Tadley squash Club match Reports
If you would like to join the Tadley Squash Club leagues please contact John on
0118 9811549 or Pete on 01189 700218 or email Tadley Squash club at
tadleysquash
Friendly - Home to Basingstoke  - 25th September 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Dan Oliver
3. Gav Nutty
4. Mark Blaker
5. Pete Borrett
6. John Woods
7. Paul Homewood

Team colours = Tadley Blue

The Tadley line up consisted of: Dave, Dan, Gav, Mark & Pete with John Woods & Paul Homewood making their
debuts.

Basingstoke were also able to blood some newbies & left a couple of their big guns at home. Good job I say ;)

First on court was John versus Elton Koeberg. Hand outs galore in the opening stages but alas for John, he
struggled to convert his opportunities into points. Elton looked turbo assisted as he flew around the court to retrieve
John's best shots. Before long Elton had taken the first game 9-0. John came out fighting in the second but Elton
kept the pressure up & soon had a 7-2 lead. Then followed a quite incredible series of hand outs - a total of 14 hand
outs to be precise. I was blowing from the balcony just watching. After a monumental effort from both guys, Elton
found the two points to take game two. The final game was more straight forward for the Basingstoke guy, who ended
up seeing out the match 9-0 9-3 9-1.

Gavin was playing on the other court against Mike Macinnon, a very hard hitting giant of a man. Gav started well &
took the first game in super quick time 9-1. Game two was a different state of affairs. Mike found his length & had
Gav scrambling around the court. Hand outs galore & a few very tight Marker calls later Mike won the game 9-7 to
level the match at 1-1. Game three was like "The Thrilla in Manila", an epic sporting encounter! I can now tell my
Grand children that I was there when Gavin Nutty of Tadley Squash Club somehow beat Mike Macinnon of
Basingstoke squash club in game three of their match on September, 25th 2014 - 10 points to 8. It was that good! By
this time Gav looked as though he'd gone for a swim. Soaked through. Did he have anything left in the tank? Yes!
Gav yelped a cry louder than Braveheart when his low drive wasn't retrieved, to win the game 9-5 & the match 9-1
7-9 10-8 9-5. Congratulations Gav!

Next Tadley's very own newbie Paul Homewood jumped on court against Seb Hudson. Unfortunately I missed the
game. By all accounts the Hurst Leisure Centre is lucky to still have walls that stand firm as Paul was literally flying
into them such was his desire to win. Seb took an early advantage, winning the first game 9-4. Thereafter Paul
played some amazing squash with cheers of delight ringing from the balcony after yet another dive from the Tadley
boy. Paul was rewarded for his commitment by winning the next three games to take the match 4-9 9-2 9-5 9-7. Nice
one Paul!

I was next to play against Nicola Forbes. A rematch after our brutal & very close encounter in the Berkshire Squash
Summer league. On that occasion I somehow crept over the line 3-2. I knew it would be another ridiculously tough
encounter. After a close start Nicola started to build some momentum. Good length, tucking me in the corners &
reacting quickly to my better shots. She took the first game 9-5. I came out fighting in game 2. I found a better length
& put away Nicola's looser shots. I went on to win the game 9-1, levelling the match at 1-1. I was hoping to push on
but Nicola looked determined & that showed in her squash. Great shot choice, nagging length & super retrieving saw
her take the next two games pretty comfortably, to win 9-5 1-9 9-1 9-3. Well done Nicola! Rematch, rematch?
Mark played David Blake. Unfortunately Mark wore
a ball in his eye & had to retire. Tough luck mate!
At the point it happened David was winning 2-1
with a healthy lead in game 4. I didn't see the
match but by all accounts it was super competitive
& Mark played some great stuff. Hope all is well
Mark. Basingstoke get a 3-0 forfeit in this instance.

I marked Dave's game against Chris Riley. It was a
sight to behold. Two fabulous players going toe to
toe with some quite incredible rallies throughout. I
thought this would be a thriller. I was right! The first
game was tight, not a great deal to pick between
either player. Dave's precise racket skills against
one of the fittest guys on the circuit with plenty of
racket skills of his own. To be fair to Dave, he also
gets around the court well & he had too, as Chris
stretched our number one with power, pace &
plenty of precision of his own. At 6-6 in a lengthy
first game, Dave found three straight points to see
the game out 9-6. Dave had more control in game
two & his uncanny knack of picking the right shot at
the right time put Chris under repeated pressure.
Dave took the game 9-2. Game three saw some
lengthy & brutal rallies & it looked like our boy was
tiring a little. However, at 3-4 down Dave showed
he had plenty left in the tank winning 5 consecutive
points, with every shot in the book, to take a 7-4
advantage. He was soon able to see out the
match, taking the third game 9-5 & the match 9-6
9-2 9-5. A jaw dropping game of squash.

So, 3-3 & step on court Danny boy!

Dan played Mike Sohachevsky, a big Reading FC
fan like me, so I wasn't sure who I wanted to win. Us
Royals supporters are like Brothers in arms. It's
only right we back each other. Sorry though Mike,
I'm with our Danny boy tonight! With the stakes
higher than Simon Cowell's trousers, both boys
came out fighting like Gladiators. Oooohs &
Ahhhhs rang out from the crowded balcony as both
guys served up a match stuffed full of squash
delights. In an epic first game it felt only right we
got to 8-8. Mike pulled out some dream shots & got
over the line 10-8. Mike then had the better of the
early exchanges in game two & built a 5-2 lead.
However, Dan soon upped his game & had Mike
flying around the court just to keep in the rallies.
Mike did this admirably but it definitely drained his
fitness reserves. Dan found some great
momentum, winning 7 consecutive points to win
game two 9-5. Dan started game three well & took
it pretty comfortably 9-1. By this point both players
had made a massive effort & energy levels were
dropping fast. Mike who looked like he was
struggling more than Dan somehow dug in & made
game 4 one hell of a contest. It swung both ways &
the rallies continued to be long, accurate & pretty
damn amazing. At 7-6 down Dan won a hand out &
found the all important three points to get over the
line & win the match. Final score 8-10 9 -5 9-1 9-6.

Match score Tadley 4 Basingstoke 3

What a cracking night of club squash! Absolutely
what it's all about. Two nicely balanced teams
playing, competitive, committed & often thrilling
squash in a great sporting manner.

A huge thank you to Chris & the Basingstoke team
for the match. We will look forward to seeing you at
your courts in Basingstoke on 8th January.
Post match, yes you've guessed it - Ali Baba's finest pizza, a side serving of salad, I mean chips & washed down with
a selection of beer. Happy days!

Gav was left dumbfounded when Elton declared the Tadley Chili sauce wasn't all that. What!!!! Gav, your mission,
should you decide to accept it, is to find the hottest, extra hot, super furnace pepper sauce in the Land. We cannot
have a slur on the character of Tadley Squash Club such as that ever again!

Given we had a captive audience of Squashers, it seemed apt that I should present the Sports Direct trophy to our
top man, Dave Thomas in recognition of him winning all 5 league matches in the last round 3-0. He seemed
underwhelmed ;) All good fun!

All that was left, was to say our goodbyes to a great bunch of people.

