Following on from the disappointment of their first team losing out so narrowly in that titanic Play Off battle with Brackley 1 seven days earlier, Defence Academy 2 travelled to Hithercroft to take on the hosts and winners of Winter 1 and settle the destiny of the Division Three Winter Championship.
It had not been the most memorable of Winter 2 seasons for Hithercroft 2 following their promotion to Division Two and they will be back in the third tier come September. Success here would have put a bit of a gloss on things but it was not to be as they encountered opponents in an unforgiving mood.
Straight set wins for the 1-4 Strings with Julian Moss (at 5) the only one of the home brigade to salvage a game in going down 1-3 to Marcus Smart gave the visitors a clean sweep and the trophy. Following a number of seasons out, a multiple sides entry from this Shrivenham based club can only be good for our Leagues – long may it continue.
Defence Academy 2 – pre-match Defence Academy 2 – post-match
L-R: Seb Wood, Marcus Smart, Mike Hyland (Skipper) Callum Ray, Tim Morgan
Defence Academy’s Number One string Seb Wood with the Cup.
Hithercroft 2
L-R: Tom Riley (Captain), Kevin Turnell, Simon Hartwright, Charlie Laing, Julian Moss. Henley’s Jim Reay (OSRA Trustee) presented the awards.