St Albans Croquet Club's defence of the Longman Cup came to an end in a repeat of the delayed 2020 final.
Then they had triumphed against High Wycombe but the Buckinghamshire club gained revenge with a 3-2 success.
Saints lost the opening doubles but Roger Bowman’s first game was a repeat of the crucial match in the final, and it went a similar way; Bowman hanging on after pulling out to an early lead.
It meant the contest was poised nicely going into the three singles.
The first two were shared, Bowman winning again, but Stephen Mills lost and in the crucial rubber, Stuart Stafford's early lead was wiped out by a 10-hoop break from Wycombe as they clinched progress to the quarter finals.
This year the Croquet Association has teamed up with the British Heart Foundation as part of National Croquet Week, which starts on Monday, and St Albans will be running an open session on Thursday evening, July 29, and Sunday morning, August 1.
Go to the St Albans Croquet Club's website or Facebook page for more details.
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