Issue 155

Swansea lose unbeaten record

08th May 2007

Cardiff 5 - Swansea 3

The badminton team entered this year's varsity full of confidence, and they had good reason to. An earlier league meeting between the sides ended with a 7-1 thrashing of Cardiff, and Swansea had never lost a Varsity badminton match. But the team had a disappointing start, as the first game, a doubles match played by Alex Ewins and Ryan Livingstone, was won by Cardiff.

The Cardiff pair won the first game of that match comfortably, but as Ewins and Livingstone settled into their rhythm they took the second set. But their spirited fight back was in vain, as the Cardiff pair took the decisive third set.

It was then up to Darius Garnham and Sean Chong to make amends for this setback, but it looked as if their match was to follow suit. Cardiff took the first game, as the Swansea pair made some basic errors, but they showed grit and determination to dig in and win the second. In the decisive third set, both sides demonstrated impressive skill and played good shots, but Garnham and Chong triumphed to earn the Swansea team a point.

The action was coming thick and fast now, with many matches being played at once.

Jacqueline Smith won a singles game with a display as flawless and elegant as the team's unique green tie-dye Tshirts, and Martin Dix, joint team president, won a singles match 21-7.

Ruth Davies and See-ju Chua had a real slugging match with Cardiff, with Cardiff taking the first set. The second went Swansea's way but the Cardiff pair stole the third for a narrow win. Meanwhile, Dave Chartres played well in a valiant attempt to keep Swansea in the game. In his singles match, with Cardiff leading the overall tie by one game, the best Swansea could now hope for was a draw. But he lost the opening set of his game. Under mounting pressure, he showed the true Swansea spirit to win the second. The third game was a narrow affair, with plenty of support from Swansea and Cardiff fans, but the game, as did the varsity match, went Cardiff's way. The score at the end of play was 5-3 Cardiff.

Barry Garnham, first team captain, said: "I'm proud of my boys and it was close again despite our injuries, we played in the true Swansea style despite hangovers."

Jim Lovering