Next match - Home to Wellighton 5, Berkshire Squash Winter Leagues, next Thursday, 2nd October @ 7:40

Your Tadley team, in ranking order is:
DAVE
STUART
DAN
GAV
MARK

Kiss the badge & do us proud boys!
Berkshire Squash
Winter League 2014/15 Reports
Berkshire Winter League - Round One - Home to Wellington 5  - 2nd October 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Dan Oliver
3. Gav Nutty
4. Mark Blaker
5. Pete Borrett


Team colours = Tadley Blue

Our first Winter league match. Exciting! The Tadley line up had a last minute change, sadly Stuart suffered a family
bereavement & couldn't play. Unfortunately John & Andy both couldn't make it so Pete came in at number 5 with
Dan, Gav & Mark going up one in the order.

Gav, Dan & myself got to the Hurst early to set up & it wasn't long before the Wellington guys turned up. Based on
who was there, Gav & Pete were first to play.

I played Andy Hartley. In a fairly even first game Andy was able to maintain a slim advantage throughout. With some
good front court boasts & thoughtful ball placement he took the game 9-7. I came out fighting in game two & at 2-1
down was able to find a string of 7 consecutive points with some powerful drives & some good retrieves. I went on to
take the game 9-2. Thereafter Andy had the upper hand & with good length & plenty of skill he closed out the match
by taking the final two games. As usual I gave away about 8 strokes :( Must work on that! Final score 7-9 9-2 3-9 0-9.

I missed Gav's game but by all accounts he was very unlucky. He just missed out in a topsy turvy first game 10-8 & in
both games two & three, his opponent, John Schofield was able to string a series of consecutive points together to
swing the momentum his way. Despite Gav's best efforts & gritty display he lost the match 8-10 4-9 0-9.
Dan stepped on court against Nigel Wallington who beat me in
the Summer league. Nigel has an amazing lob & is pretty
handy with his drops too. Dan got off to a slow start & at 5-0
down it wasn't looking good. However, once Dan found his
range he had Nigel scrambling around the court. Dan's power
was too hot for Nigel to handle & he went on to win the first
game 9-6. Game two & Dan came flying out of the blocks, he
gave away just one hand out & was on the brink at 8-1. Nigel
dug in, playing some very determined squash, but our Danny
boy soon found the all important point to take the game. At 5-5
in the third Dan played some turbo charged drives to get to
match ball. Bam! Dan makes a drop to take the match. Final
score 9-6 9-3 9-6.

Dave played a super talented lady squasher called Sarah
Verdin. After a fairly cagey & even start, Sarah soon had our
main man under pressure. In fact, after twice stringing a series
of points together she took the game pretty comfortably 9-2.
Sarah started the second well, taking a 6 point lead before
Dave was able to find his way into the game. Sarah was
retrieving Dave's best shots & appeared faster than a
speeding bullet as she buzzed around the court. It was
certainly a super tough assignment for Dave. As the game
developed our number one started to look more of a threat but
alas Sarah's good length, dogged retrieving & impressive shot
selection proved too good, she won the game 9-5 looking
pretty comfortable. Game three & once again Sarah was in
control. She was serving at 6-1 & to be honest it appeared it
was just a matter of time before she closed out the match. We
then witnessed the best sporting come back since Botham's
Ashes, at Headingley in 1981- simply astonishing! Dave
started to hit the ball harder & tighter & although Sarah was
still very much alive, the tide had definitely turned. Powerful
cross courts, precise lobs, drops & plenty of wall grabbing low
drives from Dave were too much for Sarah to handle. Dave
went on to win game 3 (a thriller) 10-8 & then in two
ridiculously amazing & competitive games, Dave saw out the
match to win 2-9 5-9 10-8 9-6 10-8. Bravo!

Mark played Mike Spence who really was playing way below his
level. Really unlucky for Mark who could do with a more evenly
balanced match to build his confidence. Alas this was a very
one sided affair, Mike powered his way to a 9-0 9-0 9-0 win.
Head up Mark, your day will come soon.

So final score 3-2 to Wellington, with an official score of 16 - 7.

Our best Berkshire Squash result to date. Well done guys!

Post match (fill in the spaces) Pi__a, c_i__ & b__r  = Happy days!

Next match - Team Caversham - away - Thursday, 16th October.

C'mon the Tadley!!!
Berkshire Winter League - Round Two - Away to Team Caversham - 16th October 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Stuart Morgan
3. Dan Oliver
4. Pete Borrett
5. Mark Blaker
Team colours = Bogey Green

Our first away trip of the Winter campaign against a very strong Team Caversham who I don't doubt will be in the
shake up come the end of the season. Gavin sadly couldn't make it, nor John, so Pete once again found a way of
getting in the team :) we welcomed back Stuart into the side, meaning Dan dropped down one in the merit order.

After a congested journey which took pretty much an hour from the Hurst we finally arrived at Queen Anne's
School, the home of Team Caversham. Spirits were high & the mood good. We were all looking forward to getting
stuck in. Dave drove directly & was already waiting for us on the court balcony.

First on court Pete & Mark.

I played Shaun Milne who was at both our previously matches but not playing, more in a marker/captain capacity,
so an unknown quantity. Shaun started the better & soon had the upper hand. Had me scrambling around the
court at times. Once I got into my stride I played some better squash but unfortunately kept offering up loose
shots for Shaun to put away. He took game one 9-5. The same pattern in game two, where I played some nice
drives, tight to the wall, finding the back corners but then something sloppy. Shaun took the game 9-4. I played
better in game three & although I was blowing I felt if I was fresher than Shaun. At 7-4 up I thought if I could win
the game I might just have the fitness to go on, but alas, I couldn't get the two points. Shaun saw the game out to
win in three 9-5 9-4 9-7.

Mark played Andy Morris who had previously beaten Mark 3-0 & myself 3-0 for that matter. A tough encounter
then for Mark. I'm delighted to report that Mark won the first game in his match 9-7. BAM! By all accounts he came
flying out of the blocks, playing some hard hitting squash that Andy found difficult to deal with. However, from
there on in, Andy found that magic length we all strive for & dominated from the front of the court. Taking the
match 7-9 9-2 9-0 9-0 Good job on winning a game Mark. Not an easy opponent. Onwards & upwards mate!
Next on court was Tadley's number one, Dave against Joe Iles. Last
time Dave played Joe it was a real tough test, he went on to win just 3
points in quite a one sided affair. It sent shock waves through the
Tadley community. Our number one looked sharper on court this time
around but Joe was able to counter his best shots with some excellent
shots of his own, at times when it didn't appear possible. Joe took the
first game 9-3. There were many hand outs in game two & Dave
matched Joe for much of it. Unfortunately for Dave & Tadley, Joe saw
the game out 9-6. The third game was pretty comfortable for Joe who
romped home 9-0. Final score 9-3 9-6 9-0.  A six point improvement on
the last time is a good result in my book, especially against such a
talented opponent. Head held high Dave.

Stuart played Adras Pal who has previously seen off both Dan & Gav in
devastating fashion. Talented guy! It was not going to be easy for our
man. Right from the off Adras had the upper hand in this match. He was
very quick around the court, mixed his game up & had a great mid court
drop that caught Stuart out on many occasions. To be fair to Stuart he
fought hard but Andras was in fine form & won the game fairly
comfortably 9-3 9-0 9-0.

