Had a hard start to the season really, but as always, some positives...

Derby (Prem)

On paper, two of the easiest matches of the season to start, and I've won 1/6. Lots of re-occuring errors, slow start to games and matches in general. I feel like I'm 5 points down before I've even got going in most games. In my first few games (both leagues) I've been consistently losing the first end, and have lost in 5 a few times having been 2-0 down.

Nottingham (Div 1)

2 fairly hard matches to start off, 1 of them being against the best team in the league (on paper). Have won 2/6. In both matches I lost 1 in 5.  Similar errors, slow starts, missing lots of balls, bad shot choice.

Nottingham (Prem)

Got asked to play 'up' for our B team in top division, always nice to be asked of course. Being allowed to play up 3 matches, the B team captain has booked me in for 3 matches as they are struggling for players, and that was before he got injured and is now our for a while! 

Played my first game 'up' last night, and I somehow managed to win 2/3, with all of them going to 4. Got lots of compliments about my game last night which is always nice, and comments like 'you must not be losing many in Div 1', but I know realistically where my game is at. Last night was me playing near my best with no really pressure, all my uni work has just finished so I'm extra relaxed now! Realistically I am still struggling with passive style push-block players. I could have beat their 3rd player, but after I took the first end he took a more passive approach and let me make the mistakes, which I did. I need to develop a game to combat this style, I can do it, I've done it, but its a very weak part of my game at the moment.

So, I'm 33% in Div 1 and 66% in Prem, I'm stunned, really. The next game I've been asked to 'play up' for is against the best team in Nottingham, so I'll be sent back down to earth then!

I always judge myself on my league results, and whilst its great I've been able to win 2/3 in Prem, I still only see this as a sign of potential, it was a totally different style of match to what I've been playing in div 1. I'm still losing to div 1 players and if I'm ever going to play in Prem properly I want to know I can cause some damage in division 1 first, which I'm currently not. I will get there...