Somerset B 30-14 Bristol B

At Hustlers, 7^th February 2010

Match Report – Out of the worst defeats I’ve experienced at county before, and that’s not many, we’ve at least had some fight in them, unfortunately we didn’t fight in this one. They were better for the whole match and 14 frames is a poor return for players of our calibre, no matter how good your opponents were. The good news is that its very early days. We win the next nine games and we’ll be wondering how this game got away. But that’s going to be down to us. Your all experienced enough to know that we can let teams get away with dominating us like that. Collectively we have to make sure it doesn’t happen again! In all we lost 5 players who, if im honest, would have been in the starting 11 at the start of the day. I know you all had good and valid reasons as you always do, but to lose half your starting line up was a sacrifice too much to handle and we asked an awful lot of the new players who were just not experienced in that atmosphere. Please remember by signing up for my squad you are committing yourself to me for the whole season. I personally need that commitment from you. It whats got us where we are for the last three seasons. I’m still hungry enough to make it four, make sure you are too. I don’t really want to talk much about the match itself as there weren’t many positives. We lost every set by 3-8, 4-7, 4-7 and 3-8. Thats unprecedented for a Bristol team. Read it and weep, get really angry about it and then lets get on with the future. I want us to take it out on Devon next game!

Man of the Match – A number of 2 out of 4s from players but it was Dave Barrett stepping up to the mark, so he is awarded my man of the match for getting the only three from four of the day in the B team, well done mate. A special mention to Dean Lapham who, for me, played the best of all the new recruits. Well done Dean! The new boys will have to be patient for their chances this season and need to make sure that they grab the opportunity when given to them (as we all should).

Next Match – Always an important game, but now takes on even more significance after finding ourselves in a lowly 4^th position. Devon up at home and they already have a 24 point lead on us. So we need to win big if we are going to go for this title. We cant afford to lose another game now lads and this is a massive challenge for us. Prove it to yourself and me that you want this! Just a quick mention that the Nationals is a week before the Devon game in Yarmouth. We know what its like to win it and we also know what its like to lose on day one. I know which one I prefer! We have the squad to win this thing for the second time in three years and I wish you all the very best – lets get the job done then the table below don’t mean squat. We win in Yarmouth we’ll be going back in 2011. That’s incentive enough to make sure we get the job done, then we can enjoy the next nine county games. Make me proud chaps.

2010 Table				2010 Rankings
P	Team	Pl	Pts	P	Name	Pl	W	L	Pts
1	Devon B	1	38	1	Mick Dagostino	4	3	1	9
2	Cornwall B	1	35	2	Dave Barrett	4	3	1	6
3	Somerset B	1	35	3	Matt Bull	4	2	2	4
4	Bristol B	1	14	4	Mark Court	4	2	2	4
5	Dorset B	1	14	5	James Lane	4	2	2	4
6	Wiltshire B	1	11	6	Lee Rossiter	4	2	2	4