Welcome to the weekly reviews of the team matches. The new season started in both the Huddersfield and Calderdale Leagues and Liversedge now proudly field five teams across the divisions (three men's teams, one ladies team and a new mixed team).
Mixed Team - Calderdale League Division 2
The mixed team started their campaign against Wellholme B in a six person format where each couple plays a set against each other couple. The team can thus win a total of nine points each evening and every set counts!
Team Captain Wendy Jackson partnered with Richard Ellis to beat the first pair 6-2 before losing 1-6 to both the second and third pairs. Promising juniors Anton Birch and Sophie Jackson were the most successful pair in the evening, winning two of the three sets before falling to the talented third pair once again. Clive and Kath Westley fought to a hard fought draw before darkness after being edged out 5-7 against the second pair.
In a format where every set counts the team have started well and this is a solid platform to build.
Liversedge A 3.5 - Wellholme B 5.5
Huddersfield League - Men's A Team
Playing in division three the main goal of the team is to get promoted to the second division and the team started with a potential banana skin fixture against Thongsbridge C.
Luckily the team had a short evening with the match being completed by 8:30.
Rohan Duffin and Captain Andy Lucas started with an impressive win 6-0 6-0 against tough opponents. One of the opponents was sadly hampered by sickness and conceded his remaining sets.
Stalwarts Hylton Idle and Simon Watson reignited their historic partnership contributing four sets and newbies Neil Richardson and Andy Bennett successfully beat the third pair 6-4 6-1.
Throngsbridge C 0 Liversedge A 14
Calderdale League - Mens Teams
The men's first team had a very difficult first fixture against former champions Todmordon.
With Andy Lucas working away and having to play in the second team the first team fielded unusual pairings of Barry Dennehy and Rohan Duffin as well as Simon Watson and Neil Richardson.
Against good opponents on average courts the opposition were too good however Simon Watson and Neil Richardson managed to win a set before sadly letting a 5-1 lead vanish in the championship tie break to lose 10-8.
Again every set counts in this division and there will be teams during the season that visit Todmordon and return with no points, so we are one up on those teams!
Todmordon A 8 Liversedge A 1
The second team had a strong team with Andy Lucas stepping down to play with Hylton Idle. Both these individuals have susbtantial experience in division one and the division three opposition posed little opposition with Andy and Hyltonsecuring 6-1 6-1 and 6-0 6-2 victories.
The second pair, comprising Hellmut Maack and Rabah Guerrmach did not let losing 6-2 6-4 to the second pair set them back. When playing the first pair they came back from losing the first set 6-0 to win the match 0-6 6-1 10-8 (nearly losing the championship tiebreak from a 9-3 lead). There was much drama in a fiery atmosphere with ill temper but it was good to see warm handshakes at the end.
Liversedge B 6 Wellholme B 3
Calderdale League - Ladies team
The ladies team have had two matches in the first week fielding the same team, comprosing Isla Findlay and captain Laura Murray at first pair and Kate Cross and Clare Findlay at second pair.
The first match of the season was a challenging one against Park A who are the defending champions. Laura and Isla managed to defeat the second pair 6-2 6-0 in an otherwise difficult match. Liversedge lost four sets either 6-4 or 7-5 which illustrates how tight the match was.
Liversedge A 2 Park A 6
The second match however was a superb bounce back for the team with Isla and Laura taking all their four sets and Clare and Kate ably supporting by defeating the second pair.
The team have managed to win eight sets and lose eight sets after two matches and if they continue in this manner the team will have no issues avoiding relegation at the end of the year.
Liversedge A 6 Mirfield A 2