AC Association Croquet

Friendly With the demand for places increasing, the annual AC South West Tour has been expanded from 5 to 7 days this year, bringing back a day at Bath once again after a gap of 10 years, and adding a new venue at Hamptworth. The 11 tourists were rationed to about half of the Tour each, so that teams were only either 5- or 6-a-side at any venue.

Tour organiser: Mark Homan.


See also the GC Tour.

Tour results by year:

 Tour photos by year:

Apart from Nailsea where the only winner was the rain - waterlogged courts made play impossible all day - the tourists had a pretty successful time, recording three match wins, two losses and one draw. A distinct improvement over the performance in the previous few years.

Perhaps the strangest aspect of the Tour was the curious run of misfortune with Inns! First, the usual centre of operations had to be hurriedly reorganised elsewhere when the Bowl Inn at Almondsbury cancelled a long-standing booking at short notice because of refurbishment plans. Then at Blewbury when everyone trooped off to the Red Lion for lunch after the morning play, that was found to be unexpectedly closed, though an alternative was quickly found in the nearby village of Upton. Then that evening when the remaining tourists turned up at the Shears Inn near Marlborough for their booked overnight stop en route to Hamptworth, they were greeted with a "Closed" sign at the entrance! It transpired that the ownership had changed hands just that morning. Fortunately the new owner proved to be most accommodating: although the bar was closed we were treated to a pint on the house, the rooms were still available, he arranged a fine dinner for us at a nearby pub which opened their restaurant especially for us, he provided an excellent breakfast, and then he refused to let us pay for the rooms because of all the trouble! Highly recommended (but don't expect it to be free next time)!

Date Opponents Venue Results (Watford names first)
Wed 22 Jul Swindon Away

DREW 4-4

(Net index points: -3)
John Smallbone (3) &
Geoff Johnson (4)		 lost to Neil Morrison (4½) &
John Small (10)		 -14 H
Brian Havill (3½) beat John Airey (7) +4 H
Mark Homan (6) beat Mary Bedells (16) +1 H
Peter Chadwick (18) beat Bill Marner (18) +1T H
Brian Havill (3½) &
Mark Homan (6)		 beat Roger Bedells (18) &
Jean Alexander (9)		 +12 H
John Smallbone (3) lost to Neil Morrison (4½) -6 =
Geoff Johnson (4) lost to Bill Marner (18) -5T H
Peter Chadwick (18) lost to Tony Mayer (18) -15 H
Thu 23 Jul Bristol Away

WON 5-3

(Net index points: +25)
Geoff Johnson (4) &
Mark Homan (6)		 beat Steven Royal (9) &
Gill Pocock (10)		 +1T H
John Smallbone (3) beat Wayne Wiseman (2) +2T =
Brian Havill (3½) beat Bob Scott (3½) +4T =
Peter Chadwick (18) lost to Meriel Ellerby (9) -9T H
John Smallbone (3) &
Peter Chadwick (18)		 lost to Bob Whiffen (14) &
Lesley Read (16)		 -11T H
Brian Havill (3½) beat Wayne Wiseman (2) +7T =
Geoff Johnson (4) beat Steven Royal (9) +15 H
Mark Homan (6) lost to Gill Pocock (10) -10 H

Handicap change: Brian Havill 3½ to 3, Peter Chadwick 18 to 20
Fri 24 Jul Nailsea Away

No result


No play possible because of waterlogged courts.
Sat 25 Jul Bath Away

WON 7-5

(Net index points: +13)
Simon Hathrell (-1) beat Roger Hayes (-½) +25 =
Geoff Johnson (4) lost to Peter Miles (2) -19 =
Alan Clark (4½) lost to Richard Jelly (8) -15 H
John Bee (4½) beat Michael Brown (7) +14 H
André Machell (16) beat David Perkins (11) +14 H
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) lost to Philip de Glanville (20) -1T H
Simon Hathrell (-1) beat Peter Miles (2) +17 =
Alan Clark (4½) beat Roger Bell (6) +22 H
John Bee (4½) lost to Roger Hayes (-½) -11 ±
Robin Barry (9) beat Richard Jelly (8) +8 ±
André Machell (16) beat Irene King (20) +12 H
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) lost to David Perkins (11) -6 H

Handicap change: Robin Barry 9 to 8
Sun 26 Jul Dyffryn Away

LOST 4-5

(Net index points: -6)
John Bee (4½) &
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16)		 lost to Peter Balchin (3½) &
Julian Langston (12)		 -24 H
Alan Clark (4½) &
André Machell (16)		 beat Adrian Trickey (7) &
Marian Clancy (14)		 +18 H
Simon Hathrell (-1) beat Paul Pristavec (2½) +7 =
Robin Barry (8) lost to Robert Upton (9) -11 H
Simon Hathrell (-1) &
Robin Barry (8)		 lost to Paul Pristavec (2½) &
Robert Upton (9)		 -17 H
Alan Clark (4½) beat Adrian Trickey (7) +16 H
John Bee (4½) lost to Peter Balchin (3½) -12 =
André Machell (16) beat Julian Langston (12) +14 H
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) lost to Marian Clancy (14) -17 H
Mon 27 Jul Blewbury Away

LOST 3-5

(Net index points: -5)
Simon Hathrell (-1) &
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16)		 lost to Kevin Carter (0) &
David Seed (16)		 -21 H
John Smallbone (3) beat Paul Wolff (3) +9T =
Mark Homan (6) beat Andy Robertson (8) +10 ±
Robin Barry (8) lost to Bruce Gallop (10) -3T H
Mark Homan (6) &
Robin Barry (8)		 lost to Paul Wolff (3) &
Bruce Gallop (10)		 -21 H
Simon Hathrell (-1) beat Kevin Carter (0) +21 =
John Smallbone (3) lost to Andy Robertson (8) -1T ±
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) lost to David Seed (16) -17T H
Tue 28 Jul Hamptworth Away

WON 7-3

(Net index points: +40)
Simon Hathrell (-1) beat Richard Dickson (-½) +11 =
John Smallbone (3) beat David Williams (1½) +1T =
Mark Homan (6) beat Rita Nunn (4) +10 =
Robin Barry (8) beat Richard Stevens (7) +15 ±
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) lost to Vic Stilwell (8) -4 H
Simon Hathrell (-1) beat David Williams (1½) +4 ±
John Smallbone (3) beat Rita Nunn (4) +3T =
Mark Homan (6) lost to Richard Stevens (7) -11 =
Robin Barry (8) beat Vic Stilwell (8) +10 H
Wendy Spencer-Smith (16) lost to Ivor Nunn (14) -6T H

Statistics (Watford players)
 
Name Singles
W-L		 Doubles
W-L		 Total
W-L
Simon Hathrell6-00-26-2
Brian Havill3-01-04-0
André Machell3-01-04-0
Mark Homan3-22-15-3
Alan Clark2-11-03-1
John Smallbone4-20-24-4
Robin Barry3-20-23-4
Geoff Johnson1-21-12-3
Peter Chadwick1-20-11-3
John Bee1-20-11-3
Wendy Spencer-Smith0-60-20-8

Totals		27-193-630-25
Key:
H Handicap
= Level Advanced
± Handicap Advanced