AC League Association Croquet

Fixtures contact: Simon Hathrell

Watford are the defending champions of the Beds & Herts League from 2006 and 2005, and in both years went on to win the East Anglian Croquet Federation League trophy as well.

League tables by year:
Watford match results by year:

All games: H 26pt Handicap
Date Opponents Venue Results (Watford names first)Final place: Winner
Sun 13 May Letchworth Home

DREW 3-3

(Net index points: -20)
Simon Hathrell (2½) &
David Drazin (12)
beat Duncan Hector (-1) &
Colin Davies (14)
+13
Janet Lewis (9) &
Bill Gillott (14)
beat Ian Mantle (5) &
Robert Staddon (8)
+5T
Simon Hathrell (2½) beat Duncan Hector (-1) +25
Janet Lewis (9) lost to Ian Mantle (5) -8
David Drazin (12) lost to Robert Staddon (8) -2T
Bill Gillott (14) lost to Colin Davies (14) -15

Handicap change: Simon Hathrell 2½ to 2
Fri 1 Jun Colworth Away

DREW 2-2

(Net index points: 0)
David Drazin (12) &
Bill Gillott (16)
lost to Tom Anderson (2½) &
Steve Jones (10)
-2T
Arthur Reed (3) beat Trevor Wilkins (7) +3
Arthur Reed (3) &
David Drazin (12)
beat Tom Anderson (2½) &
Trevor Wilkins (7)
+16
Bill Gillott (16) lost to Steve Jones (10) -5T
Sun 17 Jun Meldreth Home

WON 5-0

(Net index points: +40)
Adam Huby (12) &
Peter Chadwick (20)
beat Bob Brashaw (12) &
Janet Pope (18)
+10T
John Moore (16) beat Angus Bell (10) +5T
Adam Huby (12) beat Angus Bell (10) +2T
John Moore (16) beat Bob Brashaw (12) +13
Peter Chadwick (20) beat Janet Pope (18) +7T
Sat 23 Jun St. Albans Home

DREW 3-3

(Net index points: 0)
Simon Hathrell (2) &
Adam Huby (12)
beat David Kitson (6) &
Chris Frost (7)
+17
John Bee (8) &
Peter Chadwick (18)
lost to Richard Smith (½) &
Jon Palin (14)
-4T
Simon Hathrell (2) beat Richard Smith (½) +1
John Bee (8) beat David Kitson (6) +3T
Adam Huby (12) lost to Chris Frost (7) -10T
Peter Chadwick (18) lost to Jon Palin (14) -6T
Sat 11 Aug Enfield Away

DREW 3-3

(Net index points: +20)
Mark Homan (5) &
John Bee (8)
lost to Michael Ruggins (8) &
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16)
-8T
Simon Hathrell (1½) &
Peter Chadwick (18)
lost to Ken Pickett (2) &
Alan Foott (16)
-4T
Simon Hathrell (1½) beat Ken Pickett (2) +4
Mark Homan (5) beat Michael Ruggins (8) +11
John Bee (8) lost to Alan Foott (16) -18
Peter Chadwick (18) beat Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) +2T
Sat 1 Sep Wrest Park Home

WON 4-2

(Net index points: +20)
Simon Hathrell (1½) &
John Moore (14)
beat Bryan Harral (1) &
Eric Audsley (3½)
+9T
Quiller Barrett (8) &
Adam Huby (12)
lost to George Collin (2) &
Cliff Hayes (20)
-6T
Simon Hathrell (1½) beat Bryan Harral (1) +8T
Quiller Barrett (8) beat George Collin (2) +12
Adam Huby (12) lost to Eric Audsley (3½) -13
John Moore (14) beat Cliff Hayes (20) +16

Handicap change: Simon Hathrell 1½ to 1, Quiller Barrett 8 to 7

Statistics (Watford players)
 
Name Singles
W-L
Doubles
W-L
Total
W-L
Simon Hathrell4-03-17-1
John Moore3-01-04-0
Arthur Reed1-01-02-0
Peter Chadwick2-11-23-3
Adam Huby1-22-13-3
David Drazin0-12-12-2
Mark Homan1-00-11-1
Quiller Barrett1-00-11-1
Janet Lewis0-11-01-1
John Bee1-10-21-3
Bill Gillott0-21-11-3
 
Totals14-86-520-13

Watford win the Beds & Herts League for 2007.

EACF League Championship play-offs

(3-way match for Beds & Herts, Essex & Suffolk and Northern league winners.)

All games: H 26pt Handicap
Date Opponents Venue Results (Watford names first)Final place: Winner
Sat 22 Sep Colchester 'South' Wrest Park

WON 3-0

(Net index points: +20)
Arthur Reed (2½) &
Adam Huby (12)
beat David Haslam (7) &
George Jeffery (10)
+3T
Ian Parkinson (2) beat Jonathan Hills (0) +7
Mark Homan (4½) beat Ron Harris (8) +21
Sat 22 Sep Norwich Wrest Park

WON 2-1

(Net index points: 0)
Ian Parkinson (2) &
Mark Homan (4½)
beat Terrey Sparks (2½) &
Neil Chalmers (6)
+19
Arthur Reed (2½) beat Feargal Smith (4) +21
Adam Huby (12) lost to Dan Neale (7) -9
Sat 22 Sep (Other results)
[Not yet determined]
vs.
[Not yet determined]
Wrest Park  

Statistics (Watford players)
 
Name Singles
W-L
Doubles
W-L
Total
W-L
Arthur Reed1-01-02-0
Ian Parkinson1-01-02-0
Mark Homan1-01-02-0
Adam Huby0-11-01-1
 
Totals3-12-05-1

Watford become the EACF League Champions for 2007, the third consecutive year.

Three doubles matches were played in the morning and the Watford first pair of Ian Parkinson and Mark Homan got off to a good start against Terrey Sparks and Neil Chalmers when Mark went around to rover on the seventh turn. Shortly afterwards Ian progressed to penultimate but they stayed for a long time at this score whilst the Norwich pair managed to get a start. However, this was only a postponement of Watford's win. Both the other doubles matches became battles of attrition both going to time, but at the lunch interval Watford had notched up two wins and Colchester South one.

The six singles matches proceeded at a better pace, all finishing within time. The most interesting of these was between Jonathan Hills of Colchester playing off scratch and Ian Parkinson who was receiving two bisques. Ian managed to get the first break and went to peg arguing that this gave him the best chance. After some in and out play during which Ian used one of his bisques Jonathan got a break going and duly pegged out Ian's forward ball. To the surprise of some spectators Jonathan decided to peg out his own with both the other balls for hoop 3 and one bisque standing. The resulting two ball game started to go Ian's way when he used his remaining bisque and he eventually ran out the winner. Whether the result might have been different if Jonathan had decided to play a three ball game we shall never know but it is a fine judgement as to whether depriving yourself of the third ball is worth it in order to devalue the standing bisque.

It soon became clear that the result rested between Watford and Colchester South but the Watford win described above eventually sealed Watford's victory. Norwich did not have the best of days but their least experienced player, Dan Neale, recorded a Norwich win in the last match to finish thus avoiding a duck for the team. Watford ran out comfortable winners in the end winning five games to Colchester's three. EACF Secretary Terrey Sparks warmly thanked Wrest Park for their hospitality and presented the Chairman's Cup to Watford's captain Arthur Reed.

Report by Arthur Reed
Click on an image to see an enlargement.

Matches start at 10.00 am unless otherwise indicated.

See also: Directions and contact details for clubs in the East Anglian region.