Dan played Simon Cobbin & oh boy, what a game this one was. Both
players started well but Simon had some control in the first game & with
some good play all around the court took the game 9-5. Danny boy
came fighting back, taking game two 9-3 with some incredibly accurate
shot making. Game three went both ways, with both guys fighting for
everything. Some fantastic & exciting rallies had the balcony gripped.
Simon just edged Dan out 10-9. Dan upped his level in game four &
with drive after drive finding the back corners he soon took it 9-3. So, a
one game shoot out! With both guys giving it everything & an hour of
court time under their belts fatigue was definitely a factor, both guys
clearly flagging. Dan dug in & had court dominance in the final game.
He soon reached match ball & after around 4 attempts got over the line
to secure Tadley's only victory on the night. Final score 5-9 9-3 9-10
9-3 9-6 Bravo Dan!

Final score 4-1 to Team Caversham with an official score of 19-4

Post match - Wetherspoons! :p Good curry say Dan & I. Cheers Shaun & the guys for a great night!

Next game Home v Beechdown 2 on Thursday 30th October.
Don't forget your Tadley club
merchandise available in the
club shop
Berkshire Winter League - Round Three - Home to Beechdown 2 - 30th October 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Stuart Morgan
3. Dan Oliver
4. Gavin Nutty
5. Mark Blaker


Team colours = Tadley Blue

The third round of Winter league games & a home clash against high flying Beechdown 2 who were lying second in the
league having registered two wins & just one defeat. Sure to be another tough assignment. Gavin was available for
selection & slotted in at number 4 instead of Pete who came along to support.

Soon the Beechdown guys had arrived & the action started.

First on court Mark & Gavin.
Mark played Simon Hall. Simon had early control & in quick time he took the
first game 9-0. After regrouping & some good advise from Stuart, Mark came
out fighting in game two, mixing up his shots well, he soon had a 6-2 lead.
Alas, the Beechdown man slowly got back on top & went on to take the game
9-6. The same pattern in game 3, Mark got off to a fast start but Simon's
accuracy soon saw him swing the game his way & he went on to take the game
9-5 to win 3-0.

Gav played a thriller of a match against Mike Augustine. It was clear straight
away that these two were well balanced. Both powerful hitters, quick around
the court & ridiculously determined. Gav got the measure of Mike in the first
two (brutal) games, taking them 9-6 9-5. By game three Gavin looked pretty
shattered but continued to chase every ball as if his life depended on it. Mike
upped the anti & was serving to win the game at 8-6. Gav dug in, won the
serve back & before long was serving himself to take the match. Mike then
saved match ball & took the game 10-9. The momentum looked to of swung as
our boy really did look out on his feet. Mike played the better squash in game
four & took it 9-5. A one game shoot out! The final game was typical of the
whole match - close. At 6-5 up, Gav played three great points to win the game
9-5 & the match 9-6 9-5 9-10 5-9 9-5. A monumental effort! The cheers from
the balcony reflected what a great match we had witnessed & it was a joy to
watch the fist pump & skip around the court from our Gav as he took his first
Berkshire squash victory which I'm sure will be one of many. Congratulations!

Stuart played Gavin Rose, an energetic hard hitter with plenty of racket skills.
Stuart showcased some great squash to take the first game 9-3. The
Beechdown man found his way back into the match by taking the second game
9-6 & the third 9-7. To be fair both games were close & fine margins made the
difference. Stuart was striking the ball well & his movement was particularly
impressive. It was no surprise when Stuart levelled the match at 2-2 by winning
game four 9-6. So another one game shoot out! Both guys continued to play
some excellent, very tight squash, but our Stuart wasn't going to be denied &
at 7-6 he found the all important 2 points in fine fashion to take the match in 5
games 9-3 6-9 7-9 9-6 9-6. Bravo!

OK, Tadley are 2-1 up with two matches remaining. Could we win?

Next up Danny boy.

Dan played David Ward. These guys were well matched, both technically good
& both moved around the court well. David won a very close first game 9-7 but
Dan came fighting back winning the second & third 9-4 & 9-5. You can do this
Dan! Unfortunately for Dan his energy levels dropped & David won the final
two games pretty comfortably 9-2 9-1. Still a creditable performance from Dan.
So 2-2 & all down to the number one players. Come on Dave become a Tadley legend!! :)

Dave was up against Kevin Weston. In a close first game, Dave made some uncharacteristic mistakes, however,
despite this he was able to wrap up the game 9-7. In game two Dave started to dominate & his bag of tricks: drives,
drops, lobs & disguise was way too much for the Beechdown man who struggled to compete. It was looking good!
Good was right as Dave saw out the match 9-7 9-1 9-3. A very comfortable victory & quite fitting that his efforts gave
Tadley Squash Club their first ever league win.

Get in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Final score Tadley 3 Beechdown 2
Official score 16-10

Post match - You know this!!!

Congratulations to everyone connected with Tadley Squash Club. Our first league win. We are all pushing each other
to improve & there is no doubt we have all evolved into better players. Keep working on your games guys. Onwards &
upwards TSC!

P. S. Thanks Mrs Morgan for more cakes! Stuart too for sorting out the balcony cabinet.

Next match - Home to Burghfield - Thursday, 13th November
What a pleasure it was to enter these scores & hit the verify button :)
Berkshire Winter League - Round Four - Away to Burghfield - 13th November 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Stuart Morgan
2 Dan Oliver
3. Gavin Nutty
4. Mark Blaker
5. Peter Borrett
Team colours = Bogey Green

Weird senario this round as it was an away game against Burghfield but played at The Hurst due to some court
refurbishments taking place at Burghfield's home courts. An SOS call came through asking if we could help them
out by hosting both the home & away games at our place & of course we were happy to oblige.

Dave was missing so everyone jumped up the order & Pete came in at 5.

Before the action started James Fitch of Burghfield was kind enough to take a team picture for us. Looks pretty
good don't you think? Bit Mafia like. Haha. Must get more team pictures in the future - please remind me guys.
Based on who was ready to play, Pete & Stuart jumped on court first.

Stuart played James Fitch who had previously dispatched both Gavin &
myself in past Burghfield clashes. In a well contested first game Stuart
played some powerful & precise squash which eventually saw him over
the line 9-6. More of the same in game two, where both players served
up some sensational squash, cumulating with multiple game ball
opportunities either way. Exciting? Um, yes! Fair play to Stuart who at
8-6 down managed to save several game balls & then picked off the
required points to take the game 10-8. James was a bit rattled,
questioning the length of time Stuart was taking to serve. I ran off to see
if there was any ruling for this - couldn't find one. Back to the squash &
Stuart started game three in fine fashion & in no time had a 5 point
advantage. Despite a spirited fight back from James, Stuart pressed his
advantage home, going on to win in three games 9-6 10-8 9-5. Nice one
mate!

I came into my match pretty bunged up with a nasty cold. Unfortunately I
was soon gasping for air when my opponent, SimonTuckey had me
flying around the court trying to retrieve his best shots. I put up some
resistance in the first game where I was reasonably competitive & to be
fair we played out some pretty good rallies. However it was a fairly
straightforward victory for Simon, in three games 9-6 9-3 9-0. Real
shame this, as earlier in the week I played the best squash I had for
months against Dan & felt super fit. Weird game this sometimes :(

Mark stepped on court against Gareth May. In a very even start with
hand outs galore, Mark was playing some well thought out shots & was
very competitive. As the game evolved Gareth started to pick of the
points with just a bit more precision than Mark could counter with.
Gareth took game one 9-4. Game two was more one sided, Mark lost
some form & Gareth made the most of it, taking the game in quick time
9-1. The third game was much like the first, very competitive, with good
rallies from front to back & no shortage of effort from both guys. At 5-3
up, Gareth found some momentum to see the game out 9-4 9-1 9-4.

