Trojans v Rivets

You always know when there's trouble afoot when you get an unexpected call to play.  We were

definitely struggling to get a good team out, and to top it off our No.1 dropped out.  To make amends Mike had brought his very fetching new kit, very stylish.  So off we went to Rivets, where, would you believe they were missing their 1,2 and 3.  Things suddenly started looking up and with our hot new kit, we were pumped.  It never ceases to amaze me that something a simple as a squash court can vary so much.  Rivets have one of those big long heaters down the centre of the court, consequently standing on the T was a bit like being lost in the Kalahari desert – unbelievably hot, but the sides were quite normal. So the strategy was to spend as little time on the T as you could manage. 

First up was yours truly playing at 4 playing a chippy little Irishman. Now I am usually a slow starter, but tonight I set a new standard, just couldn't settle into it.  Lost the first game 9-1, not good. Second game was better but still way off the pace.  Lost 9-6.  Third game was time to get it sorted but I was still firing on three cylinders when the score was 7-5 to the Irishman.  Bad, and much anguish in the gallery.  Finally I managed to sort myself out and avoid a disaster. - due in no small part to some excellent advice from Steve May.  Won 9-7.  Fourth game was totally different, it was like somebody else had come on court. My serving purred, effortless dropshots, I barely needed to move.  Paddy was looking beguiled.  Won that one 9-4.  So nicely set up for the fifth and on a roll.  Then I had a wobble.  Serving got loose, Paddy got back into it.  At 6‑2 things weren't looking good.   Clawed my way back to 7-7, got my nose in front at 8-7.  At last victory within my grasp!  But just couldn't finish it off, lost 10-9.  Bugger. The gallery was exhausted.  Lost 2-3

Meanwhile on the next court, big John Catchpole was dispensing misery.  Didn't see the game but three fairly quick games put the match score on 1 all.  Won 3-0

Next was Richard Graham at three, who, it has to be said was playing probably their best player.  He covered the court well and had a very effective forehand, anything loose was convincingly put away.  Managed to watch Richard win the third 9-6, but it was not enough.  Lost 1-3.

Steve May played at 2.  Steve's demeanour on court is a bit like a man chatting to his neighbour over the garden fence while leaning on a rake – but  'relaxed'  doesn't come anywhere near it.  Steve's opponent just couldn't get into the game.  Tight serves, great shot selection, nicely weighted shots, he made it look easy.  His biggest threat was overconfidence.  But it was always under control and ran out a comfortable winner. Won 3-0.

So the match was nicely balanced at 2-2. Time for Chaps to do his stuff.  Unfortunately, he shouldn't even have been playing due to a pulled calf muscle, but had to pick himself when Harry had to drop out at the last minute.   Chances were that he would pull up half way through the second game.  And it didn't do much for our confidence when he came out with his leg covered in (very stylish) black tape.  His opponent was definitely not their No.1 - best described as scrappy and aggressive, his game plan seemed to be based on getting grumpy but fortunately he didn't seem to notice Mike trying to hide his limp.  What transpired was a masterclass in game management.  He had an awkward serve, used his reach well, didn't bother with lost causes and tried to limp as little as possible.  The gallery was nervous, could he keep it going?  The first game was close , could have gone either way, but experience showed and he won it 9-7.  The second game was surprisingly easy, his opponent was not happy and the grumpier he got, the more confident we felt.  Mike took it 9-1.  We started to believe he might be able to win if he could keep it going.  But ours fears were misplaced and he wrapped the match up winning comfortably 9-4 in the third.

So we came away with a slightly surprising 16 points to 6 win, still top of the league!!  Our opponents weren't too dismayed, they knew they would struggle but compensated by being great company over the meal.  Rivets is some club, bit like a northern workingman's club.  Good atmosphere, cheep beer and their subs are about £70 a year!! and the courts are £2.50.

Trojans,  Nike!!

Berks Summer League: Royal Berks ends v Trojans

Joe Budweiser writes:

The Trojans were off to their first away match of the campaign, travelling to Bracknell for a visit at the Royal Berkshire Health and Racquets Club. A very nice facility one must admit....

First on was Guy Plunkett, who quickly found the quality of opponent higher than his previous match. Down 0-2 in short order, he did manage to make a game of it in the third but alas could not keep up the pressure on his opponent. First match to Royal Berkshire. Playing his inaugural match for the Trojans, John Ashington experienced a similar result on the neighbouring court. His opponent's mid-court drops and ability to chase down length was the difference. Second match to Royal Berkshire.

