Ambling Arrows comfortably set aside Wanderer challenge

Applebly Arrows - 330* vs Wigtown Wanderers - 90

	Arrows	Wanderers
Keeper	Delaney	Warburton
Chasers	Fladbury (C)	Shimpling
	Cauldwell	Melvina
	Applebee	Anstice
Beaters	Flitley	A.Parkin (C)
	Belcher	Thruston
Seeker	Sapworthy	B.Parkin

Thanks to the recent upturn in the Wanderers’ form, this match promised rather more than could have been expected of it a month ago. Such were the increasing fortunes of both teams that neither manager saw fit to make any changes to the line-up.

Aileen Anstice continued her rather unexpected second coming, threatening to establish a sizeable early advantage for the Wanderers. But Ragmar Flitley and Gifford Belcher can never be discounted. The Arrows’ Beaters had the measure of their opposite numbers well and truly.

It is now reaching a stage where Wigtown must begin to seriously consider Alaisdair Parkin’s future, because the thirty-nine year old is beginning to look increasingly out of his depth.

Able to run free reign without Beater resistance, Flitley and Belcher systematically dismantled the would-be threatening Wigtown Chasers.

The task for the Arrows Chasers was hardly a harrowing one, but no-one is better than Violetta Fladbury at finishing a job with minimum fuss. The work of their Beaters allowed Fladbury and Katherine Cauldwell to score virtually at will.

It was only the sterling efforts of Anstice, combined with the baffling anonymity of Appleby’s third Chaser Cameron Applebee, which kept the contest alive.

But it was first and foremost the early appearance of the snitch which ensured a thrilling finish. After only fifty minutes, Millie Sapworthy and Begonia Parkin were locked in combative pursuit. The Arrows were dominating every facet of play, but in such a short space of time had only been able to pull clear by ninety points.

But Appleby fans need not have worried, for Millie Sapworthy is beginning to come into her own as a top level Seeker, and sealed her team’s vital victory.

Appleby Arrows - 330: Cauldwell 11, Fladbury 6, Applebee 1, Sapworthy Capture

Wigtown Wanderers - 90: Anstice 7, Shimpling 1, Melvina 1

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: GIFFORD BELCHER (ARROWS)