Ross Kneller beat Butterfield captain Laurence Graham 3-0. (Picture by Brian Green, 0541192)
DESPITE losing their final match against Pulp Friction 14-8, Butterfield Bank managed to hang onto their lead to win the second half of the Carey Olsen Team League and force a play-off next week with Carey Olsen.
Their nearest rivals, Bourse, also lost to allow them the four-point victory. The closest rubber was between the number four string players Max Trouteaud, of Pulp Friction, and Butterfield’s Lynn Goodall.
The rallies were short as neither wanted to play the game at a furious pace. Both players were using the same tactics of lobbing and dropping whenever the opportunity presented itself. The ball, which is usually red hot in most matches at this stage, was now like an ice cube.
In the end Trouteaud showed he had the greater skills on the day as he ran out 9-4 winner in the deciding game.
Captain Laurence Graham was no match for Ross Kneller, losing 3-0, and it was the same scoreline when Adam Robin beat Ryan Collis.
Gary Rich gave Butterfield some hope when he defeated Andy Jones 3-0 and Steve Falla also helped with a 3-1 win after his opponent John Lewis had to retire injured with the scores level at 1-1.
A somewhat strange-looking Carey Olsen team were too good for Bourse, who were also without some of their key players for this vital match.
Although Sam Shields playing at one lost to an in-form Simon Bourge, Steve Hubert beat Andy Jones quite convincingly at number-two string.
In the best rubber, Simon Russell just held on to defeat Neville Johnson 9-7 in the fifth.
In the other matches, Leigh Radford was awarded a walkover as Bourse failed to field a player and Sally Ingrouille beat off a brave effort from Matt Robilliard to win 3-1.
Article posted on 14th March, 2008 - 2.29pm
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