Murrayfield VI

• Charlie Ellis 3
• Alex Asiounkin 3
• Ian Robertson 1

Penicuik III

• Phil Daly 1
• Iain Johnstone 1
• Gavin Hunter 0 
  

After losing their previous encounter, team 6 were prepared for a tough game: a victory was essential as  they attempted to get their season back on track. Their task was made easier with the absence of Penicuik’s leading player (on averages), young Alexander Duff.

In the opening game, Charlie began strongly against Phil (Alexander’s replacement) and took the match for the loss of just 7 points. Alex then found things tougher against Iain Johnstone,playing a bit passively and losing the 2nd end 11-13 before closing out the game in a highly entertaining 4th set, 15-13. Though he played well,  Iain’s service errors on key points proved vital.

Ian then played some excellent forehands in beating an erratic Gavin in 4 before Alex played solidly to beat Phil in 3, as did Charlie against Gavin: Murrayfield were now 5-0 up.
Despite some good play of his own, Ian merely provoked Iain into playing some superb stuff and the youngster took the game in three sets.

Murrayfield secured the overall victory in the doubles as Alex and Charlie finally put together a solid game of doubles: overcoming Gavin and Iain in three.
In the final set of singles, Alex overcame a poor 1st game and beat Gavin; and played with real fluency at the end. Ian then began strongly against Phil taking the 1st end 11-2 before playing three sets he’d rather forget-though Phil did play some super shots.

Iain and Charlie then played out an entertaining 5-setter (the only one of the evening). Iain generally got the better of the long exchanges, though Charlie won some key points with good retrieving play. Both played some fine shots though Charlie’s usually reliable BH drive misfired and Iain mixed several good serves with some loose ones that led to easy put-aways.
Charlie was under pressure as he found himself 11-13, 10-12 down.  He was forced to altered his approach and took the 3rd game 11-4 before Iain came back strongly and had a match point in the 4th, before Charlie took it 12-10.  The final set was close throughout with Charlie holding off a match point at 9-10 with an ‘all or nothing’ FH that amused his teamates . All 11-11 Charlie profited from a very lucky net/ edge (!) and took the game 13-11.

match played: 12th Feb, 2010, at Murrayfield.