Chester played a further match in the annual Snowdonia Cup series on Tuesday, 22 July. This was a GC handicap match against Llanfairfechan played at the seaside in North Wales. The recent hot spell of weather had given way to uncertain conditions and there was some doubt whether we would play. However, despite a wet drive from Chester the teams started playing by 10 am in very light drizzle which soon cleared away. It remained cloudy but pleasantly cool.
Chester was captained by Edward Baskerville supported by his wife Elizabeth, Sandy Grievson and Arnie Banford; a team with a 37 combined handicap against Llanfairfechan with 39 including Anwen Williams, Margaret Evans, Sandra Ibbotson and Trish Jones. The home team’s non-playing captain Liz Griffiths very neatly ensured both teams had an enjoyable and thoroughly well organised day. Many tight games could have been expected but in the event Chester ended the afternoon with a 12 – 4 win, one of the team dropping two games, two dropping one game and the captain just managing to avoid defeat by Anwen Williams.
A lovely location at Llanfairfechan, and both teams had a very happy day’s golf croquet hosted by its non-playing captain who ensured a regular supply of tea, coffee and cake.
On the following day, Wednesday, 23 July, Chester played Fylde at home in the club’s second match of the season in the NW Federation Advanced B Level association croquet league. For this match the Chester team were Mark Lloyd (captain), David Boyd and David Guyton. On a grey day oscillating between cool and mild, the morning round of one singles game and one doubles game resulted in one win for each club, the doubles game being lost by Chester by just one hoop after a closely balanced ebb and flow throughout the game. This left the outcome to be determined by the three singles games in the afternoon. Mark Lloyd finished first by pegging out well before time with a 17 hoop lead. The two other singles games played to time but also resulted in wins for Chester, one by a 13 hoop lead and the last by a 2 hoop lead. In a cordial and good humoured match all round, the overall result was a satisfying 4 – 1 win for Chester making it the club’s second win in the league out of the four matches due to be played this season.