The third match was to be played by Andy Wright, who made several appearances last summer for the Trojans. He had also volunteered as team chauffeur for the evening, a task not many sign up for and even doubly surprising as I had offered to do so! Driving to Bracknell clearly took a toll on his performance, as he was blanked 0-3 in the same manner as John and Guy.

This left myself playing at 2 and Olly Reeves at 1 with the task of getting some measure of points out of the evening.  Alas, it was not to be. We each put up a fight and at times seemed like we may get some momentum going, but the short version is both our matches ended on scores of 1-3 to the hosts.

A bit of a squad rethink will need to occur before the next match, as the Berkshire Summer League is proving a challenging environment for the Trojans....

Final score:

Beaconsfield Trojans: 2 games, 0 matches won

Royal Berkshire 2nds: 15 games, 5 matches won

Overall winner: Royal Berkshire 2nds

Match Report: Berks Summer League: Trojans v Greenacre 2nds

Match Report by Joe Budweiser:

The team was hopeful for a flying start, having consolidated two teams from last year's summer league and moving up into the Berkshire's third division.....onto the match.

First up, Guy Plunkett found himself down 0-2 in games before changing tactics and powering his way to a third game win. However, all that extra power used up any reserve energy he would need for the fourth game, leaving Beaconsfield with a 1-3 loss in the first match. Next, John Bullard drew the unfortunate circumstance of playing a current Scotland Masters team member, but fought well. Regrettably, he was similarly dispatched on a scoreline of 1-3.

Not looking good for the Trojans, team match score showing 0-2 after the first two matches.

I was on court next, putting in a reasonable performance for the first game only to capitulate at 7-9. I then lost my way and proceeded to only score six points in the next two games. Do the maths and you find that you can't win games much less matches by doing that. Overall team match to Greenacre 2nds at this point. Alex Speculand had a similar result in his match, losing a very tight first game 8-10 and then also yielding games two and three for a match score of 0-3.

Down 0-4 in matches, Phil Alexander was the team's last hope for some points and to retain a (small) bit of pride. And what a hope it was....Phil turned out an entertaining and whiteknuckle performance, sending his opponent the wrong way more times than I care to count. The match see-sawed with Phil winning the first and then the fourth to force a fifth game. Experience then ruled the day, as the crowd saw Phil take a very solid fifth game victory (completed with a nick for the final point!) to win his match and prevent a complete sweep by the visitors.

Final score:

Beaconsfield Trojans: 5 games, 1 match won
Greenacre 2nds: 14 games, 4 matches won

Overall winner: Greenacre 2nds

Trojans: Half Term Report

Special awards/thanks/mentions go to:

Team members present at the WSRC/Booker away match, where we managed to ring up enough of a bar tab that WSRC has threatened they are taking a mini-bus to Beaconsfield for the return leg!
All those who acted as my driver to/from matches; both home and away.
Captain Chapples for subsidizing the team's home match bar tab thus far....although we suspect a 'final invoice' at end of season to compensate him will be forthcoming.
Joe Budzynski 

Trojans v Aylesbury 2

So, the Trojans next outing, this time away to Aylesbury 2. 

Chapples' strategy for this match was admirable.  With Joe absent and Richard G injured, we needed some top line replacements.  He managed to finesse Olly at 1 and Heather  at 2, not bad for the 5^th team.  So, stuffed with ringers we had nothing but confidence for our trip.  What could possibly go wrong?

On arrival, the first cracks appeared.  Was that Dave Herron? What's he doing here?  I'm sure he was in the semi-final of the Bucks closed a year or so ago! And who's that other bloke, I'm sure I've seem him play against our second team before!?

So first up was Heather against Dave Herron, a lefty versus a ginger, what a combo.  Tough one to call.  Heather took a while to get used to the cool courts, but her customary solid play started to tell. Playing great lengths with consistency saw her take the fist game 9-7. Dave then started to play a little deeper in order to cope with Heather's lengths and started to pick her off with some finely judged boasts.  Once on top he never looked back, result 3-1.

Next was Olly against Simon Townsend, a very awkward customer.  Despite some very stylish play from Olly, he was having great difficulty dealing with his unorthodox opponent. (I swear I saw him play one drop shot with the racquet handle vertical). Some fine play from Olly, but just not consistent enough.  Result 3-0.

