Northants 3 came up against another of the top teams in the league this week and came off worst, but managed to get valuable points thanks to wins from Tim Arthur and Kean Williams and a valiant performance from Ruth Sleigh, still recovering from illness.  Lin Leach playing at no 5 knew she had a tough challenge against a strong opponent with an unpredictable style of play.  She started well and went into the lead in the first game but after losing that 6-9 went into a now familiar decline and didn't trouble her opponent much longer. Ruth at no 4 faced match point in the 4th game but staged a brilliant come back to even it out at 2 games all.  But she had given it her all and not fully back to fitness could not maintain the fight back in the 5th.  Barrie Dowsett at no 3 had two very close games in which he was unlucky to lose key points on nicks and went down 3-0.  Kean had an easy first game but then his opponent raised his game and started to chase down the short shots and play some super lengths dying in the back corners, and took the 2nd game.  But Kean held his nerve and kept control of the next two games to win 3-1.  Going on at no 1 Tim looked cool (doesn't he always!) and well in control in the first game but his opponent dug in and come back to level it at one game all.  Tim was still strolling around the place and looking like making a long night of it as he let the 3rd game go to 9-7 but must have suddenly decided he was hungry as he became markedly more aggressive in the 4th which he took 9-2, so we did get dinner before midnight after all!