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MATCH REPORTs |
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HARTSTOPPERS |
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Merda Satis |
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Thu 25th March V Strimmers @ Trinity 1 Score : 380 - 399 (Lost by 19)
Stoppers Skimmed
At least once a season we go to the Trinity and simply don’t turn up - this was that game this year.
Both sides started poorly, picked up in the second hand and then went back to mediocrity in the third. Skimmers led by 1 at this stage. However, they improved and we never really got going and they extended their lead to 18 in the next couple of hands.
Our night was summed up by our 2 stick-ups. Bomber got 10 and Hartley bolted his!!
We did pull a few back, but never looked like winning. We all decided that we were concentrating on the plate match next week!!
Top Score:- Juan 57
Champagne Moment :- Bomber’s Whiskey 4 Best Quote :- “It’s just like watching Bruce” by Juan as Flash hit the second fronter then bolted 2 (an insult on so many levels!!!)
Thu 18th March V Barmy Army @ Home Score : 419 - 423 (Lost by 4)
Top Score:- El CID 60
Tue 16th March V Flingers @ Colliton 1 (Plate QF) Score : 431 - 413 (Won by 18)
Hartstoppers Reach Semis!!
We reached the semi final of the plate with an 18-pin away win against Flingers on the Colliton 1 alley. This is the furthest we have ever got in either the cup or the plate. For the stato’s, we have lost in 2 previous quarter finals, the plate in 01/02 (Swankers) and the cup in 04/05 (Heathens).
Throwing first, we started very poorly, but a 15 by Juan rescued the hand turning it to a respectable 62. However Flingers got 73 to lead by 11 after one hand.
A great response with stick-ups by Flash, Ric and a second by Juan saw us turn that deficit into a 15 pin lead. Ric had a running pair and the opposite Cottee-Pin left. As he threw the ball he shouted “Sorry – wrong side”. The ball promptly took out all 3 pins for a stick-up – “Flair”.
We edged further clear in the middle hands – Hartley got a 15.
A mini comeback by Flingers in the 6th saw us lead by 16 going into the last hand. We left them 72 to win, but they fell well short.
Top Score:- Hartley & Juan 62
Champagne Moment :- Ric’s stick-up Best Quote :- “Sorry – wrong side” as Ric threw his second ball (see Champagne Moment)
Thu 4th March V Woodmen @ Home Score : 403 - 429 (Lost by 26)
Woodman Chop Down Hartstoppers
We lost to top of the league Woodmen in a fairly lack lustre game. To be fair you can see why they are top. They have some very good players, with one of their team getting 77 (lowest score 9).
We were 25 down after 3 hands and although we won a couple of hands it was never really enough to trouble them. Even our stick-ups were not big ones with Juan and El Cid getting 12 and 11 despite hitting the fronter and Ric bolting (perhaps summed up our night).
Recently our middle order has been excellent, but on this occasion none of us played well.
Woodmen are off to play the serious stuff in Section A – looks like we will be in the more relaxed Section B.
Top Score:- EL Cid & Juan 57
Champagne Moment :- Ric’s stick-up – until the 3rd ball Best Quote :- “FAT IT” - PA
Tue 23rd February V Supertramps @ Conservative Club Score : 417 - 397 (Won by 20)
Ric puts Supertramps to the sword
Ric came back to haunt his old team with a brilliant 65 – a new alley record for a Hartstopper at the Conservative Club.
In the early stages the Supertramps hit 57 for 3 consecutive hands but we just could not get going at all After we shaded the 4th by 1, with Juan getting a stick-up, we were still 6 behind.
The 5th hand was pivotal to the match. Throwing first they got 47. It was now that Ric hit top gear. He left himself one pin to get a stick-up. His second ball took an age to reach the other end, weaving down the alley as it went – will it hit or will it miss????
It hit!!!! – we sang the song with great gusto! He converted his stick-up to 17. We hit 70 to go into a 17 pin lead. Ric’s throw turned the whole momentum of the game on it’s head.
In the 6th we held off a good response from the Supertramps thanks to another Ric stick-up (and he was sober!). Their challenge faltered when they hit 50 on the last hand, meaning we only wanted 36 to win – for once we did it without too many scares.
Decent beer – good food – and 2 points – a good night out!!
Top Score:- Ric 65 (Alley Record)
Champagne Moment :- Ric’s second ball trundler on his way to 17 Best Quote :- Bruce’s comment that, after that performance, perhaps Ric should drive every week and Flash’s agreement!
Thu 18th February V Villains @ Home Score : 427 - 425 (Won by 2)
A close call but revenge is sweet!
This was always going to be a close game, with Villains just 1 place behind us in the league table. The game earlier in the season had seen us behind all game, pulled back to 1 behind then crumble with a paltry 45 on the final hand.
This time, Hartstoppers stormed in to a lead of 22 on the first hand with stickups from Hartley and Juan, playing as the anchor pair in El Cid’s absence. This was extended further over the next couple of hands and we ended up going into the last hand 26 ahead.
