Diamonds make their big advantage count
In the third round of the Points Cup Buccaneers were set to keep their Diamonds opposition to 31 points per rubber.
Martin Watts achieved this task easily against Liam Burnham and Sam Burgess but failed against star performer Rachel Thompson.
Rob Slough did well against Burgess, got the worst of a half against Burnham but was well beaten by Thompson.
Lee Rowbotham went down heavily to Thompson, halved with Burgess but when he lost to Burnham there was no way back.
Wanderers started 170 points to the good against First Division leaders Baptist B and Mark Pearson made an immediate impact when he took Asif Manji to deuce.
Jacek Koltuniuk, twice, Nash Hooda and Manji then recorded easy victories while Pearson halved with Hooda.
After six rubbers the Baptist side were ahead of the handicap.
Everything changed, Geoff Wilkins halved with Hooda, Joe Van Diepen, took 30 points off Manji and when Pearson beat Koltuniuk 22-20, 22-20 the match was over.
When Diamonds met Wanderers in Round Four Pearson's side started with a
92-point lead.
Diamonds picked up 12 ends to Wanderers six but still made little headway though Thompson and Burnham both won twice.
The battle was long and hard and though Pearson was off the pace, the fast improving Van Diepen remained unbeaten and when Wilkins beat Burgess in the final singles at 11 o'clock Wanderers were in the semi-finals.
Eagles pulled back 110 points in the singles despite a fine display from Corby C's Stewart Abraham who shared the spoils with both Chris Warliker and Adrian Ellmer. Warliker saved 38 points in four ends and with Ian Donaldson getting a maximum, Warliker and Donaldson won on the doubles.
Eagles played Rangers who needed 14 points an end. The Harborough side started well when Aiden Smith took Ellmer to a 25-23 finish and Vaughan Allington ended a game each against Warliker.
Steve Crook shared the points with Ellmer and Smith took an end off Warliker.
Only Donaldson stood firm his hat-trick costing him 71 points but Allington's win against Ellmer put the result beyond doubt.
A tremendous fightback from Lee O'Boyle and John Hanvey gave Corby B the Points Cup last season.
Now a sterling performance from Chris Robertson, who conceded just 63 points, Alex Dickson 73 and a recuperating Henry Arthur 77 made the final doubles against Exocets easily attainable.
Luke Saywood and Kelvin Linnett did their best but it was not enough.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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