While I was marking Mark's match, Gavin was playing out a thriller on court 2. Gavin & thrillers seem to be a
common event lately. His opponent, Graham Healing has a great touch around the court, drops from mid court or
beyond & an immaculate cross court, low, powerful & nick consistent. Fair play to Gav, his speed around the court,
reading of Graham's shots & ability to respond with pretty much the right shot meant it really was an epic battle.
Cut to the chase!! Game one - thriller - went to Gav 9-7. Game two - thriller - went to Graham 9-4. Yes, you get
the picture. Both guys continued to slug it out like a couple of Wild West Cowboys. Graham took game three 9-3 &
then at match ball down in the forth, Gav went on to win the game 10-8 & take it to a one game shoot out.
Unfortunately for Gav, the one game shoot out didn't go his way, he lost it 9-2, so final score 7-9 9-4 9-3 8-10 9-2.

Finally Dan played Richard May. It looked like this would be a good match up. Both guys showed off some great
skills in the first game which was super tight, both having the lead at various points. Richard went on to close the
game out 9-6. Richard's momentum carried over into game two & he made the most of it taking the game 9-4.
Game three & Dan started to play his best squash of the night. Credit to Richard who showed great fitness &
determination, scrambling around the court, desperately trying to retrieve Dan's precise & very powerful, good
length drives. Dan saw the game out 9-4 & definitely appeared to have the advantage as Richard was blowing
hard. Dan started game four brilliantly & soon had a five point cushion. The balcony talk was, "Dan looks like he'll
go on & win this". Alas for Dan, Richard got his second breath & in quick fire time took the a lead & then saw out
the game & the match, 9-6 9-4 4-9 9-6.

Final score Burghfield 4 Tadley 1
Official score 17 - 6

Post match - Pizza, beer, Gav's new hot sauce range! Happy days!
Oh & Stuart's home made Lemon drizzle cake - good skills mate! :p

Cheers Burghfield for yet another cracking match, played as always in good spirit.

Our next match - Thursday, 27th November - Home v Bracknell 4 Edgbw

C'mon the Tadley!!!
Berkshire Winter League - Round 5 - Home to Bracknell 4 EDBGW - 27th November 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Stuart Morgan
3. Dan Oliver
4. Gavin Nutty
5. Mark Blaker


Team colours = Tadley Blue

Round five of the Berkshire Winter league against top of the table, previously unbeaten Bracknell 4. It was sure to be
one heck of a tough assignment. Team news: John continued his struggle with injury & was not available. Dave was
back, so Pete missed out & all the other guys dropped down one in the order.  

Tonight was guaranteed to be a momentous night. The first of Gav's slow cooked curries. More on that later.

Soon we were underway with Gav & Mark stepping on court.

Gav played Michael Truckle, a teenager bursting with energy who flew around the court with total ease. Gav got off to
a near perfect start by winning the first game in fine fashion 9-1. However, it was pretty clear that this young pup was
going to test Gav's stamina & resolve. The second game & Michael really got into his stride, his court coverage &
retrieving particularly impressive. It was a brutal & very close game which Michael won 9-6. Michael had the better of
game three & at 5-4 up he found four consecutive winners to take the game 9-4. Gav dug in & played an awesome
forth game. Several rocket launched drives, that found the corners, proved too hot for Michael to handle. Gav took the
game 9-6 & levelled the match at 2-2. So yet another one game shoot out for Gav. Unfortunately Gav's energy levels
were dropping fast & Michael showed no let up in his speed or endurance. Gav was working his butt off but just didn't
have enough left in the tank - Michael won the fifth game 9-5 to take the match 3 games to 2.

Mark played Ian Prentice, a seasoned campaigner who has competed at a
much higher level in these Winter Berks games. A tough draw. Sadly for Mark
& despite playing some good Squash at times, Ian had too much ability &
experience & went on to win the match 3-0 - 9-0 9-3 9-0

Next up - Danny Boy!

Dan played Craig Gilbert, a hard hitter if I ever I saw one. Dan got off to a
great start, in fact both guys did. In a tight first game which showcased some
powerful but very tight squash, Dan ran out a 10-8 winner. BAM!
Unfortunately, Dan's level dropped in the second game & Craig's level
increased = a pretty one sided 9-0 to Craig. Dan's match head was back on in
game three which ebbed & flowed before Craig took it 9-6. I must say, I
wouldn't of fancied being this particular squash ball - I really can't remember
seeing two players hit with such ferocity. The forth game & Craig kept the
momentum & went on to take it 9-4 & the match 3 games to 1. A good
spectacle which Dan certainly played his part in.

Dave played Clive Bathurst who had previously beaten the mighty Joe Iles of
Team Caversham convincingly. This was not going to be easy for Tadley's
number one. Dave started well & in a highly contested first game he can count
himself unlucky to lose it 9-6. Clive was more convincing in the second game
taking it 9-5. Game three & Dave seemed to be hitting the ball harder &
making better decisions with his shot selection. Clive was quick around the
court but repeatedly Dave was getting the better of him. Dave took game three
9-3. More of the same in game four from Dave where we once again witnessed
his full repertoire of shots. This game was tight, both were giving everything to
the cause & Dave just got over the line 9-7. So 2-2 & yet another one game
shoot out. Dave was looking pretty tired & to be fair to Clive he did look
fresher. At 2-2 in the final game, Clive found some great momentum, taking 6
consecutive points to get to match ball. Dave continued to fight but it was in
vain, Clive took the final game 9-2 to win a five game thriller 3 games to 2.

Stuart was last on court & played Alex Pitt. Stuart looked classy pretty much
straight away & played all the best squash early on. He soon took game one
9-4. He carried on where he left off in game two hitting great length &
dominating the T. At 8-6 Stuart had a couple of game balls to take a 2-0 lead.
Unfortunately he couldn't take them & all credit to Alex who visibly upped his
level & went on to take the game 10-8. The match continued to be well
contested but Alex was now on top. He took game three 9-3 to establish a 2-1
lead. Game four & Stuart came out fighting. He was looking good. However at
3-3, Alex found 6 consecutive point to win the game 9-3 & the match 3-1.
Final score Tadley 0 Bracknell 5
Official score 6 - 20

Post match -  GAVINDA!!!! Home made, slow cooked chicken curry, rice, poppadoms. Very nice! Good job Gav!

+

Flapjacks made by Tadley's very own Stuart = very tasty mate. Cheers!

Another great nice of squash. The result doesn't reflect just how close some of the matches were & the Bracknell boys
definitely had to work ridiculously hard for their victory.

Onwards & upwards boys!



Next match - Away to Aldermaston - Thursday, 11th December
Tadley Squash Club's Gavin Nutty lines up a backhand against talented teenager, Michael
Truckle of Bracknell Squash Club.
Team
1. Stuart Morgan
2. Dan Oliver
3. Gavin Nutty
4. Mark Blaker
5. Pete Borrett
Team colours = Bogey Green

Round six of the Berkshire Winter league & a local derby against Aldermaston squash club. Dave was strutting his
stuff at a works Christmas party so everyone jumped up the rank order & Pete played at number five.

