Stevenage Squash team

Mike “The Surgeon” (3) – Mike was up 1st against a woman called Kate. Even from the knock up we could all see that she was a stylish player with some dangerous shots, so Mike would have to be on his guard. Into the 1st and Kate was quickly into her stride, playing numerous drop shots from the back of the court and boasts which left Mike stranded. Mike was struggling to get any kind of grip on this game, not only because the courts were cold and dusty but also because he was unable to get the ball passed Kate and as a result the ball was ending up mid court all the time. Mike ended up losing it 9-15. Into the 2nd and try as he might, Mike just couldn’t put Kate under any sustained pressure and went on to lose this game 10-15. Into the 3rd and with Mike 2-0 down it was not looking good. Mike gave it one more go and he did actually start to get the ball tighter and by putting more pace on the ball he was beginning to force Kate into some unforced errors. However, it was too little too late and as a result Mike went on to lose the 3rd by the same margin as the 2nd, 10-15. Forget this 3-0 Lose Mike and move on to Stortford in 2 weeks time. You were up against a woman who had some stylish shots and played her own courts very well. Unfortunately on this particular night, you didn’t play tight enough, adapt to her game, or adapt to their courts quickly enough. Although I’m sure next time you will have more joy!!! 9-15, 10-15 & 10-15.

Scott “The Athlete” (5) – Scott was on court next, knowing the advantage currently stood with the home side. Into the 1st and up against a very fit and younger oppo in the form of Michael, Scott began the task of working his oppo. Michael was a very awkward but extremely quick player who played his home courts very well, which Scott initially found a challenge to get to grips with. The rallies were very long and to Scott’s liking but were frequently interrupted by numerous lets called by Scott because Michael was failing to clear the ball, and to play it, would have been very dangerous. Even though Michael had been worked very hard by Scott and was already looking very tired. Scott narrowly lost it 13-15. Into the 2nd and with the game full of attacking play, Scott very quickly started to get the better of his oppo. Realising he needed to serve deeper and tighter to stop Michael from cutting the ball out every time, Scott put his plan into action right from the off and reaped the rewards immediately. Using his experience and court craft enabled Scott to bury Michael in the back corners straight from the serve, forcing Michael to boast. This meant Scott knew exactly where the ball was going, and having created the time for himself, he was then ready to pounce with a deft straight drop. As a result Scott went on to win it 15-9. Into the 3rd and with Michael rapidly running out of ideas and energy, Scott was able to totally dominate the rallies forcing error after error out of Michael. As a result Scott went on to win it convincingly 15-6. Into the 4th and it was more of the same from Scott, with Michael left chasing shadows and resigned to his fate, the agony and torture was soon over, with Scott cruising to victory winning it 15-6. A Red Hot 3-1 Win and as Vin was heard to say at 1-1 “Scott you are playing perfect squash, keep it going”. Only the 2nd player to get a game off of you so far this season Scott, but your unbeaten run continues. Yet another invaluable 3 points for the team!!! 13-15, 15-9, 15-6 & 15-6.

Dave “Sick Note No More” (4) – Dave was up against Anthony, who was younger than Dave but would he be fitter, only time would tell. Into the 1st and Dave eased himself into the rallies, with one watchful eye on Anthony, hoping to learn more about his oppo’s skills. With a combination of accurate rallies up and down the walls and with drops and boasts executed at just the right times, Dave went on to win it 15-8. Headlong into the 2nd and it was more of the same from Dave, as he looked to press home the advantage he had gained by winning the 1st. As a result of more pressure created by Dave, with Anthony having little or no answer, Dave went on to win it 15-9. Into the 3rd and with the momentum well and truly with Dave, he continued to play his way to victory. Although not before Anthony forced Dave into a few lengthy rallies, which sometimes went the way of the home side. However even though Anthony did everything he could to stop Dave being triumphant, in the end it was to no avail, as Dave went on to win it 15-13. A very professional performance with a 3-0 Win Dave!!! On a night where the final result didn’t go our way, this was another valuable 3 points for the team!!! 15-8, 15-9 & 15-13.

Vince “The Iceman” (2) – So with the team currently 2-1 up on the night, Vin was next on court against Mark. Into the 1st and with Vin suffering from a Migraine over the last couple days, we could see from the balcony that he wasn’t looking his usual commanding self. However, Vin continued to play his normal game trying to unsettle his oppo by playing an array of shots. This tactic worked for a while but eventually Vin lost it 11-15. Into the 2nd and with both players demonstrating some solid squash at times and determined to fight for every ball, this game became a very intense and gripping game. However, despite Vin’s never-say-die attitude and having some great opportunities to win it, Vin went on to lose this game by the narrowest of margins 13-15. Into the 3rd and with Vin 2-0 down it was now all or nothing. Both players proceeded to hunt the ball down, as rally after rally was hammered out like a blacksmith shaping hot metal. But just when Vin thought his explosive attacks were making some serious inroads into his oppo, Mark would immediately come straight back with his massive counterattacks, thereby nullifying the Vin threat. After more gruelling rallies which had both players being pushed from pillar to post, finally Vin’s grip on the game slipped away and he lost it 11-15. Unlucky on your 3-0 Lose Vin, you had your chances to get back into the match but you were unable to take them. Against Stortford in 2 weeks time you will do better!!! 11-15, 13-15 & 11-15.

Alan “The Terminator” (1) – With the outcome of the overall match resting once again on his shoulders, Al went on court last against the quality Max. Into the 1st and Al was off to a flyer, cracking that ball at 200 mph and matching that speed with his court coverage too. With a combination of long quality rallies up and down the walls, which were taking their toll on Max big time, with Al just wanting more of the same, Al went on to win it 15-13. Into the 2nd and with Al boosted by winning the 1st he set about doubling his advantage. Unfortunately Max had other ideas because he knew he had no chance of matching Al for fitness, so he decided that the only way he was going to have any chance of winning this match was to change his game play completely. So that’s exactly what he did, by slowing the rallies down and playing every shot under the sun almost always at the right time, Max was able to dominate the rallies. As a result Al went on to lose it 7-15. Into the 3rd and with the scores locked at 1-1 it was still anybodies match for the taking. Unfortunately due to the clever change in Max’s game and Al’s lack of energy due to his cold, Al was left chasing shadows the majority of the time and went on to lose it 6-15. Into the 4th and although Al battled hard to stay in the match, Max stuck to his game plan and as a result Al lost it 11-15. Forget it and move on Al, this very rare 3-1 Lose is a minor blip. Up against the 2nd best number 1 in the division and with you feeling under the weather, this was always going to be a tough one. You should however take heart in the fact that after you won the 1st game, Max was forced to switch from playing his normal game, in order to beat you. At least you still managed to gain 1 point for the team tally on the night!!! 15-13, 7-15, 6-15 & 11-15.

