St George's take the spoils

Mike Phillips reports

Last night Covers Team Chichester played St George’s Hill, Weybridge in the first home tie of the Premier Squash League season. 

First up Chichester’s Dominique Lloyd-Walter (No. 6 England and World No 22) played St George’s Hill’s new signing, Lauren Briggs who is a world top 20 player.   The first 2 games were evenly shared, 11/7, 5/11.   The 3rd game was nip and tuck all the way which Lloyd-Walter narrowly took 12/10, having previously saved several game balls.

The momentum was now with the Chichester player and she confidently started the fourth game with some good cross court drops to send her opponent the wrong way on several occasions.  Lloyd-Walter ran out a comfortable 11/3 winner to put Chichester 1.0 up.

 On the glass-back championships court, Chichester’s No 3 string, Tim Vail, played Hungarian No.1, Mark Krajcsak.   During the first game the capacity crowd enjoyed good all court squash from both players.   Vail hit several of his renowned, trade-mark nicks but unfortunately, towards the end, he twisted his ankle and narrowly lost the game he much needed, 14/16.   Krajcsak forged ahead in the second to take a 2.0 lead.   Vail showed spirit and valiantly fought back to take the next game 11/7.    In the fourth Vail battled to stay in contention and despite a tremendous effort saving a couple of match points he eventually was defeated 9/11.

1.all on the night.

Next on court Robert Downer, making his debut for Chichester, played former British Junior Champion, Joe Lee.  Downer battled well throughout but Lee’s shot selection, ability and experience, on the professional circuit, ensured he always had the upper hand.    Lee won 6/11, 3/11, 7/11

2.1 to St. George’s Hill

Chichester’s Robbie Temple played Tom Richards (St. George’s Hill).  Temple faced a tough task with approximately 30 world ranking places between him and Richards.   Richards showed he was more consistent in the rallies when it mattered most and took the match 7/11, 8/11. 8/11.  Temple, however, was involved right to the end; the only difference was that he hit too many tins.

3.1 and the match to St George’s Hill

Last match on court, in what was a dead rubber, the No.1 strings Mo Azlan Iskandar (World No.20) battled against Daryl Selby (World No.21).  In a scrappy first 2 games Selby could have been 2.0. up but in some ways Iskandar was fortunate to be at 1-all.  Both games were the same score line; in the first Iskandar lost it 10/12 after being at 10-all and in the second he managed to hold on and win 12/10.  Iskandar then gained some momentum and took the third 11/4 to put Chichester 2.1 up.  At this point the Chichester man seemed to tire quickly.  Selby’s game of moving the ball around well matched with his good physical and mental strength proved too much for the Malaysian and Selby went on to win the match 5/11, 3/11 to give St. George’s a 1.4 win on the night.

With two 1.4 defeats so far Chichester will be at full strength at the next round which takes place next Tuesday.  Covers Team Chichester will be taking on the might of Surrey Health & Rackets and a win is desperately needed.

 Mike Phillips - Team Manager