Saxon Home 14 Aug

Priory v Saxon  -  14th August 2024

The season’s penultimate match was the last time that the Priory side would host a friendly in the 2024 season. The evening would witness a re-match of the opening friendly when the visitors, Saxon, won the match by 62 shots to 45 shots.

Before the match, members of both teams had to negotiate the numerous road works set up around and inside Wymondham. Even some locals faced the choice of walking an extra mile or taking a ten mile detour by car to reach the green. The Priory club captain arrived having relived childhood memories of re-soling his shoes by walking along freshly resurfaced roads, the tarmac warm and sticky.

Undeterred by the traffic mayhem, both teams arrived in time on an evening when the weather was warm and dry with a gentle breeze.

Saxon won the toss but decided to give their hosts the jack for the first of the sixteen ends to be played.

The match was played in good spirits and friendly banter could be heard across the green as both sides were challenged by a fast running surface.

Having had to replay a dead end, one of the teams was still playing after the others had started on the post-match cakes and sandwiches. The greenkeeper did his best to urge them on by placing the water sprinkler in the middle of the green ready to provide it with some much needed refreshment.  However, he did resist calls from other players to turn it on until the match was over.

On three rinks the contests were very close. Both teams won one rink and another was drawn. On the fourth rink, the visitors managed to creep ahead, finally winning by eleven shots.  This was the overall winning margin. The Saxon side finished with 75 shots compared to the 64 shots gained by their hosts.

The club captains thanked each other for an entertaining evening and looked forward to meeting again next season. The visitors were wished a safe journey home as long as they could find their way out of Wymondham.