Julian Black reports:
Quarter-Finals
The quarter-finals of the Superleagues move us into the business end of the tournament. Having said goodbye to WHOREFC 1 and the Old Cits, the remaining teams battled it out for a place in the semi-finals.
Dossi’s Desperados, this week spearheaded by Ryan Perrie, took on an experienced WHOREFC 1 side, but the former continued their strong form, having little difficulty in taking the match 5-1
Westway 2 was up against the 3/4 – female Studs side, headed by Nick Shaw, but the class of Pete Cohen with strong backup from the other members made this a fairly one-sided 6-0 victory to Westway.
On the Wednesday night, an all-Westway draw was won by Westway 3, with solid and consistent work from Andrew Rennie, Andrew Pilkington, Peter Chen and Bennie Carlin.
The final match of the quarters featured an EFA side containing 3 ringers due to a sudden outbreak of lurghy in the side against a dominant Stallions side. There were some close matches, but the Stallions, with Laurie Brock at the helm, were never in doubt.
Dossi’s Ds beat WHOREFC2 5-1
R. Perrie & J. Skelton 15 – 2 H. Turnbull & J. Saunders
M. Skelton & D. Smith 13 – 15 N. Bunyan & S. W-T
R. Perrie & M. Skelton 15 – 2 J. Saunders & N. Bunyan
J. Skelton & D. Smith 10 – 15 S. W-T & H. Turnbull
R. Perrie & D. Smith 15 – 5 H. Turnbull & N. Bunyan
J. Skelton & M. Skelton 15 – 10 S. W-T & J. Saunders
Studs lost to Westway 2 0-6
C. Cooley & H. Asquith 0 – 15 J. Black & M. Street
N. Shaw & K. Hird 8 – 15 P. Cohen & W. Betts
C. Cooley & K. Hird 6 – 15 P. Cohen & M. Street
N. Shaw & H. Asquith 9 – 15 J. Black & W. Betts
N. Shaw & C Cooley 10 -15 P. Cohen & J. Black
K. Hird & H. Asquith 4 -15 W. Betts & M. Street
Westway 1 lost to Westway 3 1-5
A. Bhattacharya & D. Goddard 15 – 10 B. Carlin & A. Pilkington
F. Rowe & J. Caplin 12 – 15 A. Rennie & P. Chen
A. Bhattacharya & F. Rowe 13 – 15 A. Rennie & A. Pilkington
J. Caplin & D. Goddard 7 – 15 B. Carlin & P. Chen
D. Goddard & F. Rowe 14 -15 P. Chen & A. Pilkington
A. Bhattacharya & J. Caplin 13 – 15 B. Carlin & A. Rennie
Sweet EFA lost to the Stallions 0 – 6
J. Black & C. Davey 7 -15 L. Brock & A. Yusaf
P. Bowden & K. Hird 4 – 15 C. Rennie & S. Chapman
J. Black & P. Bowden 11 – 15 A. Yusaf & C. Rennie
C. Davey & K. Hird 4 – 15 S. Chapman & L. Brock
J. Black & K. Hird 3 – 15 L. Brock & C. Rennie
P. Bowden & C. Davey 4 -15 S. Chapman & A. Yusaf
Semi-Finals
Dossi’s Desperados, the Stallions and Westways 2 & 3 battled it out on Wednesday for a place in the 2014 Superleagues Final.
The Desperados took on Westway 3 in a match which featured some extremely good Fives and some close matches (and our thanks to Ed Hewens for stepping in at the very last minute as an ineligible ringer for Westway after a late injury). Despite some doughty match play from Westway, especially by Andrew Rennie and Ed, the Desperados took the match a comfortable 6-0.
Stallions vs Westway 2 turned out to be one of the matches of the tournament; both teams were very closely matched, and the quality of the long, high-pressure rallies and especially the retrieving was impressive. In the end, Westway just squeezed past the post to take the match 4-2, and they now face the Desperados in a nail-biting final next Wednesday.
Dossi’s Desperados beat Westway 3 6-0
R. Perrie & S. Greasley 15 – 13 A. Rennie & A. Pilkington
A. Theodossi & A. Rattan 15 - 13 B. Carlin & E. Hewens*
A. Theodossi & S. Greasley 15 – 11 A. Rennie & B. Carlin
R. Perrie & A. Rattan 15 – 7 E. Hewens* & A. Pilkington
R. Perrie & A. Theodossi 15 – 3 A. Rennie & E. Hewens*
S. Greasley & A. Yusaf 15 – 6 B. Carlin & A. Pilkington
Westway 2 beat Stallions 4-2
J. Black & D. Patel 15 – 11 G. Hoskins & S. Chapman
G. Chapman & A. Bhattacharya 15 – 11 L. Brock & A. Yusaf
A. Bhattacharya & J. Black 15 – 11 L. Brock & S. Chapman
D. Patel & G. Chapman 9 -15 G. Hoskins & A. Yusaf
J. Black & G. Chapman 12 – 15 G. Hoskins & L. Brock
D. Patel & A. Bhattachary 15 – 11 S. Chapman & A. Yusaf