The Broadwas GC Level Play 5+ Team travelled away to Somerset on Friday for their second game of the 2026 season, against a very much in-form Bath Croquet Club.
The game was a follow-up to the Broadwas team’s fine home win thriller against Camerton and Peasedown in May.
Travelling to Bath’s Recreation Ground lawns were captain Malcolm Armstrong 8, David Kaner 6, Eileen Holt 6, Peter Hill 5, Howard Freeman 8 and Alison Disley 8.
Led by non-playing captain Mary-Jane Middlehurst, the Bath team were Sue Duncan 7, Feona Bickley 5, Stephen Barrett 9, Brian Owens 5, Anwen Owens 6 and Adrian Raybould 7.
After having left Worcestershire under clear blue skies, the Broadwas players were met with overcast and drizzly skies on their arrival at the Bath lawns, a stone’s throw from the Bath Rugby Club Recreation Ground, where preparations were being made for the final round of the Gallagher Premiership.
After greeting and a warmup, the drizzle ceased and the players took to the lawns in intermittently overcast and slightly chilly conditions.
The first round of one doubles and two singles games brought a win for the Broadwas side when Eileen Holt beat Sue Duncan in a game in which she scored a hoop with a tremendous angled jump shot. Eileen won the game 7-3 – the first of three victories she was involved in.
In the second round there were victories for Broadwas in both the doubles and singles.
Peter Hill and Howard Freeman enjoyed an emphatic win over Brian Owens and Anwen Owens, 7-2, whilst David Kaner had a tremendous battle with the spectacularly accurate Feona Bickley. David took the 13th after a magnificent approach shot which put him just in front of the hoop. Almost wired, even Feona was unable to clear David’s winning ball.
In the third round, Alison Disley narrowly lost out to Sue Duncan 6-5 in a timed-out game against Sue Duncan, while Eileen Holt was involved in her second victory of the day with a 6-3 timed-out win in the doubles, partnering Malcolm Armstrong, against Adrian Raybould and Feona Bickley.
The fifth and final round brought victory for Eileen again, when she beat Anwen Owens 7-5.
Final Score – Bath 11 – Broadwas 5
On the day, Bath players were extremely accurate in front of the hoop and their clearing skills were exceptional, but the Broadwas players battled hard, with most games being close.
In his address to the hosts at the end of the afternoon, Malcolm praised his players for their performances in some close games, but offered his sincere congratulations to the Bath team.
Paul Felton