On arrival we were fanning ourselves down. Talk about hot! I guess they can afford the heat ;) I wouldn't be
surprised if the court temperatures were around 80 degrees, so the ball was sure to stay alive for some brutal
rallies.

First on court Pete & Dan.

I played John Ansell. I looked great in the knock up but that was as good as it got. Haha! Thereafter it was a real
struggle. I played a few decent rallies but to be honest it was a bridge too far in terms of ability. As the game
developed John just got better & I found it very difficult to respond. A regulation win for the Aldermaston man. 9-3
9-2 9-1.

Dan played the very talented Sarah McCraken. Sarah was running away with the first game but Dan responded
well, fighting back hard & just narrowly missed out 9-7. However, Dan came back hard in the second & with power
& precision took the game 9-7. Game three & Sarah was really finding her touch. Great feel all around the court &
very cleverly took plenty of pace off the ball to her advantage. She soon wrapped the game up 9-2 & with similar
panache, she took the forth to win the match 3-1, final scores 9-7 7-9 9-2 9-2.
Gavin was next on court & was up against Colin Bennett. Gav was
working hard in the first game but found it tough against a wily
opponent with a great drop & a very unorthodox style. Colin went on to
take the first game 9-5. Thereafter Colin took control with some very
accurate & well thought out squash. He ran out a 3-0 winner 9-5 9-1
9-2. A good game for Gav, where his opponent showed a high skill level
taking much of the pace of the ball.

Stuart was playing on the other court against the very hard hitting
Aldermaston number one, Simon Haggith. Stuart started brilliantly,
finding a great length & putting Simon under serious pressure. Stuart
took the game in fine fashion 9-2. Some very powerful hitting from both
guys in game two but Simon seemed to be gaining momentum &
unfortunately for Stuart several calls weren't going his way. It was a
good watch. Simon took the game 9-3 to level the match at 1-1. There
followed some excellent squash from both guys but Simon was in
control & closed the third 9-4. The forth game & Simon was getting the
better of the often brutal rallies. He took the game 9-0 to win the match
3-1. Final score 2-9 9-3 9-4 9-0.

Finally on court Mark against Hurst old boy, Steve Walder. Mark got off
to a flier, taking a 5-1 lead. Steve came fighting back & despite Mark's
best efforts, Steve went on to take game one 9-6. The second game
was again well contested. Mark was playing some great squash & flying
around the court making some unbelievable retrievals. Steve had
enough in the locker to take the game 9-3. Game three was once again
very competitive & it was proving to be a tough game for the very
experienced Aldermaston man. Mark, diving at times for the cause kept
going to the last but just came up short, losing the third game 9-4 & the
match 3-0 - 9-6 9-3 9-4. A really good effort this from Mark. Onwards &
upwards mate!

Final score 5-0 to Aldermaston with an official score of 20-2

Post match - Curry! Spicy & tasty. Beer & good company. Thank you to Steve & the Aldermaston Squash Club for
a top night!

Next game - Friendly - away @ Basingstoke - Thursday, 8th January 2015
Berkshire Winter League - Round 6 - Away to Aldermaston - 11th December 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
He moves so fast it's just a blur! Tadley number one, Stuart Morgan fully
extended to power a backhand down the wall.
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Stuart Morgan
3. Dan Oliver
4. Gavin Nutty
5. Mark Blaker
6. Pete Borrett
7. Chris Head
Team colours = Bogey Green

Great to dust the Christmas & New Year cobwebs away & burn off a few seasonal calories against the Basingstoke
boys in a friendly at their Basingstoke Sports Centre home courts.

Chris Head came into the team for his debut, otherwise all the recent regular guys turned out. Chris from
Basingstoke was able to blood some players for the first time & it looked set to be a good night of competitive
squash.

First up was Chris & Pete.

Chris took to club squash brilliantly & looked very comfortable on court. Behind early in game one, he fought back
hard winning 5 consecutive points to take a 5-3 lead. He soon found the 4 points he needed to take game one 9-4.
He dominated game two & at 8-0 it appeared a formality. However his opponent, Raf, dug in & dug in hard to peg
Chris back to 8-6. Fortunately Chris won back the serve & found the all important winner to win the second game
9-6. A similar pattern in game three where Chris was serving for the match at 8-6. Raf somehow kept Chris out &
then went on to take the four needed points to get a game back, making it 1-2 with all to play for.  After an even
start to game four, Chris found some momentum & his A game to go on to take the game 9-3 & the match 3-1.
Final score 9-4 9-6  8-10 9-3. A great debut! Many congratulations Chris on hard fought win!

I played Bob Brodie & it was pretty clear early on we were well matched. I just edged Bob out in game one, taking it
9-6 & then Bob had the better of game two, taking that 9-7. After an even start to game three I started to play my
best squash, hitting good length & maneuvering Bob around the court pretty well. At 4-3 up I took 5 straight points
to win the game 9-3. By this point Bob was blowing pretty hard having chased tirelessly all game. The forth game
was wrapped up pretty quick with some well thought out shot making. Final score 9-6 7-9 9-3 9-0

Next up Mark & Gav

Mark was playing a super fit lad who retrieved like his life depended on it. Luke  Robinson is his name - retrieving
lost causes is his game. Yes corny - I do that! Mark was hitting some good shots in game one but Luke just kept
(somehow) getting his racket to them. Mark started to snatch a little, trying to force winners but he couldn't get the
accuracy he needed. Luke took the game 9-1. The second game & Mark was looking more composed. He was
hitting a better length with more precision & getting Luke to the back corners more consistently. Credit to Luke who
showed great agility & fitness - some of the gets were, well different class. He just edged Mark out to take the
game 9-6. Game three & Luke wasn't going to be denied, at 3-3 he won 6 unanswered points to take the game 9-3
& the match 9-1 9-6 9-3.

Gav, who has been in a rich vein of form in the Tadley & Aldermaston leagues took on Mike Lush who is currently
playing very well himself in the Basingstoke leagues. Mark played awesome against Gav & his technique was
particularly impressive, especially retrieving Gav's powerful drives that appeared to be past him. Gav played
fabulous squash at times, but came across a guy playing at a higher level. It was a 3-0 win for Mike 9-3 9-6 9-3.
Gav can certainly take plenty of credit from a good performance given the opposition.
Stuart was up next against Chris Riley. Previously Chris has beaten Gav
& Pete & lost to Dave, so a match versus Stuart was going to be an
interesting one. Chris started the better & soon had control, he won 5
consecutive points to get to 8-2. Stuart pulled back a couple of points
but Chris soon took the game 9-4. Chris was playing some great squash
& he soon built a 4-1 lead in game two. Stuart to his credit was also
playing well but on the lively & warm Basingstoke courts, Chris's fitness
& retrieving ability really came into its own. Soon Chris won 5
unanswered points to take game two 9-1. Game three & both guys were
working hard, playing well & offering up some excellent rallies, but once
again, Chris had the better of the battle & ended up taking the game 9-3
& the match 9-4 9-1 9-3

Dan was playing Mike Sohachevsky who he played in our last friendly
back in September. It was a war then - no doubt it would be a war again.
Indeed it appeared that way when Mike won game one 9-4 & then Dan
won game two 9-3. 1-1 - Dig the trenches boys & prepare for the falling
shrapnel. At 7-6 to Dan in game three, a sniper from somewhere
unknown (balcony in a green shirt ;)) , took Mike out with a single shot to
the knee. Sadly, the wound was a fatal one. The Tadley boys claimed
the win - the Basingstoke boys weren't having it. Suddenly Captain Riley
appeared on court to carry on the fight! Dan, motivated & battle
hardened saw out game three 9-6 to take a 2-1 lead. Captain Riley
came fighting back with his typical impressive court craft & racket skills,
taking the forth 9-5. So a one game shoot out. At 6-1 up in the final
game, Chris was cruising to victory but our Dan saved his very best
squash to last, winning 8 consecutive points to take the game 9-6 & the
match 4-9 9-3 9-6 5-9 9-6.

