I never have much trouble getting the top piece down over the glue. I take the center first, pull it down, and then smooth out to the sides.
But I do need a pool noodle. My table is against the wall, so once in a while something falls behind it. There are boxes of stash under there in several spots, so it is a real pain to look for something that may be back there. I want to put a pool noodle over the crack, at least behind where I work.