On Monday Lilydale played a combined team from Monash and Ringwood croquet clubs. It is always difficult to know how to plan for these combine teams as you never quite know which players you are playing against. The game was played at Ringwood club which is very familiar to Lilydale as it is where they play a number of their home games.
First game was the doubles, and this was very close all the way with the combine getting over the line 7 hoops to Lilydale’s 5 hoops.
Next were the singles games. The first game saw Lilydale’s captain, Glenn Crook, have a big win, winning 7 hoops to the combines 1 hoop.
The next singles game was a lot closer with Lilydale’s Alan Jones able to get in front early and hang on for a 7 hoops to 5 hoops win.
The two singles wins saw Lilydale lead at the lunch break 2 games 19 hoops to the combines 1 game 13 hoops.
After Lunch it was the reverse singles.
The first game saw Lilydale’s Craig McCracken get off to a good start and come away with a comfortable 7 hoops to 2 hoops win.
This win gave Lilydale the lead so it was going to be interesting to see how the combine was going to respond.
The last game of the day and the combine’s player was not going to lie down. The game was nip and tuck from the start, eventually the combine’s player got a couple of hoops up and Lilydale could just not real him in, the combine winning 7 hoops to Lilydale’s 5 hoops.
Apart from the two big wins by Lilydale the rest of the games were very tight.
Lilydale winning the day 3 games 31 hoops to the Combines 2 games 22 hoops.
This win keeps Lilydale on top of the ladder with three weeks to play.
In the Handicap Shield, Lilydale had a bye this week. With three games to play it is very tight at the top of the ladder with Lilydale in 3rd spot Kew in 2nd and Kew has their bye this week. With only the top two teams going into the finals Lilydale just has to win their last three games and hope a couple of other results go their way.
