Sink or Swim for Aldeburgh at the Dolphin

Deben Division - Sunday 3rd April 2011

Following on from the unsatisfactory but nonetheless deserved home defeat at the hands of the Parrot & Punchbowl Aldringham in the opening match of the season, Aldeburgh's boulistes ventured the short distance up the coast to the surroundings of Thorpeness and all of its ''quaintness''.

With a full team of 8 again, but still missing Lewis Fletcher from the line-up (freshly out of his plaster cast but in the warm-up felt that his wrist wasn't up to strength), the Seasiders took on the home side, who themselves fielded a 6-strong side.

First blood went to Thorpeness with Reet and Chrissie going down 13-4 but Heather and debutant Richard Newman made amends by taking their match 13-8. So as has happened many times before, the match laid evenly poised at 1-1.

Usual pairing of Simon & Tina took to the ''pub-side'' piste and managed to pull back from a big deficit of 8-2 at one stage to finish strongly as 13-8 winners and thus guarantee at least a draw. However things got better than that as team captain Jimmy and his partner Binnie (Jonathan), took the fourth deciding game by 13-10 and bring the 2 league points to Aldeburgh with a good 3-1 away win.

Next up for the Mill Inn is a ''three matches in three weeks'' stint, starting with an away trip to Beaux Belles Middleton on 1st May, home to the Eels Foot Inn on 8th and then home again to big divisional rivals Golden Key from Snape on 15th May. This will bring the team to halfway through their league programme and give some indication of what potential they may have on reaching the Last 16 play-offs in September.