Newport still seeking first win

Jethro Binns reports

Chapel Allerton made the long journey south to Newport this evening for Newport’s first home match of their debut season in the PSL. After receiving a text from Shaun Le Roux telling me they had left this morning chapel A arrive this evening bemused to find that Newport was actually south of the M4 and still in the Northern Division.

 

On paper this evening was always going to be a bit of a tough ask for Newport who were missing Rob “I don’t want to let the ball bounce” Sutherland who is away playing the Austrian open. This meant that as suspected Greg Tippings came out of retirement to show the young ones how to do it……

 

Greg went on first and as it transpired he did show the youngsters how to play both opponent and referee. Greg reached 69 in the world when he was full time and used all his experience to win the match 3-0. His young opponent described Greg as being “awkward” to play which I think is putting in nicely as anyone who has had the joy of playing tips will testify.

 

Deon Saffery knew that it was always going to be tough playing world number 6 Jenny Duncalf and found herself 9-0 down in the first. From this point on the match became a little more contested as Deon began to cope with the pace a little better but the outcome wasn’t really ever in doubt as Jenny ran out a winner in 3.

 

I went on against Shaun with the match stood at 1-1. Having lost all four of our previous meetings I was hoping to turn things around but it wasn’t to be. Feeling slightly under the weather and half a yard off the pace Shaun gave me a guided tour of the back corners as he hit “joke length after joke length in it”. I didn’t really make any impression on the match as he hit the ball to the back with such severe pace and accuracy that I wasn’t able to compete around the middle and he hit picked me off as and when he liked.

 

The Crystal Ball had us down for a 4-1 defeat but I though that it would 3-2 and felt that Campbell Grayson stood a very good chance against Chris Simpson. Having only flown back form Hong Kong on Saturday Campbell looked in control during the first two games as he took them 11-9 11-7. Hitting some outrageous winners on the volley Campbell hit what he described as “the best shot I have ever hit”  as he slammed the ball in to the nick with a cross court volley. I thought it was something to do with the fact that his string broke as he hacked at the ball forcing it to come off weird and bounce a bit funny but he maintained that it was deliberate. Simpo fought back to take the third as campbell got a bit excited and tried to play everything in front of the short line. The fourth saw Campbell get a good lead only for Chris to pull it back to 7-7, at which point Chris played a drop, didn’t clear too well, Campbell ran through and knocked Chris’ racket out of his hand before hitting a crosscourt drive. The point was disputed with Chris suggesting that his New Zealand opponent was perhaps getting a little too excited about the forthcoming Autumn rugby internationals. However the referee felt it was Chris who had caused the interference and the point went to the All Black. The crowd were very vocal and got behind Campbell in a big way. He gave them what they wanted as he took the game 12-10 and tied the match at 2-2.

 

The deciding match came down to Ali Walker and Aaron Frankcomb who regularly train together in Leeds. Aaron keen to impress his home fans got off to a great start hitting some fabulous winners as Ali found the tin too may times and won the first game 11-9. The crowd sensed an upset and a first win for the PSL newcomers but it wasn’t to be. Ali decided he would volley everything and try and play at 276mph which unfortunately for Aaron he succeeded in doing  With pacey length after pacey length and volley winners from anything that wasn’t skinned Ali took the last three games fairly comfortably.

 

So Newport left still seeking their first win in the League whilst Chapel A left with the prospect of a 4 hour drive “back t’ north” . The crowd went home slightly disappointed but impressed to have watched such high quality squash. The players commented on how good the fans were and all look forward to future matches at Wales’s premier club……

Jethro Binns