Weather Woes Notwithstanding

Panthers Tame the Red Lion

Wednesday 27 April was another cold evening but Panthers opened their Leicestershire Summer League account with a 3-1 win at Redcaps 1 in their first ever Division 2 fixture. Thurmaston 3 will need to be watched after their impressive 4-0 beating of Belper Arms 1
Meanwhile in Division 1 Plough Inn 2 went down heavily at Glenhills 2 but Glenhills 1 launched their first ever top flight campaign with a 3-1 drubbing of last year's champions, Keyham 1

Points Make Prizes

Thursday evening saw rain added to the climatic inclemency but this did not prevent another 3-1 win for the Loughbough Panthers, this time at Three Crowns, Hathern. Sophie starred with a supreme pointing performance. Panthers are now second in the Thursday Pétanque table with the fancied Mansfield Titchfield Snappers and Air Hostess 5 both failing to repeat matchday 1 wins

Roving in Rutland

Cold Comfort

On a very chilly Tuesday evening in the wilds of Leicestershire, beyond the 'Bermuda Triangle' that is Melton Mowbray, there was a warm welcome from the Sewstern Hounds at the Community Centre, their new venue across the road from the Blue Hounds pub. Lacking somewhat in preparation, Panthers eked out a 2-2 draw with two convincing wins and two narrow defeats. Star player on the night was Pip, who managed to 'take all six' on four consecutive ends
Panthers stay top of the Premier Division on 'goal difference'

Destruction Derby

Meanwhile in their home fixture at Houghton the Rose & Crown defeated local rivals

Old Black Horse A by 3 - 1 and are now joint leaders in Division 1 after three matches

Match Reports : 19 - 21 April

Tuesday evening saw the Fox & Hounds Exton team venture into the Boot & Shoe arena with, disconcertingly, only five players. In the event the opponent pair managed more points than their triple and Panthers closed out a thumping 52 - 6 win without really firing on all cylinders. After two games the Computer is forecasting 63pts (+459) which would be an all-time Rutland League Premier Division record

The Rose & Crown team followed up their opening home win with an away draw at Whissendine Cobblers and now sit fourth in the table one point behind the Whissendine Nailers and surprise package Beach Boys of Barrowden, who only narrowly avoided relegation last session

The Thursday Pétanque League opened this week with Panthers at home to Nags Head 2 in our first Division 1 fixture following promotion last year. In their very first end Mick and Nigel were in danger of going down 5 or 6 but the opponents failed to capitalise - and minutes later it was 13 - 1 to les Oranges. Meanwhile John and Sophie dominated their game thoughout and notched up a 13 - 6. The reverse legs were another story. Allan and Marie got to grips with the graveyard side of the piste and Panthers went down 13 - 9. Mick and Nigel were also struggling ... and at 9 - 8, on for one and with four boules in hand, the Castle Donington side should have taken a second leg. But Simon's usually tenacious play deserted him. Repreived, Mick set up the next end nicely, called the right play - and Nigel grabbed 15 seconds of flimsy fame with a carreau for five and game

April Update

Start as you mean to go on

Fox & Hounds Originals  0 - 5  Rutland Panthers

Panthers were at the Fox & Hounds in Knossington early to familiarise themselves with the piste but were trailing early in both triples. Nigel's plan to distract the the opponents with a dayglo orange top and a highly dubious black sleeveless leopard-print hoody* was not working

Full House

Then Mark, Tony and Daniel pounced on a loose end by the opposition which finished with a Pocket Rocket carreau for 6 - and it is was all downhill from there

Marathon

But it was a different story in the other triple which turned into a relentless two hour contest. The tenacious young Originals were out for an upset. In the penultimate end Nigel pointed to save game and in the last end John cashed in with a carreau for a 13-12 steal

Home run

Tim got his pointing head on for the doubles and, partnering Nigel, wrapped up the match with a 13-1. Minutes later John and Mark brought home their game and the sensei-deshi combo of Tony and Daniel completed the clean sweep. Mark gets a menshie for some powerful backup firing

Missing link

The only downer on the night was news filtering through that our associate team, Rose & Crown, had lost a player en route to Greetham and their match to the Vikings Traders by the narrow margin of 2-3

*by Damaged Goods (appropriately enough) out of TKMaxx. (Sponsorship pending)

Off and Running

Greene King Cup

Our 2016 season proper kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday 05 April, with first round ties in the Rutland & District League's Greene King Cup. Panthers visit the Fox & Hounds Originals at Knossington in an all Premier Division clash whilst the Rose & Crown travel to the Greetham Community Centre to take on fellow Division 1 team Vikings Traders

Friendly

On Thursday Panthers are guests at the Rose & Crown for a friendly match

Whitnash Open

And this coming Sunday the 10th three Panthers triples head south to Leamington Spa for the traditional early season Whitnash Open

Fixtures

The calendar page now has our fixtures for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The Thursday Pétanque pairs League is starting a couple of weeks earlier than usual this year