First team off to a good start in the new season

Henley 1sts visited Esporta North Oxford.

Paul Johnson at first string had difficulty starting against a below par Ross Gore but managed to claw back from 2/1 down to win 3/2.

Luke Power had a bad evening and chose the wrong tactics against his experienced opponent Andy Longman (the Junior coach at Henley) by floating the ball too much and not driving.

Simon Street had an interesting decision on match ball against Stewart Licudi when the marker awarded him the match. Street refused, on the basis that he did not think that his opponent had transgressed sufficiently to cede a stroke. Street immediately regretted his generosity in losing that game but came back strongly in the fifth to take the match.

Will Buckfield was too strong and fit for an aging Mark Webster running out winner by 3/0.

The last match was forfeited by Henley due to the player getting lost in Oxford. Henley 15 points Esporta 10.

Henley 2nds entertained a weaker than normal Abingdon 2 side and lost 2/3 (9points/16 points).

Paul Sayers at first string could not cope with Gavin Collins skill and speed around the court and despite a really hard fought third game succumbed 4/9, 9/4, 8/10, 4/9.

James Knight came up against somebody as fit as him and somewhat surprisingly Knight was exhausted after losing 3/0(6/9, 7/9, 8/10) in a game where the rallies were long and lungbursting.

Nigel Richardson, not quite back to his pre injury(skiing) fitness level, was too much for Andrew Smith after a slow start in the first game with Richardson truning on his running game and winning 5/9, 9/2, 9/7, 9/6.

Derek Oswald would normally be expected to beat Brian Rawlinson but clearly was suffering , maybe from Christmas excess, and went down 3/9, 4/9, 9/2, 9/4, 5/9.

Roger Booker played the young and inexperienced James Murphy and went 2/0 up almost immediately. However Booker took his foot off the gas and having lost the third game allowed Murphy to save several match points in the fourth game before winding himself up again and showing no mercy in the fifth game with Booker winning 9/5, 9/1, 7/9, 9/10, 9/1.

A disappointing match at Esporta North Oxford saw Henley 3rds lose the match 4/1(18 points vs 5 points to Henley). The much improving Tim Budden was the only winner of the evening just overcoming Toby Warren 3/2. Steve Berger at 2nd string got two games against the experienced Phil von Hausenchild but Henley’s other players Terry Whiter, Paul Ireland and Chris Pullen were empty handed in the other games.

Henley 4ths, newly demoted to Division 8 and hoping to be more competitive at this level, were hosts to Castaways, who just missed out on promotion before Christmas.

Richard Griffiths, in a welcome return to team Squash for Henley, played at 1st string. Griffiths seemed to be playing the more stylish squash, but couldn’t quite kill the rallies even when he had his opponent Richard Read in difficulties. In the end, Read ran out a winner in straight games, but Griffiths seems to be getting rid of the cobwebs after his long lay-off and we look forward to his appearances in the 3rd and 4th teams this season.

James Gildersleve stepped up to second string after a no-show from the initial team selection. Despite this, he provided the closest match of the evening, eventually losing 3/2 having led 1/0 and 2/1 against Dave Surrage. Gildersleve was pleased at playing some of his best squash in recent months, overcoming a re-occurrence of his old nemesis – gout in the ankle and foot!

At third string, Henley junior Jonathan Betts competed gamely with his more experienced opponent Olly Siefers. Betts drew appreciative comments for his stroke play from the other Castaways players in the viewing gallery, but eventually succumbed in straight games.

At fourth string Duncan Nightingale took a close-fought second game off Simon Fitzgerald, but the effort left him short of puff – Fitzgerald running out a winner 6/9, 10/9, 4/9, 6/9. ‘Still need to burn off the turkey and Christmas pud’ was the verdict on Nightingale’s performance.

At fifth string, Andrea Mica filled in at the (very!) last minute and was far too good for the Castaways skipper Dave Ling, thrashing him 9/1, 9/0, 9/0 and providing the only win of the night for Henley.

Henley Veterans team entertained Wellington 2 and lost the match 19 points to 7.

At first string Jim Lynn recorded the only Henley success beating Peter Call 3/2 in an epic struggle. Lynn struggled in the first game succumbing 3/9. He clawed his way back in the second game, only to lose the third. With Call visibly wilting under an onslaught of tight drives and outrageous drops from the back of the court, Lynn finally triumphed despite a wobble at match point where Lynn lost 4 points in a row 3/9, 9/5, 2/9, 9/3, 9/6.

Richard Kellagher looked to have John Petruschke well under control at the end of the third game but contrived to lose despite holding match ball in the fifth game 5/9, 9/3, 9/2, 5/9, 8/10.

Malcolm Hay was too strong for an under par Trevor Cox winning 5/9, 7/9, 3/9.

Steve Berger started very brightly against the much older Chris Ansell but was eventually reigned in losing a tight last game 9/0, 8/10, 9/3, 3/9, 9/10.

Roger Booker had his moments against Steve Attfield but after exacerbating a calf muscle strain in the third game had to retire with the score 5/9, 8/10, 4/7.

The Oxfordshire League Tables can be seen here.

The Berkshire Veterans League Tables can be picked up here.