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EXETER & DISTRICT MEN’S OVER 60’s TRIPLES LEAGUE – REPORT FOR 2022

At last we were able to have a full fixture list for the year, the two previous years having been interrupted by covid-19.  It was also a very successful year for the club as we finished top of Division 7 and obtained promotion to the next tier of the league.

It was however difficult at the start of the season to get sufficient available players, and the club had to canvas for players from our neighbouring club, although they were not eventually needed.

And yet another year when no decisions had to be taken about whether to play the matches because of the weather conditions, apart from the heat.  All fixtures being played on the set day.

Most matches were played in near perfect conditions with one or two in particularly hot temperatures; & one or two where showers fell during the match.  However our away match against North Tawton had to be abandoned after three ends played due to very heavy rain & the green becoming waterlogged.

We got off to a very good start by winning our first four matches, one at home and three away.  As it turned out our third fixture, against Ottery St.Mary, was our most convincing win of the season with a shot advantage of 37 and our fourth fixture, against Uffculme, our closest win of the season by one shot. Our next fixture, away to Madeira, was played on a very fast green, unlike our own, and we were well beaten by 24 shots.  We picked up our winning ways for the next two matches against Ottery St.Mary and North Tawton, both at home.  We travelled to Chardstock for our next fixture which ended in defeat after a very frustrating game with the home side winning by 5 shots overall.

Not daunted we then went on to win our next five matches.  By now we knew we were in a good place for promotion even as possible winners of the division as we had just beaten our nearest competitors, Madeira, at home, who were matching us on points.  We had three more fixtures to complete and the tension was rising.

At this point, mid August, it turned out that we had played our last full game of the season.  Our next opponents were unable to raise a team.  The North Tawton match, as noted above, was abandoned and our final match was also not played, as Chardstock were unable to field a team to travel to Chagford.

After sixteen matches Chagford ended the season with 13 wins ,1 draw, and only 2 defeats.  A total of 99 match points and a 154 shot advantage.  As winners of our division the club will receive a trophy from the Executive Committee during March 2023 but a framed certificate has been presented to the club bearing the names of all those players who represented the club in our overall victory.