Sunday, 21 March 2010 00:00

Kent under 15's Boys. have lifted the UK County Trophy, they beat Derbyshire 3-2 on Saturday in the Semi's and Yorkshire 3-2

This is for only the 2nd time in the last 20 years at any age group, and notably featured two Mote players, James Evans and Ryan Duke.

The full team was:-
 
1) James Evans - Mote Squash Club
2) Josh Masters - Maidstone Squash Club
3) Ryan Duke - Mote Squash Club
4) Bradley Masters - Maidstone Squash Club
5) Edward Henley - Rodmersham Squash Club
 
Reserve (No 6) Ayden Spinks - Bexley Squash Club
 
So the Mote have a strong representation in the team along of course with Maidstone.
 
In today's final it was always expected that Kent would win at 1 & 2 with their two boys James Evans & Josh Masters both ranked inside the England top 10, but the pressure for the players (and the parents!!) means the games still have to be won, Yorkshire had won previous rounds by being strong right down the order and this proved correct again yesterday when they dispensed with Essex 4-1.
 
In today's final the numbers 5 & 4 went on first, Ed Henley at 5 looked as though he would win at 5 but the match swung one way and then the other and he finally lost 2-3.
 
At 4 Brad Masters started slow and it looked as though he would lose out, but again it swung one way then the other and he finally won 3-2 so now it was 1 match each.
 
Now on 1 court only Ryan went on and lost the first, although narrowly to a very quick player ranked a great many places higher than himself, then won the second, lost the third, came back and won the fourth, went 6-2 done in the 5th, came back to 8 all and finally lost 11-9 in the 5th so 2-1 to Yorkshire.
 
James at No 1 went on next and as usual played it cool and won 3-0 with a quality of squash and control way beyond his opponents, but did let his opponent get to game point in the first and even the 2nd was tight before he ran out a clear winner in the 3rd, so match score was then 2-2 and very nail biting for all.
 
Josh Masters at 2 went on with all the pressure and expectation on his shoulders, it showed as he lost the 1st game to a player who was clearly intent on powering him off the court, the 2nd was again tight but Josh scrapped in so 1-1, again a nail biting 3rd which Josh managed to win by superb racket control and deft drop shots, then in the 4th the opponent seem to hit the self explode button and Josh won it and sealed the victory for Kent, but it has to be said the team supported each other 100% and each and every one played their part in two very tight matches across Saturday & Sunday - Congratulations and Well done to the all - especially James and Ryan!

Handicap Competition Main final consisted of
James Evans (Handicap= -34) VS Ede Aruede (Handicap= -32)

Ede Started each game with a two point advantage over James, but was unable to maintain the impetus as James' shot retrieval proved too much for him to handle. Ede's touch and finesse stretched James, but ultimately it was the fitness and quality of shots from the 15 yr old that ensured a fairly comfortable 3 games to love victory.

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Handicap competition Plate final consisted of Richard Green (Handicap= -25) VS Martin Verga (Handicap= -25)

The handicaps where tied even at the start of each game, but a bright and resoute start from Martin took him to 2-0 up in no time. However, not one to give up that easily, Richard desperately fought back with some great retrieval of Martin's best shots. This obviously put Martin under pressure and started to produce errors to his game. Richard's resolve (desperation?) allowed him to take the next two games, leaving the score at 2-2.

By the fifth game Richard's energy was drained, although he never gave up the battle, but Martin's youth, sharp reactions and tidy drop shots eventually carried him through to a well deserved 3-2 victory.

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Match Results

Main Dreaw; James Evans bt Ede Aruede 3-0

Plate Event;   Martin Verga bt Richard Green 3-2

Well done to all involved. With a special "thank you" going to Sharon For preparing the food and organising the bar.

Tournament Organisers: Ryan Duke and Steve Duke            PHOTOS>>>

Ben Ford and Stephanie Brind made it a Bexley double in the Kent County Closed Championships held at The Mote.

Brind overcame Catherine Ruffle in straight games in the women’s final but Ford was made to fight all the way by Steven London (Park Langley) in an absorbing men’s final.

London, who overcame club-mate Ted Jeal in the quarter-finals and Rodmersham’s Neil Baker in the semis, won two tiebreakers to lead by two games to one, but Ford’s match experience and phenomenal racket skills finally won the day.

There was a solid junior presence in the tournament and Bexley’s Elliot Knight beat Maidstone’s Josh Masters 3-2 in an entertaining Plate final.

Semi-finals: (1) Ben Ford (Bexley) beat (3/4) Issa Kamara (Tunbridge Wells) 9-11, 11-2, 11-4, 6-11, 11-6;
(3/4) Steve London (Park Langley) beat (2) Neil Baker (Rodmersham) 6-11, 11-9, 11-1, 11-6.
Final:  (1) Ben Ford (Bexley) beat (3/4) Steve London (Park Langley) (12-10,9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9)

Women’s final: Stephanie Brind (Bexley) beat Catherine Ruffle (Beckenham) 9-2, 9-3, 9-1.

Mote master Maidstone to move up to fourth

Maidstone 2 The Mote 3 (Maidstone names first):

Gordon McManus beat Jonny Powell 10-8, 9-3, 0-9, 9-2
Nick Peel lost to James Evans 9-1, 3-9, 5-9, 0-9
Graham Appleby lost to Alex Crouch  5-9, 9-6, 0-9, 8-10
Ray Bushell beat Paul Adam 9-6,1-9, 9-2, 9-0
Stewart Gotts lost to Adrian Humphries 9-4, 7-9, 6-9, 9-2, 4-9

Bonus Points: Mote 16, Maidstone 10.