A Close Call

Hyde CSC Squash 1st Team's latest game was at home against relegation threatened Neston. Hyde overcame the late drop out of their number 2 Julian Tomlinson to register their 7th win in their last 8 games, narrowly beating Neston 3-2.

Hyde CSC Squash 1st Team 1 2 3 4 5 Neston 1st Team
1 George Parker [A] 3 13-11 12-10 11-8 0 Emyr Evans
2 Joshua Taylor 3 6-11 17-15 11-7 5-11 11-7 2 Sean Hunter
3 Steve Gregory 0 14-16 SG Retired hurt 3 Rachel Chadwick
4 Steve White 3 13-11 11-5 8-11 6-11 11-6 2 Jon Hunter
5 Jordan Jozefczyk 1 11-6 5-11 11-13 10-12 3 Karl Hardy

Kicking the night off for Hyde was Steve White, up against the Cheshire over35's captain Jon Hunter. Steve set off strongly playing with pace and power and took a 2-0 lead. He was unable to keep the pace up though in the next two and Jon clawed them back to make it 2-2. Steve found some extra energy in the fifth set though and went 6-0 up as the pace fast pace of the game started to take its toll on Jon. Steve Eventually taking the final set 11-6 to give Hyde an early lead.

The number 5 strings were on next, as Jordan Jozefczyk returned to the Hyde side to replace the injured Julian Tomlinson. Jordan was playing the experienced Karl Hardy and although Jordan won the first set he never really looked comfortable and some crucial unforced errors in the next three sets gave Karl the edge enabling him to level the match at 1-1 for Neston.

In the shortest game of the night, Hyde's Steve Gregory had to retire after a close first set having pulled a muscle in his leg, giving Neston a 2-1 lead which meant that Hyde couldn't afford to lose another match.

Josh Taylor was on next against Sean Hunter looking to bring the match back to level terms. The first set was straight forward for Sean who won it easily but the second was much closer and turned out to be the turning point in the match for Josh. Josh took it 17-15 and grew in confidence as a result. the next two sets were nip and took, full of winners and errors from both players and so it went to a fifth set, which after Sean needed a medical time out for a dizzy spell, Josh took to again level the match for Hyde at 2-2.

So the show match of the night, the number one seeds George Parker and Emyr Evans would decide which team took home the winning points. Emyr had games points in both of the fist two sets but could not closer either out giving George a 2-0 lead. George went on to win the third set as well in very entertaining game with great shots and retrieving from both youngsters, showing the future is bright for UK squash. The 3-0 win for George meant that Hyde crept over the line to win 3-2 and maintain their position in the middle of the table.

There is now a two week break for the National Squash Championships being held at the National Centre at Eastlands. Hyde return to action on Tuesday 23rd February away at David Lloyd Chorley