So 3-3 & down to the final match up - The Big Guns! Club number ones
- Dave v Mike!

This was a great game! Mike who has a very impressive record in the
Berkshire Squash leagues has previously seen off all our challenges
pretty easily. Not this time. In a very close first game both guys played
some fabulous squash, all around the court, with touch, feel, power &
precision & tight balls that stuck to the side walls. Dave narrowly missed
out 10-8. The high level continued in game two where there were many
fabulous rallies to admire. Dave to his credit came back strong & with
some great shot making took the game 9-6 to level the match at 1-1.
The third game was once again well contested but Mike played the more
accurate squash to take it 9-3. The forth game displayed a high level of
skill & plenty of determination from both guys but Mike played the best
squash & took the game 9-5 to win the match 10-8 6-9 9-3 9-5.

Final score 4-3 to Basingstoke
Post match - Chilli, Beer & good company. Thank you to Chris & all the
Basingstoke lads for a top night! We will look forward to the next one!


~ Next game ~
Berkshire Squash Leagues
away to Wellington5
Thursday, 22nd January 2015


Tadley Squash Club's shirt giver outer, Dan Oliver presents Chris
Head with the club colours :) ------------------------->
Friendly - Away to Basingstoke - 8th January 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Stuart Morgan
3. Dan Oliver
4. Mark Blaker
5. Pete Borrett
Team colours = Bogey Green

Round seven & a tough away trip to Wellington. Gav was otherwise engaged, so Pete came in at number 5.

After a mystery tour around the back roads of Berkshire we arrived at Wellington & soon Mark & Pete were called
on court.

I played Nicola Hayden & I looked damn good in the knock up. Fearsome drives, amazing cross courts with the
odd disguised drop to mix things up. Unfortunately when it came to playing the match I wasn't quite so impressive.
Nicola with a game of tight low serves, accurate length & an accomplished drop soon wrapped up game one 9-2.
Dave was kind enough to offer some words of wisdom during the break, informing me she was a lefty ("Oh
really?") & try serving from the left box & maybe I should be a bit more patient with her serve, taking more from the
back of the court. As if by magic my game improved & the second game was pretty competitive. However, she was
just too good & took the game 9-7. The third game was pretty comfortable for Nicola, taking it 9-3 & the match 9-2
9-7 9-3.

I missed most of Mark's game. By the time I was on the balcony supporting, he was 2 games to love down but
fighting hard. It sounded like fine margins for Mark in the first two games, losing them both 9-6. The third was a
case of ifs buts & maybes. Both players were playing some great squash. Mark's opponent, another talented lady
squasher called Louise Bacon impressed, chasing down Mark's better shots & with some good shot selection &
accuracy was able to win the third game 9-4 to see out the match 9-6 9-6 9-4.
Next up Danny boy! Dan was playing John Schofield who previously
beat Pete 10-8 9-1 9-0 in the Summer league. It was going to be a
tough test for our man. John got off to a good start & countered Dan's
power with great length with much of the pace taken off to good effect.
He soon took the game 9-3. With John having an early advantage in
game two, a loud bang was heard & our boy was down, clutching the
back of his calf. Yes, a Wellington sniper had taken him out. Shocking!
Sadly for Dan, he couldn't continue & was forced to concede the match
3-0. He was soon iced up supporting the lads on the balcony. We fear
poor Danny boy may be out for some time with a torn calf muscle but I
guess we will have to wait & see. Lets hope the prognosis is good. Get
well Dan. Your club needs you!

So with the Tadley boys down 3 matches to zip with not a single game
to their name it was down to the Tadley Top Guns to add some
respectability to the score line.

Stuart played Dennis Killey. Previously Dennis had played Dan & ran
out a 3-1 winner. Dennis started well & displayed a great feel & touch,
with some fabulous boasts & drops receiving nods of approval from the
impressed balcony. Stuart was struggling to find his A game &
unfortunately lost the first two games 9-2, 9-3. The third game was a
thriller. Stuart, down early on started to find his range & with power,
precision & no shortage of skill started to turn things around. In fact he
was making Dennis work ridiculously hard in some pretty brutal rallies &
it was clearly taking plenty out of Dennis's fitness reserves. In a tense
end to the game, Stuart took it 10-8. Get in! Stuart then showcased a
perfect game against a flagging opponent pushing Dennis front & back
to zap his reserves further. It was a 9-0 thumping. It looked like Stuart
was home & hosed, but credit to Dennis who somehow found some
energy to make a fist of the final, all important game, somehow finding
his early form once more to take the game 9-7 & the match 9-2 9-3
8-10 0-9 9-7. Hell of a game Stuart. Well played & unlucky!

Dave was last up against Eric Ronney. Eric was smashing the cover off
the ball in the knock up. It looked like Dave was in for a testing game.
Sometimes we forget just how good Dave is. He played an awesome
match, hardly giving Eric a sniff. It was as one sided as you'll see at this
level. Dave with every shot in the book ran out a very comfortable
winner 9-1 9-2 9-1. Congratulations on a brilliant performance Dave!

Final score 4-1 to Wellington
Official score of 17-5
Post match - Chicken, corn, green beans, pot roasted spuds. Very nice! Washed down with various liquids. Plus a
cheeky doughnut.

Thank you to Eric & the Wellington Squash Club for a top night! As always played in a good spirit.

Next game - Home to Team Caversham - Thursday, 5th February 2015
Berkshire Winter League - Round 7 - Away to Wellington 5 - 22nd January 2014 - report by Pete Borrett
Ask Doctor Mark

Q. Doc, I'm devastated. Looks like I'm out of action for a
while with a torn calf muscle. Not sure if this is a wind up
or not but club champ, Dave Thomas said I should dress
the injury with fresh chicken shit & leave the dressing on
for at least 3 days. The other guys agreed. Sounds rank,
but apparently it speeds up the healing process. What are
your thoughts? Cheers, Desperate Dan from Tadley

A. Dave is offering excellent advice. The exposure to the
high levels of Nitrogen Dioxide, NO2, in chicken feces will
bind the muscle tissue and rapidly increase the
restoration of collagen. Dr Mark.
Berkshire Winter League - Round 8 - Home to Team Caversham - 5th February 2015 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Dave Thomas
2. Stuart Morgan
3. Gavin Nutty
4. Mark Blaker
5. Christopher Head


Team colours = Tadley Blue

Round 8, a tough looking home match against high flying team Caversham.

Some highlights.

Christopher Head played his first Berkshire Squash match & did superbly well, taking the first game but sadly running
out a 3-1 loser.

Mark & Stuart had a tough night against tricky opponents both losing 3-0.

Gav played a thriller & ended up going down 3-1.