Yours truly next against Ian Durrant, a tall, gangly customer.  Being a slow starter, I wasn't too worried about taking time to get to grips with my opponent.  Lost the first game.  Started getting better in the second, but despite starting to improve and play some good shots  I struggled to get on the front foot. Unsettled him with a few unorthodox shots, but sad to say, never got to grips with the  occasion.

Result 3-0

Captain for the night, Richard Monson came next, against Alex Woodyer, a very good player.  Richard started a bit erratically, and took a while to adjust, but lost the first game 9-0.  He started the second better and his well known ability to retrieve balls that were well past him, definitely helped, but his lack of match practice started to take its toll.  After he lost the second, I told Heather to give him some advice “but I don't know what to tell him” she said , - “ well just make something up” I urged. Whatever she said, it wasn't quite enough.

Result 3-0

Finally, big John Catchpole was playing a 16 year old girl. It looked like Tarzan versus Jane.  And so it started out, John did a marvelous job of intimidating his opponent and took the first game.  In the second game his opponent calmed her nerves a bit and started to play a very tidy, well crafted game.  1 game all.  Unfortunately as the game continued John tried to play a more cultured game (for him), not a good time to try out new ideas.  Despite telling him to go out there and 'unsettle' his opponent as only he could do, the game morphed into something more like David versus Goliath.  Still, he got one game more than most of us.

Result 3-1.

So we lost he match 5-0, an unnerving crash back to earth – a retreat with dented shields and bent spears.  And the moral of the tale is – make sure your ringers are better than their ringers.

Trojans v Chesham Bois 1879 2

John Bullard writes (reticently):

At last, the big night had arrived, the Trojans were about to play their first match. 

The air crackled with nervous tension.

Our opponents, Chesham 1879 2 – tricky.

With Chapples, Monson and Bullard in the team, it was never going to be pretty to watch. Consequently, I suggest that the team motto should be Turpis Lucri -"win ugly". 

And we need some classy Trojan nicknames.

First up, yours truly. Bit of pressure before the off, as it doesn't look good to lose when you're playing at 5 for the fifth team. My opponent, Paul, a young, stocky upstart who turned out to be surprisingly quick. First game was a 'getting the measure of each other' affair, which I eventually won when he called a bold '1' at 8-all. Relaxed a bit in the 2nd, played a few lobs and won that 9-3. Relaxed a bit too much in the 3rd and lost 5-9. Came back fired up in the 4th and closed out the match at 9-5. 

Result 3-1

Monson was playing at 4. His opponent looked like a cross between Giant Haystacks and Burl Ives and about as mobile. Richard complained that “he got in the way all the time” - did everybody spot the irony there? At the end of the first game he came off looking grim-faced and ashen, not good. However, with some adroit advice from the team, he started to move him about and turned it around. Result 3-1

Playing 2 was Richard Graham. Steve was a very capable, disciplined opponent who gave him trouble from the off, confidently putting Richard's serves away and dominating the play. After settling in, Steve took the first game 9-4. In the second game he had the measure of Richard and won 9-2. Richard rallied a bit in the 3rd, but overstretched himself and did his back in. Carried off on his shield. Result 0-3

Over on ct 5 captain Chapples was in a titanic struggle with Mark. This was epic stuff!! Chaps took the first 9-7. Mark won the 2nd 10-8. And boy was it ugly. The crowd in the gallery didn't know what to do with themselves. Chaps then lost the 3rd! The noble captain girded his loins and won a herioc 4th game. The 5th game was unwatchable. I have never seen Chapples run so much. He kept getting a lead and then losing it. He got match point – then lost it, disaster. At 8-8 it looked like he might have come unstuck. Nobody in the gallery could stand it. Back and forward it went, impossibly gutsy shots, miraculous retrieving, wood shots, this game had it all. Finally, he dragged himself over the line to win 10-8. Worthy of an epic poem. At last, the gallery could go to the bar. 

 Result 3-2

Finally, Joe Budzinski playing at 1. His opponent was a big lad – like the entire Persian army in one bloke. Very stylish, he had a drop shot that was a gift from the Gods – better than St John's. In the 1st game Joe made a lot of unforced errors, probably because he had just got back from India. Lost the 1st game a surprising 9-2. Got into his rythmn in the 2nd and just got better. Great game to watch, brilliant shots from both players. 

Result 3-1 

My suggestion for Joe's 'nom de guerre' – Paris (Trojan prince), very stylish.

So, a handsome victory in our first encounter - and a heroic bar bill.

Nike! (means 'victory')