Roehampton beat Bowdon to win the Inter-Club 5-2

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Roehampton & Bowdon teams with Quiller and the Beddow cup

Roehampton beat Bowdon 5-2 to win the AC Inter Club Trophy for the first time since 1984 when Nigel Aspinall was in his pomp and he had a pretty useful partner in Stephen Mulliner! This broke Surbiton's impressive 6 year hold on the event.

Results (Roehampton names first)

Harry Fisher & Joel Taylor beat Alain Giraud and Angharrad Walters +13TP

Mark van Loon beat Nigel Matthews +26TP

Tim Russell lost to Brian Storey -26

Harry Fisher beat Alain Giraud +26TP

Joel Taylor beat Angharrad Walters +26TP

Mark van Loon beat Brian Storey +25

Tim Russell lost to Nigel Matthews -6

After a strong season Joel managed to pip Mark to the number 2 slot in the Roehampton team and having a President's Cup player at number 3 gave Roehampton a significant edge. The doubles could have gone either way, Angharrad went round first and Harry missed the lift. Unfortunately for Bowdon, Alain, having played a wonderful sideways jump shot to get through hoop 1 then missed a mid range roquet on his deep reception ball allowing Joel round to 4 back. Alain hit the lift, got the break going but stuck in 5. After Joel made a leave and Angharrad cornered, Harry didn't need another chance finishing his triple. He continued to play in exemplary fashion in the afternoon, with the only sniff of an opportunity for Alain coming when his straight rover peel attempt stuck in the jaws with his ball very close and at an angle. Harry wisely decided against trying the jump/peel shot - it was difficult enough jumping, but he managed it well enough to get behind the reception ball, rush it back north of rover, bombard peel his ball through rover going on to the other reception ball and pegging out. He looks in good form for the Mac next month.

Mark and Joel played almost faultlessly to win their three singles matches with the only mistake being Mark blobbing one back when on a triple against Brian Storey. With the balls well placed Brian made hoop 1 but then missed a shortish roquet to allow Mark to finish next turn. Brian had played very well in the morning to beat an off form Tim +26.

Tim's shooting improved in the afternoon but was matched by Nigel Matthews who hit for fun across the lawn including the winning peg out from corner 3 to win a tight match. Having written in a complimentary fashion about his progress in GC, this was my reward!

The victory completed a stellar year for Roehampton winning four of the major club competitions (I think unprecedented). Participation rates have shot up since Covid and we have a very encouraging take up of both codes. Commiseration to Bowdon who had an excellent season themselves getting to three finals and were unlucky to be missing John-Paul Moberly for the AC final.

Many thanks to Surbiton for hosting the finals and to George Noble and his team for providing us all with a typically accomplished Surbiton lunch. Although their lawns were a little easier than they were for the Championship of Surrey where the Ps were missing after the Ts, the approaches to hoop 1 on both lawns 1&2 were tricky enough to keep everyone interested.

Finally a word of thanks to our outgoing President Quiller Barrett who in one of his final duties presented the Beddows Trophy to Roehampton giving all those in attendance an accomplished history of the Trophy.