Dave played a blinder against the very talented Joe Ilse & in a game that swung one way then the other, Dave found
himself on the brink of victory at 7-2 up in the 5th game. Sadly for Dave when striving to retrieve a ball he felt
something go in his knee & his game was pretty much done. He soldiered on but lost the final game 9-7 & the match
3-2.

Final score 20-4 to Team Caversham.

Thanks once again to Gavin who had the slow cooker simmering away during the matches & served up a tasty treat
that went down well.

Next match - Away to Beechdown on 19th February 2015
Team
1. Gavin Nutty
2. Pete Borrett
3. Mark Blaker
4. Christopher Head
5. Chris Head
Team colours = Bogey Green

Them bones, them bones, them bare bones!

Yes bare bones indeed. Sadly team Tadley has been cursed by some pretty bad injuries to key players lately.
Dave looks set to be out for a couple of months with a knee problem. Dan is probably out now until April & Stuart's
reoccurring knee problem has sadly reoccurred. Hopefully Stuart will be back sooner rather than later but the
injuries had a pretty devastating effect on team selection. All this meant Gav played at one, Pete two, Mark three &
Chris Head no 1 & 2, played at 4 & 5.

Chris & Christopher were first to play on very swanky glass back courts.
Great to see Chris play his debut for the team & he was on court against
Simon Thompson who had a 2-1 winning record in the Berkshire squash
leagues, so it wasn't going to be easy. Chris started strongly & looked
very comfortable on court. His fabulous array of drop shots from all
around the court soon had Simon in trouble. In no time Chris had game
ball & took the first 9-2. The second game was a much tighter affair.
Good shot selection from both guys saw many lung busting rallies. At 9-9
Chris found a winner to take the second game 10-9. Back of the net! He
carried on the good work in the third & soon took the game 9-5 & the
match 9-2 10-9 9-5. Congratulations on a fabulous victory Chris.

Christopher was playing on the other court against Paul Atres, a tough
opponent with good racket skills & impressive technique. Chris was
putting up a good show & working hard but Paul was finding a more
consistent length leaving Chris quite frustrated. Some great hitting &
retrieving from both guys was good to watch. Despite some great squash
at times from Chris - Paul had the upper hand & took the match 3-0 - 9-3
9-5 9-5.

Mark played Simon Hall. Simon took the first game pretty easily 9-0 but
Mark came fighting back, playing some great squash & in a tense
second game Mark took it 10-9. Sadly Mark  couldn't maintain his form &
Simon went on to take games 3 & 4 to win 3-1 - 9-0 9-10 9-1 9-2.

I played David Ward. I guess I can be pretty happy that I gave him a
competitive game seeing I was playing well above my station. In three
well contested games I lost 9-6 10-8 9-7. I had my chance in the second
leading 8-5 but I just couldn't take it.

Finally Gav, with the honour of playing at number one was up against
Gavin Rose. Gav was very quick out of the blocks playing a high energy
game & recording some great winners. He soon took the game 9-6 get
in! It was looking good! Unfortunately for Gav, Beechdown's Gavin found
a near perfect length from there on in & took the next three games 9-0  
9-1 9-0 to win the match 3-1.

Final score 4-1 to Beechdown with an official score of 17-5

Given the circumstances I think we can be really pleased with the effort
from everyone on the night & the overall result. Well done one & all &
many congratulations to Chris on a fine win.

Post match a tasty, quite spicy Moroccan style chicken dish with a
chocolate brownie with ice cream for pud,plus the obligatory pint of lager.
Thank you to the Beechdown boys for a top night! Played in a good spirit.

Next game - Home to Burghfield - Thursday, 5th March 2015
Berkshire Winter League - Round 9 - Away to Beechdown 2 - 19th February 2015 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Gavin Nutty
2. Pete Borrett
3. Mark Blaker
4. Christopher Head
5. Chris Head

Team colours = Tadley Blue

Due to the current injury crisis it was bare bones once again & the same team as the last outing at Beechdown.

First on court Chris 1 & Chris 2.

Chris played Gareth May, a very experience youngster with plenty of ability & impressive all round game. Gareth is
currently unbeaten in the Berkshire Winter league with a record of 4-0. Gareth soon was on top with some well
thought out shot selection with a particularly good length. Chris was fighting hard but not finding his touch on the
drops & he was soon a game down. Gareth made the score 2-0 in a much closer second game & after a lengthy
third game, Gareth wrapped up the match 3-0. Final score 9-2 9-4 9-5. A good effort from Chris who improved
each game against a tricky opponent.
Christopher played the very experienced Richard May. It was a great
match up. Chris put Richard under enormous pressure throughout. In a
close first game Richard's experience got him over the line 9-6. The
second game ebbed & flowed & at 8-7, Chris had a chance to serve for
the game, however, Richard dug in & took it to 8-8 & then went on to
take the game 10-8. More of the same in the third game, both guys
playing some fabulous squash. Richard who looked quite tired found a
way to close out the match 9-6 to win 3-0. Shame for Chris, who played a
great game & deserved at least a game or two. All good experience
though.

Mark played James Fitch. Unfortunately for Mark, he caught James in top
form & despite Mark's best efforts James ran out a convincing winner 9-0
9-0 9-1.  

I played the RAF lad Mick Sowden & to be honest it looked all over in the
knock up. Nonetheless, I gave it my best shot & played some decent
rallies. However, it was way too much of a challenge & I went down 9-0
9-1 9-6.

Finally, representing TSC at number one - Gavinder Nutty! Gav played
Pete Denton & he got off to a great start playing some awesome squash
to take game one 9-5. Gav piled on the pressure in game two & at 6-0
up it looked like he was on course to take the second game too.
However, Pete had other ideas & soon went on a swift run of points to
take the game 9-6 to level the match at 1-1. Pete then started to take
control of the match & he won game three 9-2.Sadly for Gav, Pete was
able to see out the match by winning the forth game 9-3. A good effort
from Gav - taking another point playing at number one.

Post match - a Gavinder special. Chicken curry, rice, naan bread.
Followed by a Stu special - this time a Battenberg cake. Happy days!

Thanks Gav & thanks Stuart for your culinary efforts & cheers Dave,
Dan & Stu for your support.

Oh the score, nearly forgot ;) 5-0 to Burghfield with an official score of 20-1

Thank you once again to the Burghfield boys for a top night!

Next game - Away to Bracknell - Thursday, 19th March 2015
Berkshire Winter League - Round 10 - Home to Burghfield 2 - 5th March 2015 - report by Pete Borrett
Chris Head 2 presented with his home jersey. Trouble is he had already played!
Haha! Club fine of £10 for Dan for being late with the presentation ceremony.
Team
1. Stuart Morgan
2. Gavin Nutty
3. Pete Borrett
4. Chris Head
5. Christopher Head
Team colours = Bogey Green

In an away trip to high flying Bracknell it was great to welcome Stuart back into the team at one. Mark decided he
was happy to stand down so Pete played at number three. Chris & Chris swapped places at 4 & 5.

We soon arrived at the Edgbarrow sport centre & before long so had the Bracknell boys. First on court Chris &
Chris.

