On a bright and breezy Sunday accompanied by a shower that lasted all of 3 minutes Chelmsford entertained Tipps Cross to our first match in this competition this year. Pleas to both teams to arrive early proved successful and, after coffee and an initial briefing, play started shortly after 10.15am. The early start enabled a long leisurely lunch to be taken after 16 of the 24 seven hoop games had been played. At this stage the Blue squad had established a 12 hoop lead but things were much tighter for the Greens who only led by 2. As sound levels from the V Festival accompanied the play the restart saw the Blues extend their margin of victory to 20 whilst the Greens doubled their lead to 4 making the final score Chelmsford 96 Tipps Cross 72. No fewer than 15 of the 24 games played went to the 7th hoop before the winning pair was known.. Whether this margin of victory will be enough for us to retain the Coralie Cup remains to be seen as we now have to visit Southchurch at Rayleigh for the concluding match. The date for this match is not known at present. Chelmsford’s team was: Betty, Ernie, Joan, John, Len, Linda, Sheila and Tess. During the lunch interval John and Jill Marchant and Mike Balcombe paid us a welcome visit and they stayed to watch play during the afternoon. Thanks are, of course, due to all who helped with catering, the setting up of the lawns etc.