Daniel Gott leads the way for Bath Federation North team match against Swindon

The club were reduced to a team of three due to Ian Morrison’s un-wellness. However, Daniel Gott, a young first year student at Bath University led the way in the Bath team’s 4 – 1 victory over Swindon Croquet Club. Not content with a morning victory (26-18) that culminated in a 3 yd rover peel and peg out, after lunch he beat a potentially stronger player 26-0 in 45 minutes. In the morning doubles match, Bob Hart and Richard Jelly beat the Swindon doubles pairing 26-2 after a very shaky start – Bob going to rover in one turn. In the other afternoon singles, Richard enjoyed a 26-3 win in under two hours and Bob narrowly lost 15-12 on time having staged a heroic late charge to narrow the gap. This was Daniel’s first experience of Club matchplay. Swindon’s lawns, slower but truer than those at Bath and the opposition, did not turn out to be ‘a lion’s den’ for Daniel and the rest of the team.