Pett seals home win for Chichester

Team Chichester played IGT Winchester at Chichester Racquets & Fitness Club this week; the squad’s first home fixture of this season’s Premier Squash League.

Lauren Briggs, making her home debut for Chichester, faced Catherine Finlayson (also making her debut for Winchester).  Briggs did not disappoint and started strongly. She dominated to win 11/3 in the first.  Finlayson fought back well in the next 2 games; experience, however, held Briggs’ game together.  Greater control and domination of the ‘T’ saw her through to win the match 11/7, 11/6.

Chichester 1 up.

Meanwhile, on the show court, Alex Gough (Chi.) played Jesse Engelbrecht (World No.55).  The first 2 games were evenly matched.  Gough, although short of match practice, battled well but still found himself 2 close games down.  Engelbrecht employed the straight forehand drop to great effect.  Clearly the efforts of the first 2 games had taken their toll but nonetheless Gough continued to give it his all.  Despite his valiant effort Gough finally lost the 3^rd game 5/11.

1-all

Mark Cairns, former World No.6 played Nic Birt (Welsh International player), also making his debut for Chichester.  This proved to be a tough 3-game match which lasted 50 minutes.  Birt steadfastly fought well throughout but Cairn’s length of shot and total lack of unforced errors or mistakes in general took his steady, no frills match to a 9/11, 6/11, 3/11 victory.  As the score suggests, Cairns dominated more and more as the match progressed and his win put Winchester 1.2 up.

On the glass-back show court Tim Vail (Chi) took on Marwan El Shorbagy, the World No.2 Junior.  Vail lost the first game but made a big push in the 2^nd to narrowly win it 11/9.  In the 3^rd Vail held several game balls and some contentious decisions ensued before he narrowly lost an energy sapping game to go 1.2 down.  Vail then turned it around in the 4^th to win the game and force a decider.  The two men were neck and neck with Vail taking an 8/7 lead.  El Shorbagy received 2 points against him – one of which was a conduct point which gave Vail match point; he converted this to finally win 11/7.

2-all and down to the wire. 

The final match was between Olly Pett (World No.145, a former International Junior and Chichester’s U23 player for the season) and Joey Barrington (currently World No.31).  Pett was quickly out of the block with fast playing, precise squash, particularly in the front of the court and Barrington was just not equal in moving forward.  1.0. became 2.0 with Pett dictating the game.  Was there a huge shock in store for Winchester and Chichester’s first win of the season only moments away?

Pett continued in the same vein to take an insurmountable 10/4 lead in the 3^rd before finally clinching an outstanding win for himself and victory for Chichester on his 5^th match point.

Team Chichester will play their next home fixture, against St George’s Hill, next Tuesday 23^rd November.  For tickets and more information tel: 01243 785664

Mike Phillips

Team Manager.