In the first match, Grippers missed the start and their opponents Choppers took full advantage, jumping out to a quick 6-1 lead.

Grippers rubbed the sleep from their eyes and raced through the next five rubbers by a combined ten games to three to hit the front, 11-9.

Choppers weren't done though, and they took the last singles and the first doubles rubber both 2-1 to tie it at 13-all with only the second doubles remaining.

After dropping the first game, Choppers did enough to win the next two and snatched the match, 15-14.

Malcolm Jeffries (5-3) led the way for Choppers, while Maurie Poole scored 3-4 and Pauline Wellfare 3-5.

All of the Grippers side had similar results, with Denis Ford going 4-3 followed by a pair of 4-4 records from Roy Barlow and Lou Kappos.

The other match between Charolais and Smashes started similarly, but the end result was totally different.

Charolais won the first three rubbers for a 6-1 break, but at the midway point Smashes had closed the gap to trail only 8-5.

That would be as close as it got however, as Charolais swept through the last three singles rubbers by six games to nil and tacked on 2-0 and 2-1 wins in the doubles for an emphatic 20-6 victory.

All of the Charolais contingent proved too strong, as Sharnie Roberts finished 6-1, Leon Rust 5-2 and Peter Jaccoud 5-2.

Smashes struggled to match their opponents, with Mark McAulay scoring 3-5, Shane Eagle 2-5 and Matt Kappos, after a 6-1 result last week, crashing to earth with 0-6.

Pointscore: Grippers 5, Charolais 4, Choppers 4, Smashes 4.

This Week's Matches: Round 3; Grippers v Smashes. Charolais v Choppers.

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