A FRENETIC display from Newcastle University’s Ben Gibson earned him the second Matchpoint title at Tynemouth Squash Club on Saturday September 28th.
Almost 12 hours after the bumper tournament kicked off, the No 2 seed never flagged for a second as he battled to a 2-0 victory over top seed Cai Younger on the glassback. Gibson’s street-fighter win came as the 108th and final best-of-3 match of a 12-hour marathon across four courts at Tynemouth – the second of the Matchpoint one-day events to be held in the North East.
Kicking off at 9am prompt, the 60 competitors across all age ranges (well, from 11 up to 60-something!), with 12 players in events A, B, D, 8 in the E and a bumper 16-strong entry in the C event. The event was superbly hosted by a welcoming Tynemouth Squash club, with many of the players aided and abetted by Ray Rycroft’s famous cheese toasties and beef chilli.
All players were guaranteed 3 games across the day (All events monrad format), with the C graders and qualifiers getting a bargain 4th match for their money. Players came from far and wide, with special thanks due to the vocal and enthusiastic travelling contingents from Old Crossleyans Squash Club (Halifax) and Loughborough.
Tournament organiser Younger had seen off an almost irrepressible Waqas Gul in a closely-fought semi-final – while Uni No 1 Gibson had been pushed to the brink in a three-setter by Northern’s rapidly improving 15-year-old Duncan Rutherford. The teenager was edged out 11-6 in the third, but showed a full range of shots and fought every step of the way. Sedgefield’s Rob Pearce clinched third with a close 2-0 win over student John Thompson, returning to his Geordie roots as part of a strong travelling party from Loughborough University. Primrose’s evergreen Steve Calvert was edged out 2-1 in the A Plate by Tom Mitchell-Williams (5-11, 11-8, 6-11).
Top seed Colin Langley lived up to his billing with an impressive win in the B event. He dropped only one game (in the first round, to Old Crossleyan Ryan Jackson), and completed his day with an impressive 2-0 final win over Scott Maughan. Yorkshireman Jackson took third spot, while Newbigginer Andrew Black held his nerve in two close games to clinch the plate 11-8, 11-8 against Anthony Hockey.
Black’s clubmate John Armstrong was deservedly named Player of the Tournament after winning four matches to clinch the mammoth C Event. At 1-0 down in the final to junior James Ulyatt, John lost five points in a row from 10-5 up and Betfair had just closed their book on the outcome. But the tournament veteran, despite looking out on his feet, found a couple of do-or-die winners to clinch it 15-13 and force a decider, which he won 11-7 to complete a brilliant day’s squash. Chester-le-Street livewire Lewis Kilkenny won the Plate with a strong 2-0 finish over Tynemouth’s Ian Morton.
Northern U17 player Euan Wayman hit top form at the right time to seal the ‘D’ title, seeing off Eldon Square’s Umer Chughtai 11-3, 11-7, while Benjamin Morgan (Northern) took the Plate in a real nailbiter – just two points separating him and Newbiggin’s Gary Robson in both games. Sedgefield wonderkid Huey Lamb was certainly not up for slaughter. the 11-year-old junior player of the tournament won plenty of fans as he played his way to an impressive 5th spot in the D Event, beating Andy Silver 2-0 in his last play-off.
And there was but a cigarette paper between most of the contenders in the ‘E’ event. Tournament debutant Will Green saw a match-point disappear against Anchitha Senthilkumar in the first round – the latter going on to clinch third spot with a 2-0 win over irrepressible Tynemouth junior James Morton (11-7, 12-10). But it was the homegrown Ryan Jackson who secured some E grade glory for the host club as he took the final honours 2-0 (11-4, 11-3) against Northern junior Clara Westwood.
Thanks go out to host club Tynemouth and all the players, spectators and markers for a day that was bursting full of competitive squash, played in a great atmosphere and a fantastic spirit.
Dylan Younger
Leave a Comment