Squash: Chichester can’t get over the Hill

They went into the game top of the table but knew it would be a very tough encounter.

Chichester’s Lauren Briggs played world-ranked No41 and current British junior open under-19 champion Yathreb Adel of Egypt.

Adel was quick out of the blocks and Briggs struggled with the pace and lost the first game 6-11. She edged the next 11-9 in a very tight second game. Adel upped the tempo again in the next two games and won them 11-7, 11-7 to take their match.

On the championship glass-back court, Chichester’s No1 string Rex Hedrick (Australia) faced world No7 Borja Golan of Spain.

Golan incessantly switched the pace and made good use of the lob and narrowly won the first 11-9. Hedrick battled to take the second game 11-6, but Golan’s consistency and ability to vary the pace proved too much and, despite every effort by Hedrick, Golan took the next two games to make it 2-0 to St George’s Hill.

Making his debut for Chichester, Tristan Eysele played Charlie Lee, who was playing his first match for St. George’s Hill.

The pair traded games with each other, with Eysele always a game up. Eysele forged a good lead in the decider and held on to win it 11-4 which narrowed the overall match deficit.

Nathan Lake, the world 116 making his home debut for Chichester, played Charles Sharpes, world 73. Sharpes forced the pace throughout, although Lake did tenaciously fight for each point.

Although all the games were close it was Sharpes who held his nerve well at the end of each game to run out a 3-0 winner, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, and put St George’s Hill 3-1 up and clinch the victory.

Chichester’s Robbie Temple took on world 33 Joe Lee and the packed gallery were treated to a thrilling match.

Temple played with pace, touch and deception against Lees’ speed and power and won the first 11-7. The next game was packed with unbelievable squash but Lee snatched it 14-12.

In the third, Lee gained momentum and Temple began to look tired. Lee won it 11-4. In the fourth, Temple triumphed 11-4 win and in the deciding game he hit four outrageous winners to win 11-6 and leave Chichester with only a 3-2 defeat.

Chichester’s next match is at home to Surrey next Tuesday, December 9.

MIKE PHILLIPS