VETERAN Division 4C Herefordshire 2nd played their final county championship fixture at Reading, going down 6-4 to Somerset 2nd.

Harry Jutle made a great start against Mike Hurley to win in three sets, followed by Brian Kitchener defeating John Cenak in four sets for a 2-0 lead.

Steve Knight was unable to cope with the spin attack off the opposition number 1, Mike Crook to lose in three sets.

Sue Segust and Brian Kitchener in the first mixed doubles were well matched by the husband-and-wife team of Jackie and Mike Crook which went all the way to deuce in the fifth set decider, finally going to Somerset for the score at 2-2.

Kitchener lost in a close fifth set decider to Hurley.

But Segust played out of her skin to defeat Jackie Crook in three sets.

Jutle and Kitchener in the men’s doubles won the first set easily, but were pegged back to lose the next three close sets.

Knight lost the first set to Cenak, but fought back to win the next three to make the score level once again at 4-4.

Jutle went 0-2 down to Mike Crook before winning the next two. The final set went to deuce, but finally fell to Crook.

Segust and Knight, in the second mixed doubles, took the game to the final set before losing a deuce game.

Scores: Harry Jutle 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 and 8-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-13. Steve Knight 7-11, 2-11, 4-11 and 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6. Brian Kitchener 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 13-11 and 7-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-9, 8-11. Sue Segust 11-8, 13-11, 11-9. 1st Mixed doubles Segust and Kitchener 11-9, 3-11, 11-7, 4-11, 10-12. Men’s doubles Jutle and Kitchener 11-3, 9-11, 8-11, 9-11. 2nd Mixed doubles Segust and Knight 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 10-12.