Already crowned league champions, Sulby Point of Care made the long trek south to play PwC Castletown Abbey B in their final match of the season. With 9 big wins out of 9 already, Sulby were looking to complete a perfect season, Castletown Abbey however had a full-strength side this time and were out to prove a point. What resulted was an exciting and often extremely close fought battle that wouldn't be decided until the very end.
The first match underway, and also least close, was home side pair Graham Coffey & James O'Meara who made light work of Sulby's George Li & James Strickett 21/7, 21/4. Sulby drew back level as their 2nd Ladies Natalie Bennett & Jane Casey held back Asia Ogden & Sue Rossouw in games that were both extremely tight until the midway point 13/21, 14/21.
1st Men Nick Thornley & Damian Peter, Castletown, had a terrific battle against Norman Brew & Andrew Simpson, narrowly losing the first end 20/22 but turned the tables to win in three 21/17, 21/16.
1st Ladies Claire Townsend & Sinead Stephens almost pinched their first, just loosing it 19/21, before Sulby's Jenny Mo & Louise Strickett honed their tactics and comfortably took the second game 5/21.
The score midway stood Castletown 4, Sulby 5.
O'Meara/Rossouw enjoyed a strong performance against James Strickett/Casey 21/16, 21/14, followed by Coffey/Ogden who managed to hold on against Li/Lousie Strickett 21/19, 21/18. Simpson/Mo closed the gap again to leave Sulby only one behind with a win over Peter/Stephens 15/21, 16/21.
The pressure in the 1st Mixed was definitely felt by both sides, neither able to get a margin for comfort. Thornley/Townsend took more than one game point opportunity against Brew/Natalie Strickett to edge the first end 23/21 and managed to keep it together (just!) to take the second 21/18, leaving the final tally 10/7 to Castletown.
Nominated players of the match were Andrew Simpson and Claire Townsend.
Congratulations and good luck to Sulby as they move up to League 3.