Villains proceeded to hit 73 to set us a target of 48 to win. Surely lightning couldn’t strike twice? The top half managed just 23 between them, prompting Villains captain to comment “that will make it interesting”. This fortunately made us more determined than ever to win. Hartley and Juan needed 14 between them. Hartley managed a really good 8 after a difficult split which set Juan up with 6 to win. As many in the crowd predicted, Juan got his “SEVEN” and we won by 2.
Top Score:- Hartley / Juan 62
Champagne Moment :- Hartley’s 8 on the last hand when we needed it most
Best Quote :- “that will make it interesting” from the Villains which proved to be just the inspiration we needed.
Thu 11th February V Alocotops @ The Gurkha Score : 382 - 423 (Lost by 41)
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
This was the coldest ever Hartstopper match – even the old alley at the White Hart had a few heaters in it. Thermals, hats and gloves would have been useful for this one (and a winter warmer beer!)
We can’t blame the conditions for our defeat at the Gurkha. We were soundly beaten by a very good Alcotops side.
We drew the first hand, and took a 2 pin lead after the second hand. This hand was Hartstopper skittles in it’s purest form. PA got 3 to lead us off and muttered that he and Flash would not be dancing tonight as he left the alley. This inspired Flash to get a stick-up, getting 15 on his own!! Derek then backed this up with an OXO. We started 3 – 15 – 0. The bottom half managed to bring some consistency (in terms of pins anyway) to shade it.
After that it was one-way traffic – a hand of 68 for Alcotops and then a 60, combined with a hand in the 40’s for us saw them pull well clear. In the end they won by 40+
The legend that is Dreamon Morey was recognised by one of his disciples – he knew that he was the skittler once known as Demon. He’ll be in OK next – mark my words!
Top Score:- Flash 57
Champagne Moment :- Flash’s stick up Best Quote :- Joint Award – “Wasn’t he called Demon last time?”
Thu 4th February V Hotshots @ Home Score : 422 - 413 (Won by 9)
Hotshots Victory
Over the years we have played the Hotshots numerous times, and the teams have been quite evenly matched. However, this was a fairly comfortable victory.
We won each of the first 5 hands, though not by big margins. This was achieved with the help of stick ups from Bomber, Dreamon and El Cid.
Rafa was amazingly consistent in the middle order, and Flash ensured the “Spirit of Ric” was at the game in his absence with great flair.
They came back towards the end, but we got home without too many scares.
Top Score:- Bomber / Dreamon 59
Champagne Moment :- Any one of the stick-ups Best Quote :- Joint Award – Dreamon for “He would fart as a comment” when talking about what Ric would say. Also Dreamon (again) with Hartley for “Grasshopper – Hartstopper”
Thu 21st January V Old Spice Yokels @ Home Score : 411 - 438 (Lost by 27)
Yokels too good
Sometimes a team simply plays better than you, and this was one of those occasions. We played quite well, but on the night Yokels were excellent.
The first 4 hands were quite tight, with Rafa (or Dirk) getting 2 stick-ups in the first 2 hands. But a hand of 78 in the 5th saw the visitors take a 21 pin lead.
We hit 67 on the last hand, but it was not enough and the Yokels cruised home.
Top Score:- Josh / Jose / Rafa / DK 63
Champagne Moment :- DK’s 2 stick-ups Best Quote :- Derek’s bottom commenting on El Zim’s bolter
Fri 15th January V Colliton Spares @ Colliton 1 Score : 439 - 413 (Won by 26)
Relaxed Ric
This was a comfortable victory over Colliton Spares on the Colliton 1 alley.
Before the game Ric informed Hartley that he would be relaxed tonight because he would have some wine with his dinner. No-one thought this would make any difference, but how wrong we were!!
2 stick-ups in the first 3 hands from Ric had everyone extolling the virtues of his wine sampling. “Pinot” was the chant everytime he threw. He ended the night with 70 – and that from a player who would have been dropped if Juan was available.
A consistent team performance with every hand in the 60’s – not like us at all!!
Top Score:- Ric 70
Champagne Moment :- Ric’s score of 70 Best Quote :- “Pinot”
Thu 5th November V Tinklers @ Home Score : 410 - 436 (Lost by 26)
Report to Follow
Quote of the night:
Magic (Champagne, Jack) moment: Bomber’s 18 - Flopper, 8 leaving the backer. Oh what it could have been!
Top Score – Bomber 60
Fri 18th September V Hotshots @ Conservative Club Score : 437 - 388 (Won by 49)
3 out of 3 as Hartstoppers hit the Perfect 8
This was a night of excess and extremes in many ways. Hartstoppers came into the game confident after a good start to Section B. Throwing first; we were caught out early on by a classic flair moment from Ric to get an early stickup. No jacks were called, but this is something we made up for later as the stickups followed. |