The dream team gathered in their resplendent new tee shirts to engage in another bruising bid for promotion glory. It would seem that we have the current impressive line-up for at least next week then maybe we will have to do without Mike W.
Fitness First, now rebranded as The Park Club, may find their numbers depleted by non-travellers next week (we can hope, since they are league leaders by a considerable margin). We can anticipate a balcony full of support, I trust, since the second team are not playing that night.
I digress. The future awaits but the past is now fixed in history and the arrow of time weaves its inexorable path..
You want a squash report, I hear, but (maybe) a morsel of poetic prose adds colour and texture to the literary (??) endeavour..
Pete secured a very hard fought 3/0 against an unorthodox opponent who looked like he had no right to be in it. Looks however are deceptive, as Niall found out in the first half. Such was Dave’s tenacity that one felt he deserved to nick a game but it is just as well that Pete kept him out because he was looking capable of sustaining a possible come back from 2/0 down. The match wound up 3/0 to Pete but it was mighty close despite the score line and court coverage was exceptional..
David looked his dominant self for a straightforward first game but then found himself down 8/4 in the second. That kind of margin at this level, when both are fresh, would lead to a 1/1 situation nine times out of ten, however, much like Pete’s game, David was cognisant of the very real possibility that the match could turn and he snuffed out the threat 10/9 to go on and win the match
3/0. [We had a great example of my perennial gripe with markers calling strokes off balls off the front wall rather than judging the interference level when the striker CAN actually put a racket on the ball (by which time the opponent has maybe cleared the line of sight to the front wall). David’s (restrained) reaction to this poor calling confirmed my evaluation of situations like this.]
Their new number 3 should probably have been playing at 2 and it will be interesting to see where he ultimately ends up in the team. James had his work cut out against this rather good opponent and, coupled with a lacklustre night he came out the wrong side of a disappointing 3/0. The tight slow ball tactics down the back hand were nicely coupled with an impressive change of pace cross-court and a very tight boast; good to watch and food for nourishment of James’ improving game..
Niall made hard work of putting the first game away and thereafter dominated his physical opponent without drama. Basically, what more can one ask than a 3/0 win, even if it was not that pretty..
Mike never looked in trouble against an inconsistent but fit opponent who just didn’t have the weapons for the job. This is only reasonably what one might expect from our former number one playing at 5th string – this should, and does, scare the hell out of the current opposition(s).
The very convivial post match social was accompanied by a delicious thai curry that definitely hit the mark..
Thanks to David for driving.. Well played all and we should saviour the prospect of next week’s match.
Regards - Mark Johnson..
Home Player Away Player Result Games
Dave Hanson v Peter Gavin Sykes 0-3 6-9, 7-9, 8-10
James Barry v David Falconer 0-3 4-9, 9-10, 4-9
Mark Mink v James Hall 3-0 9-6, 9-2, 9-4
Andy Raby v Niall Anderson 0-3 8-10, 2-9, 2-9
Chris Wilson v Mike Wright 0-3 2-9, 4-9, 5-9