Crake Lakes 5 Fylde 0

Fylde: Jim Allcock (4 1/2 ), Peter Wilson (4 1/2) and Liz Wilson (4 1/2 ).
Crake Lakes: Steve Skelton (3 1/2), Howard Bowron (3 1/2) and John Henderson (4 1/2).

The scoreboard does not reflect how comprehensive our defeat was today. The superb lawns from last week transformed by recent rains that prevented mowing. We found the conditions difficult, like hitting through Marmite. But CL simply played their game producing good breaks to order. We were wearing blue but had to immediately don our warmest tops to protect us from hypothermia. The fluffy clouds blowing in the wind producing a strobe effect with shadows.

At the start we could barely hit across the lawns while our opponents seemed to overcome this and were able to rush well and show control during their breaks.

Everyone made errors but we made more than they did. Tragic mis-judgements of pace, bevels and hoops run to hampered positions were what we found ourselves up against.

Despite the result, we thank CL for hosting and playing well.

Posted by José Mourinho, 29th June

Fylde 4 pendle 1

Fylde: Andrew Webb (4 ½ ), Jim Allcock (4 ½ ) and Phil Snowden (10).
Pendle: Paul Dowdall (7), Garry Wilson (9) and Libby Dixon (10).

Fylde reduced the strength of its team to better match the Pendle team and to give Phil Snowden a first stab at advanced play. The morning doubles paired Jim Allcock and Phil against Paul Dowdall and Libby Dixon. A slow game that went to time with Fylde winning 22-10.

On the other lawn Andrew Webb had a tussle against an on form Garry Wilson and was lucky to win 26-21 after he pegged off Garry's ball. In the subsequent "leave" he accidentally croqueted his own ball on to the peg with his backward ball on 2 back vs Garry on 1. An interesting 2 ball finish.

After lunch Andrew beat Paul 26-11 and an on form Libby beat Phil 18 - 14 on time. The match between Jim and Garry was much closer. This time Garry took Jim's forward ball off with his backward ball on 4 back vs Jim's on 3 back. The score (with Helen hiding in the kichen!) finished 26-25 to Jim as he hit Garry's ball to finish. A great day with Sangria and sunshine in the morning and tea and cloud in the afternoon .

Posted by Liz, 14th May