Newport Pagnell Lagondas 5-5 Mursley Hawks
Monday 7 November 2022
| Game | Result | Score | Match score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Ardis lost to Martin Johnson (1-3) | 11-7, 4-11, 7-11, 5-11 | 0-1 |
| 2 | Chris Horn beat Ian Spanswick (3-1) | 12-14, 12-10, 11-7, 14-12 | 1-1 |
| 3 | Michael Howard lost to Mick O'Mahony (2-3) | 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 13-11, 10-12 | 1-2 |
| 4 | Tony Ardis & Michael Howard beat Martin Johnson & Ian Spanswick (3-0) | 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 | 2-2 |
| 5 | Chris Horn lost to Martin Johnson (2-3) | 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 3-11 | 2-3 |
| 6 | Tony Ardis lost to Mick O'Mahony (0-3) | 10-12, 4-11, 7-11 | 2-4 |
| 7 | Michael Howard beat Ian Spanswick (3-1) | 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 12-10 | 3-4 |
| 8 | Chris Horn lost to Mick O'Mahony (1-3) | 6-11, 5-11, 13-11, 2-11 | 3-5 |
| 9 | Michael Howard beat Martin Johnson (3-1) | 12-10, 9-11, 15-13, 11-5 | 4-5 |
| 10 | Tony Ardis beat Ian Spanswick (3-0) | 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 | 5-5 |
| Team | Legs won | Legs average (%) | Points won | Points average (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Pagnell Lagondas | 21 | 53.85 | 373 | 49.73 |
| Mursley Hawks | 18 | 46.15 | 377 | 50.27 |
| Team | Player | Games played | Games won | Legs played | Legs won | Legs average (%) | Points played | Points won | Points average (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Pagnell Lagondas | Tony Ardis | 3 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 40.00 | 174 | 81 | 46.55 |
| Newport Pagnell Lagondas | Chris Horn | 3 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 46.15 | 260 | 120 | 46.15 |
| Newport Pagnell Lagondas | Michael Howard | 3 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 61.54 | 261 | 139 | 53.26 |
| Mursley Hawks | Martin Johnson | 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 53.85 | 251 | 132 | 52.59 |
| Mursley Hawks | Ian Spanswick | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 18.18 | 220 | 95 | 43.18 |
| Mursley Hawks | Mick O'Mahony | 3 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 75.00 | 224 | 128 | 57.14 |
| Match date | Monday, 7 November 2022 at 19:30 |
|---|---|
| Competition | League |
| Division | Division Two |
| Venue | Lovat Hall, Newport Pagnell |
| Season | 2022-2023 |
| Legs played | 39 |
| Points played | 750 |
Published 16/05/2024 05:55 by Martin Johnson.
Table Top Clash
It was first versus second, as Newport Lagondas entertained Mursley Hawks, with a history of close results between the two teams in recent seasons. The Lagondas trio, fresh from their 10-0 win over Blades last week, was Tony Ardis, Chris Horn and Mike Howard, whilst Hawks, who lost to Chakmore Hasbeens 3-7 last week, featured Martin Johnson, Ian Spanswick and Mick O'Mahony.
Unsurprisingly, most of the matches were closely contested, starting with Tony against Martin, and whilst Tony took the first leg, Martin started to find his range and took the next three legs to put the visitors one up. Chris Horn eventually levelled matters with a tight four legs win over Ian, with some fantastic defending and some fierce hits from Ian countering the big topspins from Chris, in a set that featured three deuces. It also featured probably the return of the night, with Ian, at game point to take it to a decider, hitting a full blooded smash which had winner written all over it, but Chris had other ideas and swiped it back past Ian to save the game, going on to clinch the game and set. Mike against Mick was probably the set of the night, going the full distance, with Mick just taking it at 13-11 in the decider, despite Mike getting more than his fair share of nets and edges! Once again, the home side equalled things up, as Mike and Tony were always ahead against Martin and Ian, to take the doubles in straight games, leaving the match nicely balanced at 2-2 at that stage.
No surprise that set 5 between Chris and Martin was yet another nail biter, with the first four legs shared, with each set won by the minimum margin. Martin finally got the upper hand to take leg 5, and once again put Hawks ahead. It appeared Lagondas might again pull level, as Tony went 10-5 up in leg 1 against Mick, but Mick started to hit the target and somehow snatched the leg in the seventh deuce of the evening, before going on to take it three straight, and put Hawks 4-2 up. Mike was in battling mood, keeping things tight, then picking off the hits, to go 2-0 up against Ian, but Ian fought back to grab leg 3 in another deuce. However, Mike, again getting a bit of luck along the way, came through in yet another deuce in game 4, including an edge at set point against the luckless Ian.
Mick maintained his good form, and managed to nullify Chris' attacking to win in four games in set 8, thus completing his second maximum in three matches, to again put Hawks ahead, at 5-3. Once again it was Mike who battled back for Lagondas, with a four games win over Martin, including two more deuces, leaving the completion of the comeback to Tony, who bounced back from his earlier two defeats to beat Ian three straight, which meant the match ended up as a 5-5 draw. These two teams have now drawn 5-5 against each other four times in succession, with this encounter as close as ever, with a total of 11 deuces plus six further legs won at 11-9, and the overall points tally just being shaded by Hawks at 377-373.
Lagondas will stay top, still seven points ahead of Hawks, although both Greenleys Princes and Chackmore Hasbeens could threaten the lead if they win games in hand, as these four teams are currently a little way ahead of the rest, at this stage of the season.
Player of the Match : Mick O'Mahony.
It was first versus second, as Newport Lagondas entertained Mursley Hawks, with a history of close results between the two teams in recent seasons. The Lagondas trio, fresh from their 10-0 win over Blades last week, was Tony Ardis, Chris Horn and Mike Howard, whilst Hawks, who lost to Chakmore Hasbeens 3-7 last week, featured Martin Johnson, Ian Spanswick and Mick O'Mahony.
Unsurprisingly, most of the matches were closely contested, starting with Tony against Martin, and whilst Tony took the first leg, Martin started to find his range and took the next three legs to put the visitors one up. Chris Horn eventually levelled matters with a tight four legs win over Ian, with some fantastic defending and some fierce hits from Ian countering the big topspins from Chris, in a set that featured three deuces. It also featured probably the return of the night, with Ian, at game point to take it to a decider, hitting a full blooded smash which had winner written all over it, but Chris had other ideas and swiped it back past Ian to save the game, going on to clinch the game and set. Mike against Mick was probably the set of the night, going the full distance, with Mick just taking it at 13-11 in the decider, despite Mike getting more than his fair share of nets and edges! Once again, the home side equalled things up, as Mike and Tony were always ahead against Martin and Ian, to take the doubles in straight games, leaving the match nicely balanced at 2-2 at that stage.
No surprise that set 5 between Chris and Martin was yet another nail biter, with the first four legs shared, with each set won by the minimum margin. Martin finally got the upper hand to take leg 5, and once again put Hawks ahead. It appeared Lagondas might again pull level, as Tony went 10-5 up in leg 1 against Mick, but Mick started to hit the target and somehow snatched the leg in the seventh deuce of the evening, before going on to take it three straight, and put Hawks 4-2 up. Mike was in battling mood, keeping things tight, then picking off the hits, to go 2-0 up against Ian, but Ian fought back to grab leg 3 in another deuce. However, Mike, again getting a bit of luck along the way, came through in yet another deuce in game 4, including an edge at set point against the luckless Ian.
Mick maintained his good form, and managed to nullify Chris' attacking to win in four games in set 8, thus completing his second maximum in three matches, to again put Hawks ahead, at 5-3. Once again it was Mike who battled back for Lagondas, with a four games win over Martin, including two more deuces, leaving the completion of the comeback to Tony, who bounced back from his earlier two defeats to beat Ian three straight, which meant the match ended up as a 5-5 draw. These two teams have now drawn 5-5 against each other four times in succession, with this encounter as close as ever, with a total of 11 deuces plus six further legs won at 11-9, and the overall points tally just being shaded by Hawks at 377-373.
Lagondas will stay top, still seven points ahead of Hawks, although both Greenleys Princes and Chackmore Hasbeens could threaten the lead if they win games in hand, as these four teams are currently a little way ahead of the rest, at this stage of the season.
Player of the Match : Mick O'Mahony.