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| Report: | The rearranged final match of the season between the Pirates and unbeaten Bude was held last night at Penzance. The two teams occupied the top 2 spots in the league but Bude had an unassailable 18 point gap to go into the match mathematically as the league champions. The exact same squad of pirates had visited Bude back on 4th November only to be beaten 10-6 in the closest game the have had all season. So on home soil the chance to take a notable scalp and end the season on a high hi was there for the taking. Mark Trevail played Rob Irish on number 4 and the fit pirate got a great start keeping nose to nose with the quality of the high ranked Bude player the first was very tight and only a tie-break could decide it as Bude took a 1-0 lead. Trevail came to life winning the next two games, his energy too much to compete with. Irish was visibly determined to pull the game back and level it 15-7. The final game was a thriller Trevail had forced himself into a 14:7 lead before the Bude player in quite an extraordinary come back saved 8 match points as the Pirate wobbled a bit, to draw level at 14 all. It was all in vain as the next two points and tiebreak went to Trevail to take the first match of the night for the Pirates against a skilled and seasoned player.
Neythan Hayes looked to be in control against Robin Craig from the off but first game slipped away from him 12-15 before Hayes composed himself took control of the “T” and dominated the next three games which were competitive but never seem to be in doubt for the Pirate who repeated his 3-1 victory from the away leg.
2nd string Ian Hatch had a job to do as a win would guarantee the home side a notable league win against the table toppers. The game started tightly and a neck and neck tussle was broken around 7-7 as the Pirate found a pattern of winners moving Chris Hemmerle about and creating winning chances. Hemmerle found more front court space and another tight game went this time to Bude to level with unforced errors from Hatch. At 1-1 Hatch went up a notch powering through the next two games to 5 and 7 against the player ranked 2 places higher in the county.
This all meant that Nigel Bells first string game versus Finn Irish was a dead rubber, as the Pirates had won the match overall. That didn't seem to matter to the club champion Bell who, having lost the away game 3-nil to Irish, wasn't phased by the young man's energy and quality. He matched him in a lovely game to watch. The first was an energy busting tie-break going to 17-15 in the Bude players favour. Many would fold after such a close game list but Bell was having none of it and took the next game confidently to 12. Irish won the next but again Bell was tenacious and spirited in levelling the match to a decider. With Fin Irish ranked 13 in Cornwall and Bell 28 it was likely to go to form after such an energetic match and true to form with a great display and effort from the Pirate Bude took the top string game. But Pirates exacting revenge and some pride for 14-7 win and end the visitors record.
We all enjoyed some refreshments and Phil’s special “Chicken for the kings” (as Ian called it) after the match. Thank you Robin for travelling all the way from Bude to play your match, and then off to Exeter for work.
Congratulations to the Division 2 Champions Bude. Very much looking forward to the Spring League 2022.
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