Lawrence “The Teacher” (3) – First up was Lawrence playing Cesar, who looked like a man on a mission. Into the 1st and Lawrence hit the ground running with some solid squash which put Cesar under an increasing amount of pressure. Both players battled hard through several testing rallies but Lawrence eventually won it 15-12. Into the 2nd and determined not to be left eating Lawrence’s dust, Cesar came out of the traps fast and hunted the ball down like a blood hound does a fox. Unfortunately despite Lawrence’s best efforts, he went on to lose this one 6-15. Into the 3rd and having had a wake up call in the last game, Lawrence gradually eased his way back into the match with some precision squash which had his oppo reeling. Although this game could have gone either way, Lawrence kept his concentration and saw it out 15-9. So with Lawrence 2-1 up it was headlong into the 4th, with neither player ready to give ground and Cesar knowing that he needed this game to stay in the match, the duel resumed at a pace. With both players fully focussed, the game started to hot up big time. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife as winning rallies were traded back and forth. At one stage Cesar looked more like a ballet dancer performing the ‘Nut Cracker Suite’ than a squash player, as he almost did the splits retrieving a ball. After more stamina zapping rallies Lawrence was unable to pull this one back and went on to lose it 10-15. So into the 5th and final game, with the scores level both players were going to have to summon up every ounce of energy they had left, in order to be first across that finish line. ‘Tight & controlled squash’ from Lawrence was met by ‘all or nothing’ squash from Cesar. This made for an intriguing final leg which Lawrence lost 12-15 when Cesar played a ball off the back wall, which was heading for the front wall, before it hit Lawrence. Unlucky on your 3-2 loss Lawrence but at least you managed to gain 2 valuable points on the night for the team, well done!!! 15-12, 6-15, 15-9, 10-15 & 12-15.

Scott “The Athlete” (5) – Scott was up next against Gavin who, just like Scott, was tall and possessed a long reach but as a result of Scott’s play Gavin didn’t really get the chance to use these attributes. With Vin, his trainer and very good friend marking, and knowing that Lawrence’s match could go either way, Scott knew it was important to get points on the board and try to defend his, and the team’s 100% win ratio. Into the 1st and Scott was into his stride quickly playing lots of different shots to test out his oppo’s strengths and weaknesses. After a few long rallies, which Gavin didn’t enjoy and Scott was thriving on like a man who had been downing Red Bulls all night and was ready to give the energiser bunny a run for his money, Scott realised that Gavin had no short game whatsoever and as a result proceeded to make him pay. Making full use of the cold conditions by playing his forehand lob serve to almost complete perfection, which Gavin would have needed a spade to dig out, Scott continued to dominate his opponent in every area of the court and went on to win it 15-10. Into the 2nd and although Gavin was competitive in the last game, this game was a completely different story which left him stunned like a ‘rabbit in the headlights’. With a combination of subtle variation on his serve and throwing in very tight drops at the right time, especially on the forehand, which even left Vin breathless, or was that the lack of heat on the balcony, Scott was able to dictate the pace of the rallies/game which resulted in him steamrollering Gavin 15-4. Into the 3rd and with Scott picking up where he had left off in the 2nd, he continued to apply the pressure forcing Gavin into making unforced errors time after time. With Scott in complete control, it was only a matter of time before Gavin’s struggle came to an end. With one final burst of energy Gavin gave it one more go, but despite playing a few very powerful shots, which Scott returned with interest, the game was soon over, with Scott winning it 15-7. An Emphatic & Clinical 3-0 win for the team Scott. Vin said afterwards “This performance was your best squash of the season so far”. An important result which was never in doubt & your 100% win ratio still in tact too!!! 15-10, 15-4 & 15-7.

Dave “Sick Note No More” (4) – Dave was next on court against Gareth who looked like he was well up for this match. Into the 1st and Dave struggled to find any kind of rhythm initially, with both players letting each other back into the rallies over and over again. Even though the game was full of long scrappy rallies, both players were competitive and it was just a case of whoever made the least errors would win the game. Points came and went until finally Dave won it 16-14. Into the 2nd and with Dave determined to capitalise on his early lead he set about grinding down Gareth. However Gareth hadn’t read the script and he was doing his fair share of grinding himself. So with both players trying to grind each other into the ground but only succeeding in playing the ball mid court and out into the middle, who was going to win. After another close game Gareth managed to gain the upper hand and Dave went on to lose it 15-17. Into the 3rd and with the scores 1-1 both players were desperate to push on. When Dave was on top in a rally Gareth would get 1 more ball back and likewise when Gareth was on top in a rally Dave would do the same. The game continued to sea saw this way and that until in the end Gareth’s grip on the game slipped and Dave won it 15-13. Into the 4th with the finish line in sight and with Dave having not played anywhere near close to his best squash, he was now in the ascendancy and it didn’t take him long to finish off his oppo winning it 3-1. A great 3-1 win!!! Dave said afterwards “I didn’t play well and it was very scrappy”. Well done Dave you toughed it out and even though it may not have been pretty at times, a wins a win. Recharge the batteries over the festive break like the rest of us and come back for the 2nd half fired up and ready to go!!! 16-14, 15-17, 15-13 & 15-7.

Vince “Mr Miyagi” (2) – Vin was up next against Richard, a very fit and strong opponent who had the potential to do some serious damage. Into the 1st and Vin gallops into the lead like a prize winning race horse, playing every shot under the sun in order to test Richard to the max. Richard was more than up to the test and came back with some telling shots of his own. This game was a very close encounter with the pendulum swinging this way and that but eventually Vin lost it 13-15. Into the 2nd and with both players backing themselves to win it, the battle resumed. Once again, Vin went through his full spectrum of shots in an attempt to put Richard on the back foot and for a time it was working. However back came Richard with key shots in key rallies and before Vin knew it, he had lost this one 12-15. Full of confidence before the 3rd, Vin had said to Scott “I still feel good and he is working very hard’ Into the 3rd and with Vin 2-0 down it was now or never. Vin upped his game and started to play several quality forehand drop shot winners as tight as a Scotsman’s wallet (only joking Hugh!!!). Fortunately, Neville had no answer for this and with Vin continuing to vary his shots and pull Neville from pillar to post, Vin went on to win it 15-10. Into the 4th and Vin piled on the pain, just like Bruce Lee did to the villains in his movies. Watching this game from the balcony, you got the impression that Richard would have been happier coming up against someone who played text book shots up and down the walls, fat chance of that with Vin in town. Instead Richard was being given a harsh lesson in the art of ‘variation’ and as a result Vin went on to win it 15-13. Into the 5th and final game, with the scores at 2-2 the match was there for the taking but who wanted it more. Both players locked horns for the final showdown which would decide the outcome of this match. Vin and Neville sucked in as much air as their lungs would allow and then set about each other. This game followed the same pattern as the last, with a demonstration of ‘player desire’ and ‘mind over matter’. Despite Vin’s valiant effort, he lost it narrowly 13-15. Unlucky Vin, so near and yet so far, but well done on another crucial 2 points won for the team. Coming back from 2-0 down to Lose 3-2 was just a bridge too far!!! 13-15, 12-15, 15-10, 15-13 & 13-15.

Alan “The Terminator” (1) – Al on court last and knowing that with the scores on the night standing at 2-2, as they were two weeks ago against Panshanger, it was down to him to get the result that we as a team needed. Into the 1st and with both players knowing the importance of this match they started to test each other out. With the ball flying around the court at 200mph Al started to make early inroads into Neville. Having lost to Neville last season, Al was determined not to let this match slip through his fingers, but his oppo had other ideas. It was a closely contested game but Al just shaded it 17-15. So with Al off to a flyer it was into the 2nd and down to Neville to come back with a positive retort. Neville duly obliged with some combative squash of his own resulting in Al losing this one 13-15. Into the 3rd and with the match all square at 1-1 and Neville now showing signs of fatigue, it was now time for Al to make his superior fitness pay. Staying one step ahead of his oppo Al eased effortlessly into another gear and despite all of Neville’s fighting instincts kicking in he couldn’t avoid Al winning it 15-9. So with Al now 2-1 up and relishing the chance of turning around the defeat he experienced last season, Al found yet another couple of gears which would have had Jeremy Clarkson drawling. Despite this, Neville refused to give up and even though he was looking more and more tired with every shot played, he managed to stay competitive throughout. Unfortunately he was on the wrong end of a couple of decisions from the marker, which caused Neville to lose his rag, as well as his racket, and momentarily storm off court. One of these outbursts resulted in Al almost having to duck for cover as, unintentionally, Neville’s racket rebounded off the side wall and almost hit Al. To Neville’s credit he immediately apologised to Al and the marker, before continuing with the game. To Alan’s credit, he took all of this in his stride and unphased by it all went on to win the game 15-10. Once again Al you came up trumps when it really mattered. Excellent 3-1 Win

Tony “The Not So Pregnant One” (5) – First up was Tony, up against a much younger lad called Chris, who in the knock up did look much fitter than Tony. Into the 1st and Tony was already having trouble getting a length or maintaining any level of consistency. As a result Chris was able to dominate the tee by rallying up and down the walls and waiting for the error. Frustratingly for Tony these errors, unforced or otherwise, were happening far too often and Tony went on to lose it 8-15. When Scott and Vin went down to give Tony some much needed advice, they were both greeted with the words “I’m knackered lads”. With that in mind all Scott and Vin could say was, serve into his body and put some real pace on the ball to try to take Chris out of his comfort zone. Into the 2nd and despite Tony’s best efforts the game was going the same way as the 1st and with both players lacking any real short game, the rallies were text book but didn’t have the fairytale ending Tony was hoping for. As a result Tony went on to lose it 9-15. Into the 3rd and it was looking less and less likely that Tony was going to be able to pull this one out of the bag, but to his credit he battled on. The advice given to him after the first game was now starting to pay off, as he was beginning to unsettle Chris a little bit with the pace he was putting on the ball and his retrieval skills. Just when it looked like Tony might put our first points of the night on the board, achieving his highest tally of the night so far, with 12, his worst fears were realised and he ran out of gas. So with the tank running on fumes alone, Tony went on to lose it 12-15, losing his 100% win ratio into the bargain too. This 3-0 loss is going to be best forgotten Tony and as you quite rightly said to Scott afterwards “I just wasn’t match fit”. To be fair Chris was a tidy number 5 and even if you had been match fit, I think the fact that you both had the same style meant that you would have still only got 1 or 2 legs off of him. With some more social games under your belt between now and the second half, I’m sure you will bounce right back. 8-15, 9-15 & 12-15.

Lawrence “The Teacher” (3) – Lawrence was up against Mike ‘the-tracksuit-man’ Byrne, who knocks up and plays every match, whatever the temperature on court, in his tracksuit. With Mike also having a very impressive win ratio for the season so far, we all new Lawrence was going to have to be bang on his game to snuff out this latest threat. Into the 1st and after a few rallies we could see that Lawrence wasn’t his normal self, unfocussed, distracted, he was unable to concentrate on the game. However he did manage to soldier on until the middle of the game was reached but then told Mike he was going to have to stop for a minute. I swear what happened next was straight out of the twilight zone...... Lawrence sat down on the floor, took off his shoes and socks and started massaging a few of his toes, which to be honest had turned as white as a ghost. This must have gone on for a good 5 minutes and must have left Mike thinking, if this is a cunning time wasting tactic then its a new one on me!!! Anyway once the game resumed we could see that Lawrence was still struggling and as a result he went on to lose it 10-15. When Lawrence came off court he said to Scott “I can’t feel my toes, its like playing with pins and needles in my foot”. Anyway after a pep talk from Scott which consisted of him offering to “Stamp on your foot” to get the blood circulating again, it was now very much game on. Into the 2nd and Lawrence must have regained some feeling in the infamous foot because he was now starting to move more smoothly around the court and take on far more balls than he was in the 1st. This game was a very tight encounter, with neither player wanting the other to get the upper hand. At 14-14 you would have thought the game was almost over....... no chance, with a combination of very long rallies, which at times left both players retrieving like their lives depended on it and several lets and strokes earned from each side, Lawrence finally won it with an unbelievable score of 22-20. Into the 3rd armed with the news that Dave was struggling against his oppo, Lawrence looked back on form and ready to do the business. He was now starting to show his class and although Mike never gave up, he was no match for the variety of shots Lawrence was now producing to get the job done. Resulting in Lawrence winning it 15-12. Into the 4th and resistance was futile because it wasn’t long before Lawrence could see signs that physically and mentally the wheels were falling off of Mike. After, what seemed like no more than, a few quality shots later and Lawrence was triumphant once more, winning it 15-5 and taking the match. An Excellent & Important 3-1 win for the team Lawrence, coming back from 1-0 down!!! After a shaky start, due to ghost toes syndrome, you refocused really well and ran out a worthy winner against a fairly tough oTOEnent (sorry about the play on words Lawrence but I couldn’t resist it ha ha ha!!!) 10-15, 22-20, 15-12, 15-5.

Dave “Sick Note No More” (4) – Dave was up against Matthew who was very tall and had a good reach, but on the night Dave just wasn’t at the races. Into the 1st and Dave wasn’t quite on the pace, allowing Matthew to dictate the rallies which forced Dave into making some uncharacteristic errors. Taking this into account it was still a competitive game which Dave ended up losing narrowly 13-15. Unfortunately for Dave it seemed as though the 1st game had taken quite a bit out of him because apart from a couple of quality shots/rallies which he won, the normal fight, energy and will to win were all sadly missing from him and he lost it 4-15. Into the 3rd determined to get at least a leg, he gave himself one final push and it was actually looking good for a while, but alas, all the damage had been done in the 1st and despite a spirited comeback Dave’s resistance was broken and he lost it 12-15. A disappointing 3-0 lose!!! Dave said afterwards “I played sh*t”. Dave its very rare that you don’t perform, it was a bad day at the office so just forget it and move on. We all know you will bounce back in your next match. 13-15, 4-15, 12-15.

Vince “Mr Miyagi” (2) – Vin was up next, knowing that we were already 2-1 down on the night and that a win was a must if we were going to turn this fixture around. Vin’s oppo was a young lad, Adam, who just like Tony’s oppo Chris, looked very fit and capable in the knock up. Into the 1st and the initial exchanges were not favouring Vin, as Adam was quickly into his stride and seemed happy rallying up and down the walls all night long, if Vin let him. Vin was doing his best to break up the rallies but Adam was chasing everything down and putting Vin under real pressure. After a scrappy opening game Vin eventually lost it 10-15. Whilst Vin was cooling off and preparing for the 2nd game, Scott came down from the viewing gallery to offer a few key pieces of advice. Firstly, play more lobs in the middle of rallies to allow yourself time to get back to the tee and build again. Secondly, vary your serve and mix up/delay your winning shots to try to put Adam on the back foot. Into the 2nd and Vin armed with Scott’s advice, coupled with absolute confidence in his own ability meant Adam didn’t stand a chance. With Adam firmly fixed in Vin’s crosshairs, he quickly put his master plan into action with complete military precision. As a result Vin totally frustrated Adam on his way to winning it 15-4 and in fact only dropped 4 points in the entire game. Into the 3rd and Adam now knew he was in for a battle. With both players going at each other hammer and tongs, but with Vin still giving off signals that he was in ‘the zone’ and was not going to be beaten, Adam did everything he could to unsettle Vin which after a lengthy battle was successful with Vin losing it 14-16. Into the 4th dodging his oppo’s thrown racket like a crack commando dodging bullets, Vin was now in complete command of the ball and the court, leaving Adam chasing shadows big time. This game had a mixture of long rallies, accurate winners, deft touches and majestically crafted nicks all coming from ‘Grand Wizard Master Vin’, who went on to win it 15-9. Into the 5th and with Adam now looking like someone who has accepted his fate, Vin eyes his prey like a Hawk going in for the kill winning it 15-8. A Fantastic & Important 3-2 win for the team Vin, coming back from 1-0 down!!! 10-15, 15-4, 14-16, 15-9 & 15-8.

Alan “The Terminator” (1) – Al on court last and knowing that with the scores on the night standing at 2-2, it was all down to him to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, set about his task. Into the 1st and Al’s oppo Nigel, looked initially like he was going to be a worthy adversary, playing some powerful, tight and accurate squash. The rallies were never ending as both players matched each other shot for shot, desperate not to go home on the losing side. It turned into a mammoth encounter with Al narrowly losing it 17-19. Into the 2nd and there were no signs of either player slowing down or giving up at this early stage of the match. It was just like two heavyweight boxers going toe to toe, slugging it out in the 12th round to be crowned World Champion. A great exhibition of fitness, rallying and ball hunting was to follow in another epic game which saw Al lose it 14-16. Lawrence, having noticed that Nigel had been foot faulting, warned him of this and Nigel responded by thanking him for the observation. Into the 3rd with Al 2-0 down and the fate of the overall match hanging in the balance, Al hit the after burners, attacking and retrieving ball after ball at 110mph which Nigel found difficult to contain and paid dividends to Al’s fight back. With Nigel now starting to feel the effects of the first 2 energy zapping games, Al went on to win it 15-8. Into the 4th and with Al 2-1 down and with it all still to do, he continued to attack. As the saying goes, ‘If it aint broke don’t fix it’, so Al carried on with the onslaught winning it again 15-8. So Al, having pulled his match back to 2-2, was ready to finish off his oppo in the final game. Into the 5th and although Nigel did well to stay competitive throughout most of this game, Al’s superior fitness and impressive consistency shone through and his reward was a match point. So it was now 14-11, with both teams riveted to the action and wondering which way this match was going to swing. With Nigel about to serve in what could be the final stages of this match, the away team’s worst nightmare was about to be realised....... NIGEL FOOT FAULTED, which Lawrence spotted, giving a very early Xmas prezie to Al in the form of a 15-11 win and an overall match winning result of 3-2. Just like Vin’s match this was an Awesome & Important 3-2 win for the team Al, coming back from 2-0 down!!! Nobody likes winning in this bizarre manner Al but rules is rules and a wins a win!!! 17-19, 14-16, 15-8, 15-8 & 15-11.

Match Reporter - Scott Gregory

Vince “Mr Miyagi” (2) – Vin was first up on the brightly lit arena and with the fresh smell of newly painted courts in his nostrils he set about his oppo John with deadly precision. Into the 1st and much like Alan last week, Vin was determined to put some points on the board for his team. His quality drop shots, serves and lobs were flowing as effortlessly as a pint of Guinness straight from the pump. Vin was pushing and pulling John all around the court with ultimate ease. As a result John failed to come up with any answers to Vin’s far superior shot play and Vin went on to win it 15-10. Into the 2nd and you could see that John had learnt quickly from his mistakes in the 1st as he started to read Vin’s drop shots, especially on the backhand, and as a result was playing cross court winners off of them. John was having loads of joy from this shot, leaving Vin stranded at the front of the court. John continued with this strategy throughout the game and it eventually paid dividends with Vin Losing it 10-15. Into the 3rd and more of the same tactics were bombarding Vin but despite his best efforts Vin fell way short of the finish line with John winning it 7-15. Now having received some sound advice from Scott, which was to shape for the drop shot and then at the very last second lob it over John’s head to the back, giving himself time to get back to the tee and also to make sure he varied his serve, Vin was back on court and ready to mount a massive comeback. Into the 4th and Scott’s advice was immediately paying off, with John struggling to come to terms with this revitalised Vin who was now starting to get the better of him. The battle lines had now been drawn and what came next was strength and self belief from both players that they weren’t going to lose this game. However there was always going to be a loser and by digging in so deep burrowing rabbits would have been proud of him, Vin won it 17-15. So 2-2 and all to play for. Into the 5th and final game with everything at stake and both players determined to beat the other to the winner’s crown. Very similar to the 4th game in the fact that both players displayed quality competitive squash and sheer doggedness not to be on the losing end of this great match. Unfortunately for John, Vin once again dug in big time to pull off an awesome comeback and finally won it 16-14. Great 3-2 win!!! Your best performance of the season so far Vin and the first time in this campaign that you’ve really dug in and ground out a result. 15-10, 10-15, 7-15, 17-15 & 16-14.

Lawrence “The Teacher” (3) – Lawrence was coming up against another player, Jeff, who, just like him, had a 100% win ratio too, so everyone was really looking forward to watching this match to see who would be victorious. Into the 1st and Lawrence hit the ground running with some well constructed rallies up and down the walls, combined with some impressive winning shots. Jeff managed to keep the pressure on his oppo right to the end but Lawrence came out on top by winning it 15-12. Into the 2nd and we all thought that Lawrence would push on and go two games up but alas it wasn’t to be. Jeff, having lost the 1st, was determined to get back on level terms and with loads of hard hitting that’s exactly what he managed to do. Despite a valiant effort Lawrence lost the 2nd 8-15. Into the 3rd and its all square, both players battling hard to put their stamp on the game and as a result Lawrence lost it 10-15. Into the 4th and Jeff, looking like a man that didn’t want the match going to a 5th, continued from where he’d left off in the 3rd by playing very consistently. Concentration set to the max, Lawrence wasn’t going to go down without a fight but even though in the latter parts of this game he dug in to get to 11 points, Lawrence finally lost it 11-15. Unlucky Lawrence on your 3-1 Lose!!! Unfortunately, for you and the team, your 100% record has gone, and as you respectfully said afterwards “the best man won on the night” but we’re all sure you will bounce back to winning ways next week. 15-12, 8-15, 10-15, 11-15.

Scott “The Athlete” (5) – Having already seen Vin pull off a fantastic 3-2 win, Scott went on court fired up and ready to go. Into the 1st and before Rob knew what had hit him, Scott was into his long, and very effective, stride pattern building up a 5-0 lead. This was a combination of Scott’s serve variation, Rob making some unforced errors and also some gruelling rallies which left Rob gasping for breath and Scott looking very fresh (cheers Vin, all that hard training and conditioning is paying off big time). With Scott in total control at 14-3 up, he did the unthinkable and gave Rob a lifeline by losing his focus and allowing Rob to get the next 5 points in a row to make it 14-8. However, because Scott had built up a substantial buffer earlier on it didn’t alter the inevitable outcome. Scott closed the game out in the very next point to win 15-8, with a deadly forehand lob serve that died in the back corner. Into the 2nd and determined to keep his concentration for the rest of the match he set about his task once again. It was a stop start game with the odd telling rally here and there to keep the spectators engaged but more often than not the rallies would be broken up by unforced errors usually coming from Rob. Even though Rob did his best to put pressure on Scott, the only time he was ahead in the game was in the first few points. As a result the rest of the game Rob spent playing catch up unsuccessfully. Scott went on to win it 15-10. With Scott now 2-0 up and ploughing headlong into the 3rd it was time to slowly but surely turn the screw on his oppo. Scott had the steely look of a man who was not going to let the chance of gaining 3 valuable points for his team slip through his fingers. At no stage in the 3rd game did Rob ever manage to gain a lead over Scott. With Rob rapidly running out of energy and tactically naive, Scott continued to force Rob into rushing his shots by cutting the ball out and volleying everything. As a result Scott won it 15-7, maintaining his 100% win ratio. Professional 3-0 win, gaining another 3 points for the team cause!!! Similar to Al’s match in the fact that Scott’s oppo, to be brutally honest, wasn’t really even a number 5 as he was a county badminton player in the process of making the transition from badminton to squash. 15-8, 15-10 & 15-7.

Alan “The Terminator” (1) – Al was up for it big time and ready to put right what went wrong last week. Into the 1st and without even getting out of 2nd gear Al cruised into an 8-1 lead by working his oppo Karl all around the court. Karl was by no stretch of the imagination a number 1 but Al still needed to keep his concentration throughout. With a combination of strong rallies and very few unforced errors, Al won it 15-9. Into the 2nd and it was more of the same from Al with him not really breaking a sweat. Karl did his best to stop wave after relentless wave of balls coming back at him but it was all too much and Al won it by the same margin as the 1st 15-9. Into the 3rd and with no changes of wardrobe or any kind of personal bollocking needed, Al’s oppo ran out of steam and ideas allowing Al to comfortably win it 15-8. Clinical and professional 3-0 win for the team!!! Your oppo, to be honest, wasn’t a number 1 and was never going to really test you Al. Tougher tests lay ahead. 15-9, 15-9 & 15-8.

Dave “Sick Note No More” (4) – Dave was up against Troy, who normally plays 5 but Dave wasn’t going to underestimate him.....or was he??? Into the 1st and both players were quite happy to rally up and down the walls and wait for the mistakes. Unfortunately for both their energy levels, this made for a very tight and tense game which Dave ended up losing narrowly 14-16. Into the 2nd and both players were back for more of the same, rally after rally came and went as Dave made every effort to get back on level terms. Try as he might Dave was unable to make the break though needed to put Troy on the back foot and went on to lose it 13-15. Into the 3rd with Dave 2-0 down now, where both games were close and could have gone either way, Dave hit the ground running. Despite the thrust and parry of the opening exchanges, once Dave went into a 5-3 lead there was only going to be one winner. Dave won it convincingly 15-4. With Dave still 2-1 down and loads of work left to do, he mounted an all out attack in an attempt to grab the 4th game and level the scores. It didn’t come easy because Troy was not about to give up either. Some energy zapping rallies were to follow with both players giving there all for the cause, but neither was ready to lie down and admit defeat. However Dave being Dave did what he always does and dug in big time and eventually won it impressively 18-16. So with some inspired squash Dave had clawed his way back to 2-2. Into the 5th and final game and it was going to come down to who had the most left in their tank, would it be Dave or would it be Troy, one things for sure we would all find out soon enough. Once again both players gave blood, sweat and tears for their team (slight exaggeration as neither player got hurt or cried but nonetheless loads of sweat was pouring off of each player). After another gruelling game full of winning shots, unforced errors and cracking rallies, Dave finally won it 15-13. A fantastic 3-2 win!!! Coming back from 2-0 down Dave, once again you put in another sterling performance to gain another valuable 3 points for the team. 14-16, 13-15, 15-4, 18-16 & 15-13.

Match Reporter - Scott Gregory

Another Excellent win - well done!!!

Scott “The Athlete” (5) – First up was Scott playing 5 in this important double header with Harlow, because not only was it an away match, but it was also a Cup game too. Now playing on courts so hot he thought he was still in Cyprus, Scott set about his task of adapting to the bounce of the ball whilst at the same time trying to win the 1st game. Scott started well by getting the perfect angle on his lob serves on the forehand, getting them to hit high on the side wall before dropping deep into the backhand corner. As a result Dan was forced to boast which enabled Scott to pounce on the next ball with great effect. However even though both players played some great squash up and down the walls, especially on the backhand, Scott made some unforced errors when trying to produce drop shots on both the forehand and backhand because he was getting to the ball too early. As a result Scott stopped playing that shot for the rest of that game and eventually went on to win it 15-11. Into the 2nd and with Scott starting to feel at home in these sauna-like conditions, he proceeded to increase the pressure on Dan by serving and rallying well and cutting the ball out whenever the opportunity presented itself. As a result of this Scott went on to win the 2nd 15-10. Into the 3rd and Dan new he was in danger of losing this match 3-0 unless he threw absolutely everything at Scott and that’s exactly what he did. Dan started playing some backhand volley winners from Scott’s forehand serves and put more pace on the ball to try to force the errors out of him. This tactic was working for Dan but because Scott had detected that Dan was having trouble pushing off and moving forward for the ball, Scott refused to get drawn into a hard hitting game because that would have been playing right into Dan’s hands. However with Dan making such a lightning start and Scott guilty of taking his foot off of the gas, whether he realised it or not, Scott was always playing catch up and eventually lost it 15-9. So with Scott exiting the court to cool off and determined to win the 4th , Tony gives Scott the news he didn’t want to hear “Vin is struggling Scott, so we need you to win this”. So with Vin about to lose 3-0 and Scott 2-1 up heading into the 4th, it was time to kill this match off right here and right now. With a combination of solid serving, good lobs and nice lengths and knowing that Dan had put everything into winning the 3rd and as a result was now struggling for fitness, Scott made him pay. As a result Scott won 15-8, maintaining his 100% win ratio. Great 3-1 win in very energy zapping conditions!!!

Dave “Sick Note No More” (4) – So its 1-1 in matches so far (Vin’s match report to come later) with Scott winning 3-1 and Vin losing 3-0 it was time for Dave to hit the court playing Vinh. Now Dave said to us all afterwards that he was very impressed with Vinh in the knock up but as we all know the knock up counts for nothing in the whole scheme of things. Anyway the 1st game was full of long and gruelling rallies which Vinh seemed to thrive on, as he looked very fit and full of running. However, both Dave and Vinh struggled to get the ball tight down the wall, especially on the backhand which resulted in the rallies being longer than they should have been. Eventually Dave lost it 15-12. Into the 2nd and Dave settles down, starting to get the ball tight and finding his length on the backhand to great effect. Loads of running from both players combined with a few errors meant that the game was eventually won by Dave 15-11. Dave comes off court to cool down and once again Scott and Tony give him some advice but Dave responds by saying “I am knackered and I don’t think I can keep this pace up for 5 games”. Both Scott and Tony said to him “You are the master at digging in deep to win matches so go do it”. With this battle cry ringing in Dave’s ears we were into the 3rd, Dave got his 2nd wind from somewhere and begun to grind Vinh down with his hunger to hunt down that ball no matter where it was on the court. There were now signs that Vinh was starting to tire just a little bit, as a few loose shots were creeping into his game which Dave was able to capitalise on. Even though both players had put their all into the first 2 games they were still making each other play one more ball. Finally after a mammoth battle Dave edged it 16-14. 2-1 up going Into the 4th and it was Dave’s turn to suffer the `attack of the tired and loose shots’, which allowed Vinh to pull out quite a substantial lead on Dave which he was having trouble clawing back. In the end Dave was so far behind he decided to conserve his energy for one final all out attack in the 5th. Dave lost the 4th 15-4. So into the 5th and final game all square, it was all or nothing now and Dave was determined to be victorious, but not if Vinh had anything to do with it. Dave got what looked like his 3rd wind as he set about building up a lead which would see him through to the finish line, but each time Dave got a few points ahead, back would come Vinh to stay within touching distance of his oppo. More and more relentless rallies were played with neither player prepared to throw in the towel. Dave just kept getting that ball back over and over again until finally the chinks were starting to appear in his oppo’s armour, as Dave continued to premote the pressure resulting in Vinh making more and more unforced errors. The game, and match, came to an end with an absolutely awesome and inspired forehand volley knick outright winner from Dave, which even left Vin-Volley-Knick-Payne drawling at the mouth. Dave won the 5th 15-9. A cracking 3-2 win Dave, in sweltering conditions, against a very fit oppo. Dave’s performance actually turned out to be the match winner on the night!!! Fantastic Dave, well done!!!

Lawrence playing at 3 was out to continue his unbeaten streak against a deceptively quick player. After a horrid drive down could Lawrence settle down and start firing the shots needed to beat his opponent on these hothouse courts? The first game was tight but Lawrence managed to take it 17-15 – a narrow margin. These courts took a lot to adjust to, although hot getting a good length was not easy. Lawrence managed to find a thermometer, well at least work out where to hit the ball. Second game was another tight affair but Lawrence held his nerve and gained a better length 15-12 went the 2nd. 3rd game and Lawrence needed to throw everything at his oppo to keep this unbeaten run of 3-0 wins. He did it to our relief and maintains his top ranking in the team. Well done Lawrence!!! 17-15, 15-12, 15-10

Vince playing at number 2 seemed to be playing a player capable of playing no.1 and definitely mid order in a higher division. Such are the oddities of First teams playing in division 4 where a club doesn’t have a sufficient number of the right calibre players to put a team in a higher division. So, Vince made a fist of it and was making inroads on his oppo with his deadly lob which was a good tactic on the hot courts. However, anything lose and his oppo proved his talent with several volley-nicks which were never going to be returned. Vince lost the first 8-15. The second followed the same pattern and Vince’s accuracy seemed to improve. Only problem was that his oppo’s accuracy and power did too. 2nd game away. Third game and we hoped to see his oppo tire and lose his grip on the match. No such luck, Vince went down in the 3rd and never came back. Good fight Vince – he was way too good for Div4. 8-15, 5-15, 6-15

Alan was up for a game. The heat was tropical and we had no idea of how many T-shirts Alan was going to fill with sweat. We thought the teams no.2 was a ringer but their no.1 was equally talented. Indeed their no.1 and no.2 have never played so the jury is still out. Alan lost the first 9-15 and gave himself a bollocking. The heat made the courts almost impossible to get to grips with, and Alan made consistent progress in the 2nd losing that 9-15 also. A bollocking, a T-shirt and a much more angry 3rd game ensued and it looked like Alan might get the breakthrough that he desperately wanted. His oppo wasn’t having any of it and having seen enough of Alan’s wardrobe finished him off 5-15. Unlucky Alan – you weren’t at your best and the courts were horrid. This week will be different. 9-15, 9-15, 5-15

Paul “The Pilot” (5) – Unfortunately he had to make an emergency landing as he lost to Kath 3-1. Even though he took off in the 1st game like one of those big Airbuses, he battled hard and from 7-5 down he finished the game like a fighter jet hitting its target by only conceding 1 more point on the way to winning the game 15-8. Buoyed by that 1st game Paul came out in the 2nd fired up but Kath was just as determined to get back on level terms and that’s exactly what she did by just edging it 15-13. Honours even going into the 3rd, the game was tight once again as both players new the importance of going 2-1 up. It was nip and tuck all the way, with both players contributing to some great rallies and even though at times it looked like Paul could just use his power to force the errors out of Kath she stood strong and managed to win it 15-11. Into the 4th and you could see Paul pouring on the after burners trying valiantly to take the match into a 5th but Kath didn’t fancy that and eventually ran out 16 -14. 3-1 Lose but playing a woman that has a 100% record, Paul gained a valuable point for the team, although we have all seen him play much better than this and I’m sure he will find his form as the season goes on.

Scott “The Athlete” (4) – Back with a bang after his knee injury, thanks to the Squash Gods, and ready and primed to show his team mates just what they had been missing, he lit the blue touch paper in the 1st with a combination of variations of serve and some volleying in key areas of the court which John just couldn’t handle. As a result Scott won 5 points in a row just on the serve alone and won the last 4 points in a row to win 15-10. Into the 2nd and John still had no answer to Scott’s attacking and retrieval skills, which once again resulted in him winning the last 5 points in a row resulting in a 15-9 win. With Scott 2-0 up going into the 3rd he knew that John would throw everything at him knowing that this could be his final chance to get back into the game. Scott was indeed right in his reading of the situation, as John fought hard but to no avail, as Scott for the 1st time in the match came from 10-13 down to win the last 5 points in a row again to seal the game 15-13. 3-0 Impressive Win and has hopefully earned his place in the team for next weeks double header away to Harlow.

Vince “Mr Miyagi” (2) – Playing a quality oppo in Nick, who Vin has come up against many many times before was always going to be tricky, especially as it looked like he had lost a few pounds making him quicker around the court. Into the 1st and as you would expect, there wasn’t much between them. Accurate shots from both players along with some gruelling rallies made for a tight and interesting game which Nick eventually won 15-13. Into the 2nd and not to be outdone Vin’s cunningness and shot selection paid dividends as he won it 15-10. Into the 3rd where Vince continued to fight for all he was worth but sadly on this occasion he fell short by losing 15-10. With Nick 2-1 up going into the 4th could Vin stop the rot and take it into a 5th and final game....... the answer was no. Unfortunately despite Vin’s never-say-die attitude and determination to make Nick earn every point, he had no answer to Nicks continued zest around the court and desire to cross the finish line 1st. As a result Nick won it 15-12. 3-1 Lose but just like Paul, gained a valuable point for the team and gave credit to his oppo where it was due after the match by saying “I played a competitive game on the night but he was quicker around the court than me”. I’m sure you will turn this result around in the 2nd half Vin.

Dave “Sick Note No More” (3) – So with 3 matches already played we were 2-1 down going into Dave’s one. Playing on the 2nd court which looked like it was in the middle of a total eclipse (slight exaggeration maybe) as a few of the lights were currently not working, and not being in the greatest of form lately, Dave took up the fight in the 1st against his oppo George. This was just like a heavy weight fight with both players trading blows and neither in the mood to give up. Rally after energy zapping rally it went on and on with both players playing some inspired squash at times and also making unforced errors. Finally the 1st was won by Dave 17-15. Into the 2nd and now Dave was starting to enjoy himself by keeping to the same formula that had served him so well in the 1st. Resulting in him winning it 15-10. Into the 3rd and George had obviously been eating his carrots because he was seeing the ball like a hawk and won it 15-5. Into the 4th and despite all of Dave’s attempts to stop the match going into a 5th, a 5th is where the match was heading with George winning the 4th 15-10. So for both players it was all or nothing and 9 times out of 10 if there is 1 thing that Dave is renowned for doing its digging in deep when it really counts. The question on everyone’s lips was were we going to be disappointed, no there was never any doubt as Dave found his 2nd wind with a fantastic and emphatic 15-6 win to square it 2-2 on the night going into Alan’s match. 3-2 Fantastic Win the right result at the right time Dave, well done.

Alan “The Terminator” (1) – So it all came down to the number 1’s, with just 1 point separating the two teams in the Div 4 table, with us in 1st and Stortford in 2nd who would be victorious..... Into the 1st and Steve is into his stride quickly, hitting the ball at 200mph and forcing the errors out of Alan. This was a perfect example of some fast and furious quality 30+ shot rallies with neither player willing to give up. However in the end Steve just managed to edge Alan out 15-12. Into the 2nd and much the same as the 1st, even though Alan was now getting to grips with the pace of the game, pace being Alan’s middle name, Steve still looked more comfortable and controlled in the rallies than Alan. As a result Steve won it 15-12. Now being 2-0 up and thinking he has got the match in the bag and also having directed more than a few smug comments and grins at Alan in-between points, Alan quite rightly was getting more and more angry with this arrogant northern poser and was ready to do some serious damage....... to his over inflated ego. Now if there’s 1 thing you should know about Alan it’s that you DON’T make him angry because that’s when he’s at his most dangerous. Did Steve heed the warning, did he hell as like, so Alan proceeded to slowly but surely grind his oppo down both physically and mentally by upping his work rate exponentially which resulted in Alan winning the 3rd 15-9. By now Steve is starting to look a little bit tired as Alan goes into a 7-0 lead in the 4th but after trading more and more energy draining rallies Steve can only manage to gain 8 points on his way to losing it 15-8. Into the 5th and final game and Alan is well and truly in the zone, the only comments coming out of Steve’s mouth now are directed at himself as he starts to feel the pressure big time. Once again the rallies were frantic, hard fought and long but because Steve didn’t have a short game whatsoever and took great delight in battering the ball into next week, Alan thought all of his Christmas’s had come at once and was completely in his element. This resulted in Steve only gaining 8 points again and Alan taking it 15-8. 3-2 Quality Win On behalf of the whole team I have to say that the squash you played that night Alan was absolutely awesome and the comeback of the season so far..... As you know that win of yours meant that we beat our nearest rivals Stortford 3-2 on the night and stay top of the Division.

Congratulations to the whole team who all gained valuable points for the campaign. Harlow up next lads, bring it on!!!

Great performance guys - looked decidedly close before the last 2 strings but we came good against a much strengthened Royston 2.

Tony on first struggled to find many descent shots but managed to keep in the game and upped the pace for the last few shots to win the first 15-13. Into the 2nd and Tony's still got his top on - it takes time to warm up in winter. Warmed up, he lost the 2nd. And third. This was not looking good. Team talk - Captain's performance needed. A very close 4th - the game depended on it and he won 4th 15-13, all square 2-2. Oppo looking tired Tony started picking his shots and oppo let them be played. 5th game bagged. 3-2 WIN 15-13, 11-15, 7-15, 15-13, 15-5.

Dave came up against a more mature player, the spritely and experienced Tony Harmer (now 63 but still in great shape!). This was going to be a tough game from the start. Dave got the first and looked set for a quick win. Tony ahd other ideas though and took the second. There were some odd requests for lets and some odd decisions, but overall these didn't affect the match. As this game was set to go all the way to 5 Dave began to feel drained, surely his youth and fitness would win through? The last 3 games were tight 2 ties before the final game. A momentary lapse of concentration at 13-14 match point against and Dave served out. An anticlimax to a fantastic game of squash against a very experienced oppo. 2-3 LOSS 15-7, 10-15, 16-14, 15-17, 13-15.

Laurence playing well the previous week was out for a repeat performance against another good player. Once again his length was good and he started well in a closely fought first which could have gone either way. It went to Laurence and this was his signal to go for the quick win. Laurence was working hard and seemed to be suffering from stiffness (if not from the squash from the football) but this mattered not as consistently won the point in the next 2 games 15-9 to finish with a 3-0 WIN 15-13, 15-9, 15-9 Best performer this season so far with 6 points for and nil against. Well done!

Vince "Mr Miyagi", after last weeks loss was out to make amends, and got off to the right start winning 15-10. Some doubters in the gallery doubted Vince's tactics, thinking a hard driving game was the order of the day. Vince never got to hear about this and if he did he ignored it - sticking to plan A - lob, drop and drive occcasionally. With a minor interruption in his winning ways in the second Vince's tactics started to pay off as Vince's accuracy improved with practise and his oppo tired. His oppo gave his all in the 3rd, which he lost in a tie. Vince made him pay for this effort in the 4th running out with a 3-1 WIN 15-10, 7-15, 16-14, 15-8

Match now in the bag it was over to Alan:-

On last Alan "the Terminator" wanted a better start than last week and was very up for a blockbusting performance. The first game was close but Alan was determined not to let the first game slip away winning it 15-13. In fact the whole match was a close run thing but as Alan's oppo waited for Alan to fade (huh? - interesting tactic!) Alan continued to press on winning the second. Into the 3rd and Alan's oppo was spent though still pushed the game to a tie break. That was it - Alan threw the whole toybox at his oppo and saved his best shots for end... If this had gone to a 4th Alan would have won by a large point margin, but he saved a team point by winning in 3. 3-0 WIN 15-13, 15-10, 17-15

A great start to the season. The first match of the season is never easy but a win is a win. 3-2 in this case!!

First on Paul, new recruit but not new to the circuit against what looked like a resaonable oppo. Paul started well winning the first reasonable comfortably, but his oppo got the measure of him and no matter what Paul tried the ball never seemed to haquite enough depth or width to do sufficient damage. His oppo finally ran out the winner 1-3 (15-10, 8-15, 9-15, 5-15)

Next on Dave, former sicknote but this season fighting fit and up for a game. Playing a guy younger and good at swimming and running and squash... but how good at squash exactly? Well not as good as Dave who took it all in his stride and comfort zone to make his 3-0 win look easy - which I am sure it wasn't. 3-0 (15-10,15-10,15-9)

Laurence having been back from his travels and having "played a bit", had lost none of his trademark style since playing for the team maybe 4 seasons ago. Laurence's fitness could not be questioned as he managed to drive to a good length and place his shots well. He went on to win 3-0, narrowly avoiding the prospect of a full fitness test by wining the 3rd in a tie-break. 3-0 win(15-10, 15-5, 17-15)

Vince went on with the prospect of a win handing us the match. He started well winning the first in a tie, but this was going to the wire as his oppo won the second in the same fashion. Differing styles made for an interesting match with the game heading for the 5th it was all to play for. It had been a long match and unfortunately and not through lack of effort Vince lost the 5th. 2-3 Loss(17-15, 15-17, 15-11, 9-15, 6-15)

Alan has had a few encounters with Tim now and they are usually memorable for some superb squash. The match depended on Alan - though he was not aware of this. The first game showed Alan's lack of court time as he failed to find length and width, but did find some choice words for himself. The second game saw Alan regain his form, only to be frustrated once again by Tim.in the 3rd. 2-1 down and things were not looking good, but Alan doesn't give up and some may even have seen the lights in Stevenage dim as Alan drew the power from somewhere to win the next two ganes convincingly. Matchwinning performance Alan - well done. 3-2 win(6-15, 15-10, 13-15, 15-6, 15-8)