PHYLLIS COURT CROQUET
News
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Chris Roberts
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6 June - Roberts wins at Tyneside but Colman has the last laugh (again!)

There was success at the fourth time of asking for Chris Roberts at the Tyneside Midweek AC Handicap in Newcastle this week.
He won all but one of his eight games to win the event, but crucially if was Phylils Court club mate Frances Colman who put the dent in his record.
Perhaps it's Colman's 'local knowledge (why-eye man, she's a Geordie like) but she gets the better of Roberts every year at this three day event.


8 June - Disappointment at the Armada and Solstice this year for PCC

There was no repeat of Phyllis Court's 2014 double success in the Southern Croquet Federation's two mid-season tournaments this weekend at Hamptworth.
On Saturday, an encouraging larger field than for some time contested the AC Handicap Doubles tournament for the 'Armada Trophy'.
Top seeds Frances Colman and Chris Roberts were not on their best form and won only two of their four games, as they struggled to cope with the twin burdens of the bisque count and time.
Winchester's 90 year old Ivor Nunn and junior partner Artur da Costa were the undefeated and most popular winners.
And it wasn't PCC's year at the GC companion tournament 'The Solstice' on Sunday either.
Neither Helena Fensome and Roger Goldring, nor Ian Norris and Raghu Iyer qualified for the senior section of the afternoon knock-out games, although  the latter pair did only miss out by one hoop score.
The Ryde club's two pairs both made it to the final, where SCF Secretary Richard Harris and past-winner Jim O'Keefe triumphed in the islanders' domestic contest.
8 June - Last gasp draw for PCC 'B'
PCC 'B' struggled to scrape a draw against Dogmersfield this afternoon. It needed victories in the last three games to 'save the day' in this SCF Hanadicap league match.
PCC 'B' - Raymond Wood, Don Rutherford, Roger Goldring, Raghu Iyer.
15 June - PCC Murphy Shield team come back from dead to win thriller

Phyllis Court looked dead and buried at 3 - 6 down in the final and deciding game of this tight Murphy Shield match against
Leighton-Linslade.
But 'never say die' duo Mike Fensome and Frances Colman won the last four hoops to steel an unlikely cliff-hanger victory.
The match had been on a knife edge all day with that doubles match being suspended for lunch at one game all (to be
returned to only if necessary) and the two morning singles matches being shared.
Roger Goldring complimented his singles win with another in his afternoon match up, but Don Rutherford repeated his
morning loss, all be it in two very tight games.
The head to head match between the number 2 players was a long affair with nearly all the hoops being well contested
as both Frances Colman and visitor Jean Ball matched each others fine clearance shots time after time. Ball missed a couple
of crucial shots in the second game, Colman didn't and that put Phyllis Court a nose ahead at 3 rubbers to 2.
All eyes then fell on the number 1's match where the host's Mike Fensome had seen is first game win canceled out by David
Ball's single point victory in the second.
Ball didn't leave it to the last hoop this time and his win drew the tie, so setting up a return to the doubles to decide.
Phyllis Court did some clever maneuvering to win the first hoop but then let Leighton establish a controlling lead by the half way point.
The teams traded hoops as Phyllis Court looked for how to win back to back points to get backinto the game with Colman's clearances working well with Fensome's ball placement.
Jean Ball missed a match winning shot at hoop 11 and Fensome ran the hoop right down to in front of 12 with aplomb.
With the game and match now tied, it was all on hoop 13 with first shot advantage to Leighton.
Jean Ball went safe and deep, Colman took better position but venerable to a clearance, David Ball fell crucially short and Fensome's tidy shot gave Phyllis Court the upper hand.
After another round of four shots, Jean Ball cleared Colman to 20 feet with husband David set to win the tie if she missed the return clearance.
She hit centre ball turning the tables with Fensome set for the winning shot.
David Ball missed him and the Phyllis Court man coolly scored.
What a great game, terrific to play in and just as exciting to watch - a real credit to both sides.
Phyllis Court play Guildford and Godalming in the quarter-finals.
PCC 'Murphy Shield Team' - Mike Fensome, Frances Colman, Don Rutherford, Roger Goldring.
16 June - Morgan and Colman win the 'Cave and Wolfe Salvers'

