Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

As in 2025, we played our final match of the season in the Croquet South-East Golf Croquet Handicap league at home to Ivychurch A, on 24 August.

We started strongly; winning both of the doubles games in the opening round, with Dave Grimshaw & Michael Sander and Kate Sander & Denis Cruse both recording 7-6 wins.

Round 2 was shared, with us both winning two of the four singles games; in our case wins for Dave and Denis. This left us well-positioned, with a 4-2 lead at the lunch break.

Round 3 consists of two singles games and one doubles. Unfortunately, Denis lost his singles and Kate & Michael their doubles to leave the match evenly balanced at 4-4 whilst the other singles game concluded. Dave and his opponents traded hoops until they reached 6 apiece, leaving the outcome of the match hinged on the golden hoop, Dave manoeuvred his black ball into the jaws and simply needed to clear the opponent’s red ball with blue to surely secure the win. Unfortunately, Dave mis-cued – quite spectacularly! – knocking black away from the hoop but leaving red with the simplest of shots to win the game, and the match 5-4, for the visitors.

This defeat left us with a symmetrical record for the season – winning two matches by 5-4 but also losing two by the same score!