The final weekend of matches in the Team Championship of Wales (Veterans) was held recently and Eastern Valley 'A' came out on top to win the Premier Division. It all came down to the final match of the season between Cardiff 'A' and Eastern Valley 'A'. Before this final match Cardiff held a 2 point lead, but, Eastern Valley had a superior points difference.
The match looked a tantalising prospect with recent Veterans National Champions and the Buck brothers (David and Steve) on opposing team sheets. Cardiff fielded Steve Buck, Neil Wright and Steve Eades, whilst Eastern Valley 'A' trusted Lee Thomas, Dave Buck and Mark Farrow with their fortunes.
This final match didn’t disappoint as both teams battled it out, 5 setters being the rule not the exception. The overall match score was evenly balanced throughout this titanic contest, 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 3-2, and then 3-3. Last “rubber” of the match was Eastern Valley's Lee Thomas v Cardiff's Steve Buck and true to form this was won by 2 clear points in the 5th and final set by Lee to clinch the title for Eastern Valley by the narrowest margin.
The Eastern Valley squad that competed over the weekend was Lee Thomas, Mark Farrow, David Buck and Tony Collins. Mark Edmund from the 'C' side also 'played up' in one match.
The 'B' side squad of Andrew Ryder, Ray Goulding, Jonathan Allen and David Lloyd finished 5th in the Premier Division.
The 'C' side squad of John Thomas, Mark Edmunds, Ian Maggs, John Spencer and Wayne Ford finished 4th in Division One.
