Chichester finish with a win

In the final match of the PSL season, pnh Properties Team Chichester welcomed local rivals Unisport Guldford, in the bottom of the table clash, reports Mike Phillips.

Chichester’s Annabelle Collins-Ballands, making her home debut, played Emma Wardle. Both are Junior players and a fantastic match ensued. Wardle played good confident squash whereas Collins-Ballands looked fraught with nerves and in no time at all found herself 0.2 down. She needed a game to gain self-assurance. Her confidence was boosted when she narrowly took the third and fourth soon after. She raced to a 9/3 lead in the decider before she slightly faltered allowing Wardle to claw back 3 points with some excellent positive play. Collins-Ballands kept her composure and closed the game and match 11/6.

On the adjoining championship court, Olly Pett (Chichester), undefeated thus far this season, took on Phil Rushworth from Guildford. After a very tight first game, Rushworth finally won it 10/12 and a close match looked to be on the cards. Unfortunately Pett’s next 2 games were strewn with errors and Rushworth [all credit to him] took full advantage and played a solid, no frills match, to wrap up 0.3 victory.

1 match all.

Next on court 4, Neil Frankland was making his debut for Chichester against Mick Biggs. The match was very much a ‘to & fro’ affair with Biggs leading 1.2 before Frankland’s patience, composure and experience enabled him to fight back to take the 4th and 5th games – making Chichester 2.1 up.

On the glass back court Tim Vail played Steve Meads. For the most part Vail controlled the first two games, winning 11/9, 11/8 and although Meads had his chances Vail’s shot making was winning through. Meads then rallied well and pulled back to take the third game 6/11. Vail stormed to a 5/0 lead in the 4th only to be pegged back to 5/5 by Meads’ persistence. At this stage there was a small collision and an exchange of words which appeared to unsettle Meads. Vail took advantage and threw in a few of his trademark nicks to seal the match 11/6.

3.1 and the match to Chichester

So to the final match of the evening and what amounted to a dead rubber but nonetheless involved the silky skills of Stacey Ross (Guildford) and Chichester’s Alex Gough. The rallies in the first game were evenly contested to 5 all until a rally ensued didn’t move forward at all and his resistance faded; 11/5 to Chichester. After a slow start by Ross in the second game, Gough built up a healthy lead and some superb winning lengths brought Ross back into this game. The lead which Gough had created proved too much although a closer game than the first with Gough winning it 11/7. The third game had both players involved form the start using some great angles and all parts of the court. Gough had 2 match points but Ross held on to take the tie break 13/15. The fourth game saw Ross continue in the same vein with Gough looking like he had lost the impetus from the first 2 games. Ross took the game 5/11 to set up a 5th and deciding game.

The momentum was now with Ross and Gough was really struggling to regain control and the match slipped away 7/11 to make the overall score 3.2 on the night

Team Chichester will now need to take stock, regroup and apply themselves for the next campaign and hopefully a better season.

Mike Phillips
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