As Grahams win
Further wins from Ted and Elliot then secured the win for the E team at 1-6, until Ciaran again stepped in to halt the charge, with a three straight win over Salim to make it 2-6. Charlie’s evening then looked to be finishing in disappointment as Sunil looked to have got the measure of him, taking the first two games 11-9, 14-12.
Think again, for Crosby’s newest addition turned on the style with a complete array of shots, which had us all applauding, including an appreciative Sunil.
No doubt he is one to watch out for, as an 8-11, 9-11, 6-11
Opposite page: Ted Sloan (main image) and clockwise from top left: Ciaran Lynch, Sam Davies, Charlie Williams and Elliot Cooper. This page (main image) Chitra Balakrishna and (top left clockwise): Frank Proffitt, Sunil Dapre, Pat Hyde, Gordon Wood, Salim Ladha and Ian Massey turnaround gave him a deserved full quota of wins.
Salim then rounded off the match with a win over John, to make the final score 2-8 Crosby E.
Whilst a Charlie inspired E team, were turning over their F team, Crosby G were finding a pretty strong Princes St F team a little too hot to handle.
Wins for Sam Davies, Gordon Wood, Frank Proffitt and Irene Mullan had put the visitors in a commanding position, where only Crosby’s number one Ian Massey and Pat Hyde had troubled their opponents.
Sam then made the match safe at 0-5, with a hard fought win over Chitra Balakrishna, who surprisingly seemed to play more cautiously after taking the second game 11-3.
Gordon’s three straight win over Ian clinched the match, although the home player’s topspin game plan was beginning to pay off as he narrowly lost the third 11-13.
Another win from Irene then made the score 0-7, before Frank just about dragged himself back to his team mates after a tortuous victory over Pat.
Five fabulous games, 13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-13, 15-17 kept the outcome in doubt until the last point, whenever that would have been!
No respite for either player as both returned to face each other again in doubles.
Same result, a win for the visitors and a maximum was now looking a certainty.
Could Ian and Chitra prevent the inevitable?
At 0-2 down against Gordon and Sam the odds were against them.
Well, slowly but surely those odds diminished, 11-8 in the third and then 15-13 in the fourth tied it up.
Fightback complete, and so well deserved, 11-8 in the fifth, to the home pair, which made the final score 1-9 Princes St.
Elsewhere in the Third Division, leaders Argyle H (63pts) remain well out in front after a hard fought win against Crosby H, although the 9-1 outcome seemed to be a little cruel on the spirited young Crosby side.
Argyle F (45pts) were back on the road, and after a 9-1 win over their J team remain in second place, two points ahead of Princes St F.
North Meols (42pts) are in fourth place after winning 2-8 at Southport D. Last but least, Argyle G played out an exciting draw with Southport C. few months, all despite the loss of wages.
“I thank them for all their efforts and loyalty to the Club.
“Over the last six or seven weeks the team has been progressing really well.
“In the league, the terrific away win against high-flying Radcliffe was a sign of things to come, whilst three draws with well-funded teams was achieved with high levels of possession and control.
“With a little luck all three could easily have been turned into wins.
“Even our losses during this period were closely fought encounters against very decent in-form opponents.
“I would have loved to have continued but fully respect the directors decision to make a change, and I can only wish them all the best in the continued fight”.