Roehampton beat Ealing 4-2

[<<] [>>] by Mark Green at Roehampton
31st August (GC - Tier 3 Bowl)

Both sides were evenly matched on handicap and this showed in a very tight fought match. In the morning, Ealing won the doubles rubber 7-5, 7-5, whilst in the first set of singles, Roehampton prevailed 7-6, 7-6 in one rubber, with the second rubber level at 5-7, 7-6 when it was agreed to break for lunch and leave the final game of that rubber to be played if required. After lunch, the weather changed to a mix of blustery showers and sun, with the wind moving the balls around on the Roehampton lawns. The top two singles rubbers were shared one apiece, with the third singles rubber won by Roehampton. This left Ealing needing to win the fourth singles rubber to take the match to the decider of the remaining game of the morning rubber. With the watching crowd swelling to double figures, the fourth singles rubber went to a game apiece, 7-5, 6-7. The third game was nip and tuck throughout and went to the 13th "golden" hoop. After four good approaches and a short battle for hoop primacy, two long hoop attempts just brushed each side of the hoop, leaving Roehampton with a short shot to win. The ball sailed through the hoop, leaving Roehampton 4-2 up and match winners, with no need to play out the final game of the morning singles rubber. After 176 hoops played in the day, the evenness could be seen in the net hoop difference of 4.