Chris, playing at number 4 was up against the talented teenager Michael Truckle who had previously beaten Gav
in a thriller in the home game. Credit to Chris who was soon in his stride playing some fabulous drops from all
around the court that had Michael under extreme pressure. To be fair both guys showed a high level of fitness
flying around the court retrieving some good drives, boasts & drops. In a first game that ebbed & flowed, Chris took
it 9-6. The second game was equally competitive with both guys displaying a fine array of racket skills & amazing
energy. Thankfully for TSC, Chris took the game 10-8. Game three & Michael looked pretty determined to turn
things around. However, Chris continued to play fabulous squash & saw the match out in fine fashion 9-6. A great
3-0 win!
Christopher played James Dredge, a stocky guy with plenty of power.
James started the better & soon had a 7-3 lead. Chris dug in & started
playing by far the better squash. Great drives, boasts & a couple of
powerful kills later he was able to take the game 9-7. Get in! James
came flying out of the blocks in game two & soon took it 9-2 to level the
match at 1-1. Game three was thriller. Both guys were upping their game
& it was no surprise when it went to 8-8. Fair play to Chris who was able
to take the game 10-9 to take a 2-1 lead. By this time James was blowing
quite a bit & was clearly slowing the game down when he could to catch
his breath. Chris looked pretty fresh & with plenty of skill & determination
he took game 4 - 9-5 & the match 3-1. Congratulations mate! Back of
the net!

So with Tadley 2-0, we need just one win from Pete's, Gav's & Stuart's
matches to take the tie.

Sadly that win was miles away from Pete who was thrashed 9-0 9-0 9-2
by Craig Gilbert. Really disappointing not being competitive but it is what
it is. I tried my best.

Gav however played an amazing game against Ian Prentice. As in the
last few Berkshire squash matches Gav came flying out of the blocks to
take the first game 9-3. As you would expect the Bracknell player
regrouped & came out fighting. Ian went on to win both game two - 9-4 &
game three - 9-1 & it appeared the match was all but up. Nothing of the
sort from our Gav who in a monumental effort found a way of taking a
very tight forth game - 10-8 to set up a final game shoot out. Ian
dominated the final game but credit to Gav who saved several match
balls before finally succumbing 9-1. Final score 3-9 9-4 9-1 8-10 9-1.

Finally Stuart played Alex Pitt. Alex started the better of the two.
Unfortunately for Stuart his timing was a little off early on, with quite a few
unforced errors. Alex took game one 9-5. More of the same in the
second game, Alex having the better of things but Stuart always looked a
threat with his powerful low drives often finding the back corners. Alex
once again saw out the game 9-5. During this game Stuart caught Alex
just above his eye when trying to play a forehand. Alex was too close &
Stuart didn't realise he was there. Blood on the squash floor! Alex was
soon patched up & the game continued. The third game witnessed the
best squash of the match. Stuart was now playing really well & Alex had
to notably up his game to keep control. Some superb rallies, especially
on the backhand side. Unfortunately for Stuart he was unable to turn
things around , losing the game 9-3 & the match 9-5 9-5 9-3.

Final score 3-2 to Bracknell with an official score of 15-8

A great effort on the night, especially from the two Chris's.

Post match chicken curry, rice, naan & beer.

Thank you to the Bracknell boys for a top night! Played in a good spirit.

Next game - Home to Aldermaston - Thursday, 16th April 2015
Berkshire Winter League - Round 11 - Away to Bracknell - 19th March 2015 - report by Pete Borrett
Team
1. Stuart Morgan
2. Dan Oliver
3. Gavin Nutty
4. Mark Blaker
5. Chris Head 1

Team colours = Tadley Blue

The final Winter league game of the campaign against a very strong Aldermaston team that included the talented
Joe Walder at number one.

It was great to welcome back Dan from injury who slotted in at number two & Mark who missed out last round came
in at number four, replacing Chris Head 2 who unfortunately recently sprained his ankle playing football, so wasn't
fit.

Due to Aldermaston's 3rd string, Sarah McCraken needing to get away quickly she played first against Gav.
Unfortunately I arrived late & only saw the final moments of this match. It sounded like Gav gave his all, as per
usual, but Sarah had a bit too much skill & ran out quite a convincing winner. Final score 9-0 9-6 9-3. Bearing in
mind that Sarah has played squash at National level there is no disgrace in this loss for Gav.

Mark played Hurst old boy, Steve Walder. The game was very competitive right from the start. Steve was able to
make more of his hand outs in the first game & he took it 9-4. Mark came back strongly in the second, giving Steve
the run around & it was no surprise when he leveled the match, taking the game 9-5. The third was another well
contested game but Steve found more precision & good length to take it 9-3. The forth & Mark started to get the
dives in. One looked like it might of done some serious damage when he screamed in agony holding his calf.
Fortunately he was OK. There followed some brutal squash. Steve had to play some fantastic squash against a
very determined Mark to take the game & the match. Final score 9-4 5-9 9-3 9-5. A great effort from Mark.
Chris played John Ansell. Chris had the youth & energy & John had the
experience. Early on John dominated & took the first game 9-2. Chris
upped his level in the second game & started moving John around the
court with better shot selection & improved length. However, John was
able to see the game out 9-5. The third & John got off to a great start -
6-2 & cruising. Chris then started to find his form & won a series of
points to get to game ball at 8-6. C'mon Chris! As we know, these club
squash players dig deep & fight for everything & credit to John who
saved the game ball & ground his way back into the game, eventually
taking it 10-8 & the match 9-2 9-5 10-8.

Stuart played Joe Walder who now studies at Bristol university & also
plays for the university's very active squash teams. This match was a
fabulous. The first rally was about 18 shots, all tight, powerful &
accurate, before Joe took the point. There followed a brutal match with
both guys playing top level squash. Drives finding the back corners
returned with interest. Tight exchanges down both walls that seemed to
cling to the walls. Good choices of drops but with both guys speeding
around the court, these drops were normally kept alive. Many superb
rallies - the ooohs & arrrrs seemed to regularly ring out from the
balcony. The final score DOES NOT reflect Stuart's part in this match -
he played a great game but against a very talented & improving young
man who will no doubt be playing at an even higher lever very soon. 3-0
to Joe 9-6 9-1 9-1. All I can say is Well played Stuart!

Final match saw Danny boy play hard hitting Simon Haggith. Dan started
really well, playing tight & very accurate squash to build an early 6-1
advantage. Simon came roaring back with some thunderbolt drives that
barely got off the ground. Simon's momentum saw him take the game
9-7. The second & Dan started trying to hit the ball as hard as Simon
which unfortunately just saw the ball bouncing kindly at the back of the
court for Simon to keep control. Simon took the second game pretty
easily 9-1. Simon kept his level high in the third game & at 8-2 up it
looked like a formality for him to wrap up the match. Good on Danny boy
who really started to find his form. So much so, he got back to 7-8 & had
a few hand outs to maybe go on & take the game. Sadly, not this time.
Simon found the all important point to take the game 9-7 & the match 9-7
9-1 9-7. Great to have Dan back in the team. Well played mate!
So final score 5-0 to Aldermaston with an official score of 20-1

Post match - a Gav special - an excellent chicken curry, rice, naan & beer! Followed by cake!!!! This time Fairy
cakes - which were lovely. Once again made by Stuart. Cheers Stu!

Thank you to the Aldermaston boys & girls for a top night!

Next game - Away to Datchet
Thursday, 30th April 2015 - Summer league round one
Berkshire Winter League - Round 12 - Home to Aldermaston - 16th April 2015 - report by Pete Borrett