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Heaton Mersey 4 v Manchester City |
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By Lucy Clarke
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Monday, 14 December 2009 |
Heaton Mersey 4 v Manchester City
10th December 2009
Heaton Mersey 4 v Manchester City
10th December 2009
Our last match of the year and the weather couldn't have been better.
I should make it clear that, although we may joke about our match play and we always have a good time when we are playing - every single one of us is desperate to win. When (and I say when, not if) we do win a match you will be able to hear us throughout the Heatons. Our aim at the start of the season was to not finish bottom - and we WILL achieve that. I'm not sure how, but we will!!
Warming up it became apparent that the men were rather handy but the women could well be beatable. Rachel and Alice felt really good when they won the first game, breaking serve. But things did not continue their way and it was not long before we were 5-1 down. We won the next game but then lost the set 6-2. It was very frustrating. Although our oppostion had some really nice shots, their match play was not as strong as other opposition that we have faced. There were often shots that were going well out (and that's well out, even in our terms - which means well, well, well out for anyone else) but which they volleyed back from the base line.
The next set started in similar fashion, and was actually a complete copy of the first with the final score again being 6-2.
The men fared little better. Their first game, Andy's service game went to deuce repeatedly before John and Andy succumbed. The oppostion men had strong, swinging serves and these took their toll, with HM losing the first set 6-2. They went down 6-0 in the second set. This was the first time that Andy had lost a set to love. He was not happy!
For the mixed doubles Rachel paried up with John, fresh from their stunning 6-0 victory over a third team pairing at social tennis on the Wednesday night (no names mentioned, it would be rude to publicly point this out)!! Again there was a feeling that the match should be evenly matched but before they knew it they had lost 6-2, 6-2.
Andy and Alice took on the first pair. Andy was still fired up from his 6-0 loss and Alice was beginning to settle into the game so we both had high expectations. Sadly these were quickly dashed. We knew we could play as well as our oppostion and there were moments of fantastic play. Andy was serving well. Alice managed to put away some volleys. There was some great team play, when we listened to each others' calls and moved around the court seamlessly. But still there were far too many "demic" shots. Racket throwing was not far off. First set lost 6-3. The second set started badly and Andy feared that he may get his second 6-0 drubbing. When he realised this, suddenly both he and Alice started to play as they should and they won the next game. Finally losing the set 6-2.
The bottle of champagne that Rachel had bought with her would remain unopened until the club dinner on Saturday night after all. And instead we drowned our sorrows with beer/coffee and fantastic Victoria Sponge and Flapjacks. If nothing else, Heaton Mersey has the best cakes.
Filling in the match card was a frustrating experience. 0-8 does not look good. Particularly when there had been some really good points played - and we are getting better. . . . The experience has been invaluable. Roll on 2010 - 4 more matches to play this season, 4 more matches to WIN. |
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