Macfarlane's comeback hit by new injury worry

GLENN MACFARLANE made a welcome and winning return to league action before suffering another injury setback. The 28-year-old turned out for Rohais in both the men's and mixed Division One of the Fuel Supplies League in the latest round of matches but picked up a problem in his right leg, possibly related to his hamstring, which is set to keep him out of next week's Island Closed Championships.

'It had been going all right. I have only got back into it slowly. I was taking it quite easy in the matches,' he said.

'But playing too much in that week is what has mucked me up. I had only been playing once or twice a week but that week it was three or four times.

'I never used to get injured when I was younger. Now I haven't played properly for six years,' Macfarlane added.

During that time he suffered injuries to his shoulder, ankle, knee and Achilles. The last two were long-term.

The latest setback appears to have denied Macfarlane the opportunity to play for an island title 10 years after he won one for the first time.

'I wanted to play in the closed, not singles, but doubles and mixed. It looks like I won't be doing that now,' Macfarlane said.

In his men's Division One match, the former Island Games gold medallist played his part in a dramatic 6-6 draw against St Andrew's A.

Champions Rohais have lost the services of island players Kevin Le Moigne and Chris Dragun who both don new club colours for Pessimists this season.

That has very much spread playing talent and the title is likely to be a three-horse race between those teams.

Macfarlane and partner Quentin Petit proved too strong for the St Andrew's pair of Andy Podger with newcomer James Lawrence but not island second team skipper Martyn Barbe and Chris Le Tissier.

However, the results of Chris Archard and Rohais newcomer Jim Pink were an exact reversal as they lost to the Podger-Lawrence combination but beat Barbe and Le Tissier.

In Mixed Division One, Rohais A stamped their authority with an emphatic 12-0 defeat of Pessimists A.

It was unfortunate that the latter had to field a couple of reserves against the league's strongest team for whom Macfarlane was again in formidable form with new partner Gail Lloyd, as was Petit and Kathy Stuart.

Meanwhile, St Andrew's A had a cracking match against Rohais B, winning by the narrowest 7-5 margin and where Andy and Bridget Podger made just the

difference to edge the overall result.

Back in Men's Two, the mixture of youth and experience told for St Andrew's B in their 10-2 defeat of Sunbeams.

Juniors Matt Ceresa and Harry Southwell played very well to pull out two wins against Danny Penny and Jack Mason and Andy Birch and Paul Eley, with both matches going to a deciding set.

The more experienced pair of Chris Golding and Graeme Falla won both encounters in two straight, but this was good experience for the youngsters ahead of the Junior Open tournament.

The result pushes St Andrew's well into first spot at this stage.

In Men's Three, Pessimists D still lead the division despite a 6-all draw with Vale Rec.

The leaders could field only one pair, but junior Nick Abbott partnering Danny Kampmann won both their matches comfortably.

Pessimists A beat St Michael's B 8-4 in Women's Two to keep up pressure on leaders Rohais C. For the victors, Sarah Butler and Gail McCann played especially well and were undefeated on the night.

Mixed Divisions Three and Four are looking good for Shuttlebusters who lead both.

Their A team pulled off a 10-2 win against Pessimists E when Andy Ison and Jane Le Tissier again won both their matches, ably supported by Terry Ozanne and Ann Jordan.

Meanwhile, the B team of Alan and Ann Levars and Dave Sherbourne and Amanda Mauger were once again in fine form in defeating Vale Rec 11-1.

Results below