Cotter Wins Handicap Final

Handicap Final: Bert Cotter bt Dick Taylor (15/11, 15/4, 10/15, 12/15, 15/13) 54mins.

A cracking final with loads of tension, excitement highs and lows. An incredible come-back from Taylor who looked decidely out of sorts in the first two games but responded with some excellent court coverage to put the pressure on Cotter and level the match. It was “no-nonsense” Cotter in the fifth as he attacked Taylor’s game with a series of volley drives and chopped cross court drops to great effect and left the tiring Taylor in his wake.

Handicap 3/4: Paul Bee bt Karl Drayton (15/6, 10/15, 15/11, 7/15, 15/2).

Both players pushed themselves to the limits in what was always destined to be a close match. Bee driving the ball hard and tearing around the court whilst Drayton countered with well paced lengths and testing drops and lobs. Drama in the fourth as Drayton had to take an injury break after which he managed to grab the initiative back from Bee and level the match at two-all. However after a close initial battle in the fifth it started to go Bee’s way and he pushed on strongly enough to win the fifth 15-2. 

Plate Final: Paul Matthewman bt Steve Jaques (15/12, 6/15, 15/5, 15/7).

Due to the prolonged activities on court 3 this match ended up being played simultaneously on court 4 and was closely contested throughout. Jaques continued to serve up surprises and his determined running often caught Matthewman off-guard. After being level at one-all Matthewman tightened up his game and slowly pulled back the handicap to take the initiative in the third and fourth to run out the winner 3-1.

Plate 3/4: Steve Hame bt Paul Goddard (15/12, 15/10, 15/10)

Despite the fact that Hame huffed, puffed and scowled his way through this match he was generally in control as  Goddard didn’t really get around to producing his best squash. The occasional pressure from Goddard reaped rewards but unfortunately he was unable to get a good run of points together and didn’t cover the court as well as he’d been doing in earlier rounds. Three-nil to Hame.

Ladies Final: Audrey Rumbles bt Barbara Dann (15/6, 14/15, 15/10, 15/10)

A close match from two players who regularly play each other and know each other’s game well. Rumbles had the benefit of the handicap but had to work hard to keep ahead in the race to fifteen points. All level after the second game but it proved to be Rumble’s night and she ran out the winner 3-1.

Corus/Tata Cup Competition 

Dave Ball wins Corus Cup

A clinical display by the in-form Dave Ball saw him retain the Corus Cup for the fourth season by beating Nick Bunch in three games (15-7, 15-2, 15-11) in just 24 minutes. Ball’s impressive court movement and stylish play was just too much for Bunch who was unable to make any real impact on the match. That said, Bunch had a good run of points in the third game and briefly led before Ball played a series of drops and drives to gain back the initiative and close out the match. (24 mins).

Corus Cup Play-off

An excellent match in which Dan Cheetham took the initiative with a strong performance in the first game causing his opponent Paul Bee all sorts of problems and taking the game 15-8. The second game was closer as Bee responded well to the pressure. There were some excellent rallies in this game as both players covered all area’s of the court with some remarkable recoveries that had the AFSC crowd on the edge of their seats. Cheetham surged ahead from 7-all and served for the match at 14-8 but as the pressure built on both players it was Bee who miraculously pulled the game back to 14-all and sneaked the game 15-14.

Paul Bee took an early five point lead in the third and from then on Cheetham was under pressure making a number of costly errors that saw Bee win the game 15-7 and then go on to take the fourth 15-8 and the match 3-1. (38 mins)

Plate Final

There was some perverse pleasure in seeing Tony Parrott doubled up and struggling for breath as his fitness levels are legendary within the club. However his opponent Mike Hornsey is no mean runner and after a very nervous start by both players they produced a lively, sometimes frantic, match where every part of the court was covered. Hornsey started the match by serving out but kept level until Parrott kicked on from 10-all to win the first game 15-12. The second contained some wonderful rallies, drops and drives interspersed with errors by both contestants and as Hornsey served for the game at 14-all Parrot played a low tight return that snatched the game 15-14.

Parrott looked more relaxed and comfortable in the third and won 15-7 taking the match 3-0. (29 mins)

Plate Play-Off

Never to be underestimated John King got off to an excellent start playing it tight down the sidewalls and punishing any of Nick Soulby’s loose shots with a telling drop. King took the first game 15-10. Soulby responded well and by changing his service put King under some real pressure and using dropshots effectively himself to win the next two games 15-6, 15-9. The third game had taken it’s toll on King’s reserve and Soulby closed out the match 3-0 by taking the fourth game 15-5. (24 mins).

AFSC Handicap Final 2010

In what proved to be an exciting and well supported evenings squash at AFSC James Thompson (#2) pipped Dave Ball (#1) to the title in what had been an exciting, tense and close match.

 With an adjusted handicap for the final Thompson ( -2pts) won the first game 15-11. Ball (-5pts) was slow to start in the second game but with some excellent court coverage eroded the points difference mid game and then went on to take the game 15-12.  Thompson responded well in the third and his two-handed back hand was much in evidence as he built an early lead which he held on to securing the third game.

Again Ball responded and very effectively levelled the match with some excellent drives and drops, dominating play and keeping the pressure on Thompson who made a few critical errors (15-2). Perhaps with that effort in the fourth taking it’s toll on Ball, Thompson worked his way into a healthy 9-2 lead in the fifth. Incredibly Ball responded again and took some momentum into a 8 point run that really racked up the tension. Ball looked set for the match at 13-11 but two nervous errors and a good shot from Thompson under pressure sneaked the match for Thompson (15-13).

Earlier in the evening in the U12′s Final Lucy Soulby beat Josh Horner 15-5, 15-12, 15-4. The O12′s Final saw Matty Frith beat Liam Riley 15-10, 15-8, 15-6.

A very closely fought Ladies Final saw Helen Carmichael take the spoils in five thrilling games against Audrey Rumbles. All of the games were close not least the fourth and fifth which Helen won 15-14 and 15-13. (14-15, 15-9, 11-15, 15-14, 15-13).

In the Handicap plate competition Tony Parrott hussled and bustled Nigel Bratton who didn’t quite get into his stride winning 3-0 and to good effect even managed to lob “Big Nige”!

For more of the nights winners see the news and updated Roll of Honour pages.