Sunday September 5th was the final matchday in the league programme and the Aldeburgh team were making the very short journey to the Parrot & Punchbowl in Aldringham.
Knowing that a victory would give them the chance of being one of the two best runners-up and therefore qualifying for the play-offs, the Seasiders set about their task well and with Simon & Lewis winning their closely fought game and Jimmy & Chrissie, (standing in for absent Tina), also securing the game on their lane, things looked good at the half-way point with Aldeburgh 2-0 to the good.
However, the 'second half' was a complete disaster as first Simon & Chrissie went down quite quickly to a score of 13-2 whilst Jimmy & Lewis faired slightly better, losing 13-5, and therefore the Parrot turning things around to earn a 2-2 draw.
So Aldeburgh ended on 12 points from 8 league matches and finished in runners-up spot behind the Golden Key Snape. Having lost just one match all season, Aldeburgh then had to rely on other results going their way. By early afternoon, the results that mattered had been received and Aldeburgh found two other runners-ups had better 'points per match' ratios and finished 9th place overall. With the cut-off point being the top 8, Aldeburgh can count themselves unlucky not to have qualified this season especially as some teams who have, had lost more matches in the course of the season.
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Poor performance 'key' to Aldeburgh loss
In the unusual surroundings of playing on a Saturday morning, the Aldeburgh team met up at local rivals and fellow Deben Divisional contenders, Golden Key @ Snape.
The Aldeburgh team were unbeaten whilst the Snape side had yet to lose at home this season, so in some ways a draw was looking likely on paper. Unfortunately our sport is played on gravel rather than paper and any sort of form guide counted for nothing.
Yes the Mill team were putting in a poor performance but at the same time, a great home performance throughout by the Golden Key saw them home by inflicting the biggest defeat of Aldeburghs short history, by the tune of 4-0.
The mornings match started with Simon and Lewis playing on the top piste and falling by a score of 13-8. On the more traditional lower piste, Jimmy & Tina went down by the score of 13-1, so two-nil down at the halfway point and an uphill task lay ahead.
Tina and Simon took the bottom piste in the second half and whilst 9-3 down at one point turned the game around to 11-9 to Aldeburgh by playing long cochs, but then a poor short 6 metre coch was their downfall as the Key easily coasted in for the 4 points they needed and still had 2 boules in hand.
By then news had already filtered down the piste that Jimmy & Lewis had been equally unsuccessful at the top end and had gone down 13-9, making it a clean sweep for the Snape side.
Well cheered on by the rest of their squad, the Golden Key only need to beat Thorpeness Dolphin on Sunday to snatch the Deben Division whilst a loss or draw could mean that Aldeburgh would then need to be Aldringham in their final match on September 5th to secure the title.
No-one likes losing but today we were outplayed by a much better and improved side.
The Aldeburgh team were unbeaten whilst the Snape side had yet to lose at home this season, so in some ways a draw was looking likely on paper. Unfortunately our sport is played on gravel rather than paper and any sort of form guide counted for nothing.
Yes the Mill team were putting in a poor performance but at the same time, a great home performance throughout by the Golden Key saw them home by inflicting the biggest defeat of Aldeburghs short history, by the tune of 4-0.
The mornings match started with Simon and Lewis playing on the top piste and falling by a score of 13-8. On the more traditional lower piste, Jimmy & Tina went down by the score of 13-1, so two-nil down at the halfway point and an uphill task lay ahead.
Tina and Simon took the bottom piste in the second half and whilst 9-3 down at one point turned the game around to 11-9 to Aldeburgh by playing long cochs, but then a poor short 6 metre coch was their downfall as the Key easily coasted in for the 4 points they needed and still had 2 boules in hand.
By then news had already filtered down the piste that Jimmy & Lewis had been equally unsuccessful at the top end and had gone down 13-9, making it a clean sweep for the Snape side.
Well cheered on by the rest of their squad, the Golden Key only need to beat Thorpeness Dolphin on Sunday to snatch the Deben Division whilst a loss or draw could mean that Aldeburgh would then need to be Aldringham in their final match on September 5th to secure the title.
No-one likes losing but today we were outplayed by a much better and improved side.
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Date for 'crunch match' changed
The big local derby versus Golden Key Snape has been re-arranged to Saturday 21st August 2010, with an approximate start time of 10.30am.
All spectators are welcome as both sides attempt to claim the Deben Divisional title.
