Despite missing top seeded player John White, Nottingham managed a 3-2 victory over a full strength Wolverhampton outfit. ...
FPD SAVILLS NOTTINGHAM beat WOLVERHAMPTON 3 / 2
Simon Parke lost to Anthony Rickets 3/9 9/7 5/9 4/9
David Evans beat Alex Gough 6/9 9/4 9/2
9/4
Tommy Berden beat Mark Cairns 9/6 1/9 9/4 9/5
Sam Miller lost to Joey Barrington 9/2 6/9 7/9
12/10 3/9
Natalie Grinham beat Shelley Kitchen 9/5 8/10 9/3
9/6
Despite missing top seeded player John White, the FPD Savills team put
up an excellent showing against a full strength Wolverhampton outfit.
Certain rubbers were always going to be crucial in the match and non
more so than between flatmates Sam Miller and Joey Barrington
In a match lasting over 80 minutes it was the higher ranked Barrington
who won the day, but only after the Nottingham player had given him a
real fright.
It wasn't a pretty game but there was no questioning both players
determination to come out victor. Miller started well - racing to a 7 -
0 lead, Barrington snatched a couple a points before Miller closed out
the first.
Barrington found his rhythm in the second taking it 9 / 6 and the third
9/7 with never more than 3 points between them.
Barrington had match balls in the 4th but the resilient and much
improved Miller stole it 12 / 10.
Barrington composed himself in the 5th and took advantage of some tired
mistakes to take the all important rubber.
This win levelled it up as Natalie Grinham had taken her first victory
for the FPD Savills team after another closely contested ladies match.
Grinham has great pace and composure on court and never looked
flustered, covering every corner of the court. A few mistakes in the
second brought on by Kitchen's incredible power allowed the New
Zealander to level it at one all but Grinham took control from here
using a drop & lob game to great effect before running out 3/1 winner in
55 minutes.
The battle between the two Welshmen, Evans & Gough perhaps favoured the
Wolverhampton player on paper but Evans produced a repeat performance
which say him take the national crown from his adversary earlier in the
year to run out a comfortable 3 / 1 winner in 33 minutes. Evans knows
just how to frustrate Gough and, despite losing the first never looked
troubled by his lack-lustre opponent.
So by now Nottingham were on a roll and with word filtering through to
Berden on the neighbouring court the Dutchman turned the screw taking
Cairns 3 / 1.
The finale was left to Simon Parke who still is able to turn on a
formidable retrieving game - and he had to do just that against the
powerful Rickets. The Australian world no. 6 has an awesome presence on
court but the game with Parke - a dead rubber - was highly entertaining
and a fitting climax to an excellent night's squash.
Nottingham manager added - "This was a fantastic, unexpected victory for
us. A defeat would have probably consigned us to the lower part of the
league for the remainder of the season - but as it turns out - we're
still in there with a shout"
The team next travel to Manchester in 2 weeks time - again with a
depleted team. Next home game is the crunch battle with midlands
rivals, Edgbaston Priory on 6th January.
