Champions

Congratulations to Knole Park 2nd Team - Winter 2021-2 Division 5 Kent North West Champions. Achieved with a 4-0 17 point victory in the last match and pipping rivals Park Langley on ties won count back.

The glory shared by:

Rob Allen

David Barclay

Sam Cleaver

Harry Cozens

Alex Fox

Tim Handel

Chris Ivey

Tim Kaiser

Simon Lawson

Karl Pople

Tristin Retzlaff

James Woodman

& Mike Wright

2019-2020 Winter Tournaments

Covid 19 has played fast and loose with our tournament schedule this year.

No doubles can be played, and the Summer has been and gone - without a match being played.

However…

We have (nearly) finally caught up with last Winter’s competitions. Although the Championship final has had to be postponed (again) until December, most of the others have reached a satisfactory conclusion:

Chris Morgan defeated John Creek in the Seniors Handicap

Chris Morgan defeated John Creek in the Seniors Handicap

then Gary Mitchell did him in the Seniors Open

then Gary Mitchell did him in the Seniors Open

pothunter Mike Wright took down Tim Handel in the Veterans Handicap

pothunter Mike Wright took down Tim Handel in the Veterans Handicap

Then disposed of Chris Ivey in the Veterans Open

Then disposed of Chris Ivey in the Veterans Open

next to last - the Bearded (I mean Open) Handicap Final was won by James Woodman, who defeated Tristin  ‘Rusty Razor’  Retzlaff

next to last - the Bearded (I mean Open) Handicap Final was won by James Woodman, who defeated Tristin ‘Rusty Razor’ Retzlaff

Leaving only the 2020 Club Championship Final - between James Hall and Justin Bigara - some time before Christmas!





Summer Open Handicap Final

Simon Moriarty joined the growing list of casualties, so was unable to take his place in the Final. Mark Semple (-1) therefore stepped in as a 'lucky loser' to face Jolyon Thompson (+1). Both were looking for their maiden trophy.

Jolyon started fast and strong, beating seven bells out of anything in his way. Mark seemed a little off-colour - maybe as a result of his last-minute call-up. Jolyon was able to take a quick 2-0 lead and, in the third game, had 4 match balls at 14-11.

Mark, however, is nothing if not dogged. He clawed his way back to 15-14 (sudden-death) in game 3. Then took the next two relatively easily as Jolyon tired. 3-2 to Mark. Better luck in the Winter, Jo.

Summer Finals Underway - Veterans Handicap - 31 November 2019

The result of the first Summer showdown -

Game 1 - John Scored 18 pts Richard scored 6 points (1-0 to Richard)

Game 2 - John scored 22 points Richard scored 6 points (2-0 to Richard)

Game 3 - John scored 24 points Richard scored 5 points (2-1 to Richard)

Game 4 - John scored 12 points Richard scored 6 points (3-1 to Richard)

Thanks to outstanding handicapping by Squash Levels (John -9, Richard +9), Richard takes home his first winner’s trophy and adds his name to the illustrious Honours Board roll.

Better luck next time, John.



Seniors Open

Jerry Staffurth bid for the Seniors Double - trying to add the Open to his earlier Handicap triumph against the same opponent - Chris Morgan.  Chris, without the benefit of his handicap, looked to have his work cut out.

A sparse crowd saw a slow start, as Chris struggled to find his touch and length, and Jerry raced to a 9-1 first game.  The second was no better.  Chris showed occasional flashes of ability, but Jerry’s steadiness was consistent and he committed few errors on his way to a 9-0, 2-0 lead.

At the start of the third, Chris dug his heels in and matched Jerry up to 5-all.  Then a return to loose shots allowed Jerry to close it out 9-5 in 3.

Jerry collected the Rocket trophy as well as his glasses for both Seniors competitions.  Another new name on the trophy, as David Falconer couldn’t defend.



Doubles Final

Mike Wright’s third final of the season saw him paired up with Karl Pople and giving a large start to newcomers Mark Semple and Chris Reynolds.

Once Mike had explained the rules, he settled right into his usual rhythm and Karl provided steady support as the 16 point deficit (from -8, +8) was eroded and surpassed with few alarms - 15/12 to Mike and Karl.

Too easy? Maybe. The absence of points for Mark and Chris was replaced by three pairs of points to get them to 13-7 and within sight of the second game. And a few rallies later they had squeezed it 15/12.

Third game a repeat of the first. Two runs of error-free rallies saw Mike and Karl restore their lead 15/11. 2-1.

At the start of the fourth, we suddenly had an uncharacteristic flurry of errors by the flustering Karl and a contagious rash of mistakes from Mike. Fourth game gone in a flash 15-1 to Chris and Mark. 2-2.

The Marker had decided to change the players’ understanding of the doubles rules during this time, which may have thrown them off their natural game for a while. However, the fifth and deciding game was a handicapper’s dream. Tit-for-tat for the first few rallies, then a bout of carelessness allowed Mark & Chris to extend their lead to 13-0. A loss of serve by the lime green parties left Mike serving at 1-14 and facing 14 match balls.