All spectators are welcome as both sides attempt to claim the Deben Divisional title.
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Unbeaten run continues
Sunday July 18th
Deben Division
In glorious sunshine with a cooling sea breeze, the Seasiders took on the visiting Greyhound team from Pettistree, in their last home match of the 2010 season.
The team consisted of the usual suspects with Simon & Lewis allocated the 'beachside' piste and Tina & Jimmy the 'roadside' piste. Despite a slow start and being slightly ahead at 6-5, Simon & Lewis took a big 5 and proceeded on to get the first win with a 13-5 score. Jimmy & Tina weren't having the same results on the sloping piste and slipped to a 13-6 loss.
How many times have our matches been 1-1 at half-time? Well this was another one but Jimmy had the conviction to stick with the normal pairings and Simon & Tina went onto the 'roadside' piste and combined well achieving a 13-3 result, putting Aldeburgh 2-1 up.
Almost at the same time a great shot by Lewis had cleared the head in his match and left Jimmy & Lewis with a 13-2 win and grabbing the match overall 3-1.
This result strengthens the teams grip at the top of the table but the 'big match' looms with the team due to visit second placed Golden Key Snape in the next few weeks.
Deben Division
In glorious sunshine with a cooling sea breeze, the Seasiders took on the visiting Greyhound team from Pettistree, in their last home match of the 2010 season.
The team consisted of the usual suspects with Simon & Lewis allocated the 'beachside' piste and Tina & Jimmy the 'roadside' piste. Despite a slow start and being slightly ahead at 6-5, Simon & Lewis took a big 5 and proceeded on to get the first win with a 13-5 score. Jimmy & Tina weren't having the same results on the sloping piste and slipped to a 13-6 loss.
How many times have our matches been 1-1 at half-time? Well this was another one but Jimmy had the conviction to stick with the normal pairings and Simon & Tina went onto the 'roadside' piste and combined well achieving a 13-3 result, putting Aldeburgh 2-1 up.
Almost at the same time a great shot by Lewis had cleared the head in his match and left Jimmy & Lewis with a 13-2 win and grabbing the match overall 3-1.
This result strengthens the teams grip at the top of the table but the 'big match' looms with the team due to visit second placed Golden Key Snape in the next few weeks.
Sunday, 20 June 2010
Victory earnt with 'porpoise'
Sunday June 20th
Deben Division
The team made one of the shortest journeys of the season to the quaint village of Thorpeness further up the coastal path. Located in the car park of the Dolphin Inn, surrounded on three sides by houses, shops etc, its probably the piste that has the closest feel of a Continental market square about it, all that was missing was half a dozen old Frenchmen in their 80's, a passing cyclist with a string of onions and a middle-aged sternly dressed lady carrying 3 French sticks under her arm...or maybe I'm stereotyping too much!!
Anyway, on a piste marked out the previous evening with thick sailing rope, signs and warning marker tape, Simon & Lewis started out on one lane whilst Jimmy & Tina took to the other lane.
The Robinson pair finished first after falling to a 13-8 loss whilst the Fletchers evened the match score to 1-all with a 13-6 win. The piste was proving to be very challenging and unpredictable but added to the challenge of learning to cope with the surface that is unlike any other at least in the Deben Division.
At the switcharound, Tina and Simon joined forces whilst Jimmy & Lewis made their traditional pairing. Playing against Dolphin captain Andy and daughter Heather, Simon & Tina pointed and outshot their hosts to run out 13-4 victors.
This left Lewis and Jimmy playing for the match and on the final end with the score at 8-8, Lewis' shot moved the coch out to the far right, pointing in with three boules and Jimmy followed in with 2 more to take a big 5 and secure the match 3-1 overall.
Bacon butties were the order of the day in the pub afterwards with the Mill Inn increasing their lead at the top of the Deben Divisional table to four points over The Golden Key Snape but Snape have a match in hand over Aldeburgh.
The next action sees the team play their final home of the season on Sunday July 18th when the Pettistree Greyhound come to the Moot Hall Arena.
Deben Division
The team made one of the shortest journeys of the season to the quaint village of Thorpeness further up the coastal path. Located in the car park of the Dolphin Inn, surrounded on three sides by houses, shops etc, its probably the piste that has the closest feel of a Continental market square about it, all that was missing was half a dozen old Frenchmen in their 80's, a passing cyclist with a string of onions and a middle-aged sternly dressed lady carrying 3 French sticks under her arm...or maybe I'm stereotyping too much!!
Anyway, on a piste marked out the previous evening with thick sailing rope, signs and warning marker tape, Simon & Lewis started out on one lane whilst Jimmy & Tina took to the other lane.
The Robinson pair finished first after falling to a 13-8 loss whilst the Fletchers evened the match score to 1-all with a 13-6 win. The piste was proving to be very challenging and unpredictable but added to the challenge of learning to cope with the surface that is unlike any other at least in the Deben Division.
At the switcharound, Tina and Simon joined forces whilst Jimmy & Lewis made their traditional pairing. Playing against Dolphin captain Andy and daughter Heather, Simon & Tina pointed and outshot their hosts to run out 13-4 victors.
This left Lewis and Jimmy playing for the match and on the final end with the score at 8-8, Lewis' shot moved the coch out to the far right, pointing in with three boules and Jimmy followed in with 2 more to take a big 5 and secure the match 3-1 overall.
Bacon butties were the order of the day in the pub afterwards with the Mill Inn increasing their lead at the top of the Deben Divisional table to four points over The Golden Key Snape but Snape have a match in hand over Aldeburgh.
The next action sees the team play their final home of the season on Sunday July 18th when the Pettistree Greyhound come to the Moot Hall Arena.
Thursday, 17 June 2010
Thorpeness welcome league leaders
Sunday June 20th sees the Dolphin Inn Thorpeness play host to divisional league leaders The Mill Inn Aldeburgh to their car park piste.
The match is scheduled to start at 10.30am with after-match refreshments in The Dolphin itself.
All spectators welcome.
The match is scheduled to start at 10.30am with after-match refreshments in The Dolphin itself.
All spectators welcome.
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Aldeburgh 'trilled' to beat Parrot
Sunday June 13th
Deben Division
The team welcomed local neighbours Parrot & Punchbowl Aldeburgh to the Moot Hall Piste earlier today in the latest Coastal League match, with the Aldringham team being the only one the team hadn't faced so far this season.
The Parrot have steadily improved over the course of the season and under the leadership of captain Darren, they showed Aldeburgh that they weren't going to be push-overs.
Using the normal pairings Simon & Lewis opened the match on the roadside piste whilst Jimmy & Tina took the beachside lane. With the Parrot proving a handful, the Fletchers found themselves 9-0 before pulling back to 11-11 before finally slipping to a 13-11 defeat, their first of the season. Fortunately Jimmy & Tina held on to earn a 13-10 win.
Not for the first time this season did the team face a 1-1 score at the 'half-time' stage. Time for the second round of games...
Tina & Simon selected the more flatter beachside lane and despite dropping two points on the first end, managed to point and shoot their way to a 13-3 victory, so securing a draw at the very least.
Lewis' confident shooting and Jimmys' pointing put the Mill into a decent position and with an unfortunate shot by the Parrot pair that cleared the only Parrot boule in the head, the Mill were left with the two deciding points to grab both game and overall match victory.
This latest league win puts the Mill two points clear of second placed Golden Key Snape and looking forward to an away match next week at the Dolphin Inn Thorpeness.
Deben Division
The team welcomed local neighbours Parrot & Punchbowl Aldeburgh to the Moot Hall Piste earlier today in the latest Coastal League match, with the Aldringham team being the only one the team hadn't faced so far this season.
The Parrot have steadily improved over the course of the season and under the leadership of captain Darren, they showed Aldeburgh that they weren't going to be push-overs.
Using the normal pairings Simon & Lewis opened the match on the roadside piste whilst Jimmy & Tina took the beachside lane. With the Parrot proving a handful, the Fletchers found themselves 9-0 before pulling back to 11-11 before finally slipping to a 13-11 defeat, their first of the season. Fortunately Jimmy & Tina held on to earn a 13-10 win.
Not for the first time this season did the team face a 1-1 score at the 'half-time' stage. Time for the second round of games...
Tina & Simon selected the more flatter beachside lane and despite dropping two points on the first end, managed to point and shoot their way to a 13-3 victory, so securing a draw at the very least.
Lewis' confident shooting and Jimmys' pointing put the Mill into a decent position and with an unfortunate shot by the Parrot pair that cleared the only Parrot boule in the head, the Mill were left with the two deciding points to grab both game and overall match victory.
This latest league win puts the Mill two points clear of second placed Golden Key Snape and looking forward to an away match next week at the Dolphin Inn Thorpeness.
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