Colin Morgan and Frances Colman are 'Cave and Wolfe' Champions for 2015 after an enjoyable but tiring day today.
It was all very tight and a couple of hoops here and there decided the single qualifiers for the final from two blocks.
A couple of late withdrawals left a rather unwieldy nine pairs to contest this season's event and a combination of 13 and 19 hoop games was employed to keep everyone busy.
Richard Peperell and Raghu Iyer missed out on the 'who beat whom' tie-breaker in the Green Block to Roger Goldring and Christine Searle.
In the Red Block, it was even tighter with three pairs tied and all having won one and lost one against each other.
Morgan and Colman got the nod on 'net hoops in the games between those tied' ahead of John Chalfont & Dianne Browne, and Helena Fensome & Pauline Wood.
Colman kept up her high clearance percentage from the previous day with Morgan, hiding behind hoops as directed, the pair froze out Goldring and Searle very effectively.
Goldring pulled of a good jump and deft double clearance on one occasion but it wasn't enough.
It was nice to see a good number staying on to watch the final or return fro the terrace for the presentation.
A very enjoyable day.  :O)

Click on this button to see all the resultes:
The winning shot!
(Photo by
Leighton-Linslade's
John Cundell)
Winners Colin Morgan and Frances Colman
flanked by runners-up Roger Goldring and Christine Searle
17 June - Handicap reductions for
Goldring, Peperell, Crook & Browne
Roger Goldring's exploits two days ago (see below) won him a handicap reduction down to 3.
Hearty congratulations are also due to Richard Peperell too, as he also earned a reduction from 5 to 4 with wins at the High Wycombe Club this morning.
Back on home turf, Hugh Crook and Dianne Brown both also improved their handicaps with a recent internal competion win. - Full marks all four of you!
22 June - Ian Norris wins at Gulidford
Even with his low handicap of 1, Ian Norris battled off the 'extra turns' and recorded a fine victory at the Gulidford and Godalming Handicap Tounament this past weekend.
Delia Norris and Dianne Browne also flew the flag for Phyllis Court.
19 June - PCC 'C' beat Dogmersfield and go top of the League
PCC 'C' beat Dognersfield 8-4  - Details to come
End of June round-up
What with Regatta and a flurry of other croquet activity, news reporting has fallen behind a tad. So here's a round-up off all that's been happening:

Roger Goldring wins at Colchester & qualifies for National Final
It's hats-off to Roger for his first win in the National B-Level Series and he went all the way into deepest Essex to do it.
On the challenging Colchester turf that is home to multiple times world no.1 Robert Fulford, Roger won all but one of his games.
This fine victory secures his qualification for the end of season National Final at Hunstanton - Congratulations Roger!

Colin Morgan reduces his handicap
A series of good wins in internal competiton games and representing PCC 'C' in the SCF Handicap League, has seen Colin's handicap reduce form 7 to 6 - well done Colin.

Close result at PCC/Blewbury joint AC Tournament
PCC's Raghu Iyer was one of four players who was tied on victory numbers at the end of the two day AC Handicap Tournament that we host jointly with Blewbury.
Raghu missed out on 'quality of wins' by the narrowest of margins to Blewbury's Paul Wolff who retained the cup for another year. Jolly hard luck Raghu.
* Members will be please to know that this result 'sold' five hotel bedroom bookings for the main club, as well as organgary meals for competitors and spouses.

Mixed fortunes for PCC teams
There has been much team activity in the past fortnight for all of our AC and GC League teams:
24 June - PCC 'B' (AC) v Blewbury             - Won: completes the league programme (1 win, 2 losses)
25 June - PCC 'B' (GC) v High Wycombe    - Lost: the difficult season continues
  1 July  - PCC 'A' (AC) v Aldermaston        - Drew: a success for new member Carole Jackson in her first outing in Phyllis Court 'colours'.