or deuce in the fifth), plus three more being close over four games.  Even the one straight games set should have gone to at least four!  Everyone sure got their money’s worth.

Mursley Hawks, complete with their 6th reserve player (making up 11 appearances), were visiting Milton Keynes Cavaliers, in their final match of the first half of the League schedule.  Chris Paddon soon went two games up for Cavaliers versus Martin Johnson, however, not helped by a few missed services, eventually lost out over five close games, as Martin started to find his range, to put the visitors 1-0 ahead.  The second set saw John Bradley take on a familiar foe in Frank Beck, and John nicked game 1, only for Frank to level up in an equally close second game.  Frank looked to be in the ascendency in game 3, as he moved to 10-3 up, but John somehow battled back and took it at deuce as he won nine points on the trot.  Game 4, and yet another deuce, with Frank saving a couple of set points with big hits, before finally taking it 15-13, and it was level again.  Game 5 saw Frank move ahead, and at 10-3 up again, we wondered if lightning could strike twice, but it was not to be, and Frank took the win, to put the visitors into a 2-0 lead.

Mursley’s reserve, Richard Hare, then took on Chris Welch, and forged ahead 2-0 in games, but yet again it went the full distance, as Chris W just hung on to finally seal it 11-9 in a tight game 5, to pull the score back to 2-1.  Cavaliers went 2-0 down in the doubles, as Chris P / Chris W took on Frank / Martin, and it was almost a third comeback win from two games down, but the Mursley pair rode their luck to just take it in the decider, again 11-9, and a fourth set in a row to go to five games.

Set 5, and Martin eased to a two games lead over John, but then found himself 10-3 down in game 3, but, echoing John’s game 3 against Frank, but in reverse, Martin dug in and took nine points in a row, to take an unlikely straight games win, to put Mursley 4-1 up.  So, maybe lightning does strike twice!?  Chris Paddon reduced the deficit, with a four game win over Richard, although it was mighty close in game 4, as it took until 17-15 for Chris to just edge over the line.

Frank made it 5-2 to Hawks, as he overcame Chris Welch in another tight four games.  Next up it was Richard against John, and guess what - it went to five games once more - with an enthralling and almighty battle at the end of the final game, as neither player could seem to hit the winning shot, but finally it was Richard who took it at 15-13 in the decider, to break his run of eight consecutive losses in five game sets!

The final two sets saw Martin beat Chris W in four very close games, with the luck definitely going Martin’s way, whilst the final match was Frank against Chris P, each with 14 games already played, it was somehow inevitable that this, too, would go to five games.  Once again, Mursley just hung on, by the narrowest of margins, as Frank took it at 12-10 in the fifth.

The final scoreline was thus 8-2 to Mursley Hawks, which should move them up to 4th spot in the League Table at the halfway stage, but seems an unfair reflection of what was actually an incredibly close fought evening, and it could easily have been 8-2 the other way around.  However, the loss will leave Cavaliers effectively in 9th position, still battling to get clear of the relegation zone.