Needless to say, a few minutes later it was all over, 14 match balls saved and one sudden death match ball won. 15-14, 3-2 to Mike and Karl. The Thompson-Creek era of doubles domination duly ended and another notch on the Wright trophy stick. Mike and Karl face off against each other on 1 June in the Veterans Open final.

The full match can be viewed here.

End of an era - a new one begins - Wright & Pople on the throne.













Open Handicap

 Form is temporary - class is permanent.  At least for this week anyway.

In a repeat of last week’s Veteran’s Handicap, Mike Wright (still -11) took on Richard Miles (+11).  Would Mike be as ruthlessly efficient and merciless this time around?  Probably.

Would Richard have learnt any lessons from their previous encounter? Not if Mike had anything to do with it.  He was off out of the blocks like a ferret up both trouser legs.  12 rallies later, negative points wiped out, before Richard had won one.  14 more rallies and first game to Mike 15/12.

Then a blip, a couple of bloops, and three points for Richard out of the next six.  Don’t take your eye off the ball, Mike.  Richard now stood at 14, -9 with 24 game balls!  Mike won 10 of them but eventually had to fail and 15/1 to Richard looked as though the wheels had come off in a big way.

Sadly for the crowd, normal service resumed quickly.  Mike reverted to his runs of successive points, only allowing Richard the occasional glimmer of hope.  A couple of services out and a tin or two were not enough, as Mike took the third 15/13, and a tantalising fourth 15/14 - allowing Richard only three game balls just to tease.

So, Richard will have to wait another year to get himself on the Winter Honours Board.  And Mike adds to his litany of trophies and Honours.

 



Veterans Handicap

The experienced Mike Wright (-11) faced off with newcomer Richard Miles (+11) in the first of their two handicap encounters this Winter.

Mike had the bit between his teeth early on, having seen what a large deficit can do if you don’t get on top of it straight away.  The mountain was climbed early on - Richard not able to get away with his attempted winners from the back of the court, managed only 2 of the four points he needed was overhauled at 13-12 after only two hand-outs for Mike. 15/13.

The same in the second, only two points early on for Richard, Mike’s trickle-boasts being a bridge too far for Richard if his volley nicks were not on target.  15/13.

Did Mike take his foot off the pedal in the third, or did Richard move forward? Either way, by the time Mike had wiped  off his -11 to get to Zero, Richard had taken three rallies and led 14-1 with 14 game balls.  A supreme effort of concentration followed, Mike taking all 14 game balls and the first of his own 15/14 Match to Mike. 

The meet again a week later on Saturday 11th.  Open handicap this time.  Any bets on the result?




 

Winter Finals Is Coming

With Summer threatening to overtake them, the Winter 2018-2019 Finals briefly spluttered into life this weekend.  Two Senior veterans, Chris Morgan (+2) and Jerry Staffurth (-2) slugged it out for the right to take the Seniors (Over 55) Handicap throne.

In Chris’s case, he was going for a four-peat - having won for the past three years.

In most years, the player receiving handicap points has usually started quickly, taking advantage of the handicap to build up a lead, before the better player finds their range and fitness and stamina kick in.  So, Chris probably started too slowly - not a good idea against a younger old man.  And the -2, +2 handicap was rapidly eroded.    Jerry took the first game 15/7 as Chris failed to capitalise on his advantage.  A closer 2nd game followed a similar pattern, although Chris started to take the ball earlier and occasionally put Jerry on the back foot.  15/12 to Jerry. 2-0.

It looked as though the third game would be over just as quickly, once Jerry had overhauled the handicap deficit and established an 11-8 lead.  However, Chris bravely clawed it back overtaking Jerry to 14-12 with two game points.

Sadly, one final push from Jerry denied Chris his comeback hopes, Jerry taking the next three rallies and a sudden-death game 15-14 and the match 3-0.

Jerry looking for space on the trophy.

Three-time past winner, Chris Morgan, congratulates 2019 Champion Jerry Staffurth

Chris will have to be on his toes when the two meet again in the Seniors Open soon.

Summer Finals 2018

Three finals played and dusted. The usual suspects, but some different winners and runners up.

Doubles

Repeaters John & Jolyon took on the Wrights (father & son) as first and second placed in the round robin.

The Wright pretenders were quickest out of the blocks, but John & Jo’s experience eventually prevailed. Video is available:

Open Handicap

Mike Wright (again) up against newcomer Tim Handel. Mike’s silky trickle boasts and speed around the court is usually enough to overcome a severe points handicap deficit. This time, Tim was up to the task though, and Mike was never into his stride. From a start of +6, -6, the handicap was rarely reduced and Tim won 15/6 15/6 15/4. Evidence of Tim’s own speed and sharpness here:

Veterans Handicap

Perennial trier, David Hampton took on steady Veteran Jerry Staffurth - with a massive +8, -8 advantage. As usual, Jerry’s consistency and low error rate were the deciding factors. In spite of David’s frantic efforts and occasional (lucky) framed winners, he never quite climbed the mammoth mountain. Judge for yourself here: