That the all-conquering Island squad cannot celebrate promotion now, following their 13-2 win against Oxfordshire 2nds yesterday, is purely a question of statistics.
‘Mathematically, two other teams could still win,’ explained JBA stalwart Ian Coombs-Goodfellow, husband of No 1 women’s seed, Kerry, who comfortably won her match in Oxfordshire.
‘However, for that to happen, we’d have to lose every game in our last two matches, one against Oxfordshire again and the other against Guernsey.
‘We only need one point, going into those two matches, and realistically, I can’t see that not happening; for the second year in succession it looks like we’ve won promotion.’ Jersey chalked up their 14th successive victory but, although they won easily enough in the end, they were kept waiting an hour before their first match began and then had to make a mad dash to the airport afterwards.
‘Their captain thought it was a 1 o’clock start, but their secretary told us it was at 12,’ Coombs-Goodfellow explained.
‘So it was a rush to get back – but I know the players are delighted by their victory.’ The side was without Gavin Carter, who suffered a slight muscle strain the previous weekend, but once again Jersey’s singles players set the tone as they got the visitors off to a perfect start.
Player-manager and former England No 1 Mark Constable blew away Chris Burden 15-1, 15-0 and in the ladies Coombs-Goodfellow dismissed Heather Booth 11-0, 11-2.
Clive Dunford, at No 2 in the men’s singles, went down 15-5, 15-13 against Martin Graham but the dependable Kim Ashton followed the example of her more experienced team mates with an 11-1, 11-2 win over Gemma Noble.
Jersey then won all eight of the doubles and claim the three points before the mixed matches got under way.
The pairings of Constable and Dunford and Coombs-Goodfellow and Ashton won their matches without dropping a set and, while Anton Kriel and Chris Cotillard and Tracy Hudson and Ronnie Jubb both dropped sets in one of their matches, they never looked like losing.
By the time the mixed started Jersey had an unassailable 11-1 lead which they extended with another two wins.
The powerful combination of Kriel and Coombs-Goodfellow outclassed Graham and Booth 15-4, 15-4 and at No 2 Constable and Jubb – filling in for Constable’s regular partner Lucy Burns – beat Paul Casey and Liz Burns 9-15, 15-6, 15-1.
The home side gained some consolation in the last match of the day when Chris Burden and Amber Barrett beat Cotillard and Hudson 9-15, 15-6, 15-4.
