EDitorial ± 29-Jan-2009

TT0809, KO Cup, Round 2

Been a while since we cruised through the first round of the I&D TT KO Cup. For a while we'd known that the next opponents would be from, gulp, the Premier Division. To carry on last time's tortured footy analogy, this is like Southend (us) being drawn away at Chelsea (them). And we know how that turned out.

First time for us at Bentley village hall, home to the be-logo-ed Phoenix Cobras. Modern, light and spacious, so can't blame that. Usually you might find carpet bowls, recorder players or the Scrabble club here in the Ganzoni room: tonight there's one green Sponeta table (Super Compact model) and all eyes on it.

Quality start, the first set of nine singles leaving us one adjusted point up against Jimbo, John and Richard (let's credit whoever works out the individual handicaps for doing a good job). There's loose talk of making up additional points over the three sets of doubles ... at which point it kind of falls apart, losing the first 21-3 and the third 21-1. Not planned.

Downhill from then on, the task becoming ever more unlikely until finally Kev needed to win 21-16 outright in the final end. Not gonna happen with such consistent opposition. We was outclassed, Brian, truth be told. At least we're now free, as they say, to concentrate on the league ...