SWINDON Croquet Club played two matches at the weekend, with very different results.

On Saturday the Intermediate team were away to Nailsea. Mary Bedells and John Small (Swindon) played the doubles game against Brian Roynon and Polly Reynolds and started well, but Roynon soon made a six-hoop break to take the pair into the lead. Swindon remained in contention, however, and when time was called Small made a terrific effort with another six-hoop break.

But it was too late and Nailsea took the game 26-16. In the singles game Mike Tracy (Nailsea) easily beat Roger Bedells (Swindon) 26-7.

After lunch Tracy again romped round to beat Mary Bedells 26-6, but the other two games were much more even. Roger Bedells led Reynolds for most of the game and when time was called they were neck and neck, but Reynolds took the golden hoop to win 22-21. Small too led for all of the game and despite going the wrong way at one point managed to hold on to win 21-18. Overall, Swindon lost 4-1.

The Federation team captain, John Airey, was suddenly taken into hospital for the fitting of a heart pacemaker three days before Sunday’s match with Dyffryn (Cardiff), so the match had to go on with the three remaining players.

Small started off his first game for the Federation side with a confident win in the morning singles match, beating Sarah Melvin 26–11. Di Trott and Neil Morrison (Swindon) made a steady start in the morning doubles and just managed a win against Barry Marsh and Paul Pristavec, 26-22.

In the afternoon singles games, Small continued to play well and beat Marsh 26-14. Trott suffered a bit of a setback in her game with Melvin, losing 4–26. The final game of the afternoon between Morrison and Pristavec turned out to be a cliffhanger, with the advantage swinging between the two players over the last hour. In Pristavec’s last turn but one he missed an easy four-foot rush which let Morrison in so that in the final turn, when time was called, he was able to pull one hoop into the lead and finished leaving all the balls spread apart over the lawn. Pristavec could not hit in so Morrison won 24-23 on time.

Swindon won the match 4 -1, giving them a good position in the Federation League.