Last time we played at The Baths, the opposition scored a whole lotta love. Tonight's opposition, though, floated down from div 1 last season and so would not be push-overs. To round off a soggy day, things did not go swimmingly.

Andy, fresh from London with his Brompton and first to arrive, was anxious to catch a train upstream. Playing his three games upfront, he floundered in his opening couple before surfacing with style to secure one point. Like Tesco round the corner, every little helps. Then off he paddled.

Which left me and unbeaten Anshul to alternate. We both bellyflopped against Bulldog Bernie -- out of our depth, couldn't fathom him at all -- handing Anshul his first defeat and so welcoming him properly to the Defiants. Against Rob, we both failed to take our chances too. Not going to plan.

That leaves Pete. I'd whipped him 11-1 in an earlier end and was 10-8 up in the 4th end, two matchpoints to me. Lost those, lost the next two. Game to him and into the 5th and decisive end. Great start, 5-1 up, then 10-4. Picture me silently drowning as those six matchpoints floated away. Hang on, there's a lifebelt, yet another matchpoint. Whoops, lost that one too. He won. Couldn't land a single one of my nine, count 'em, matchpoints. Poor.

Thank goodness for Anshul who finally came good, getting a much-needed win before once again we performed our synchronised doubles victory routine.