Here’s the weekly round-up of Summer League north-west Squash action by Gareth Evans – Squash Column for Macclesfield Express
The latest round of matches in the North West Counties Summer League last Thursday saw four of the five teams from our local squash clubs involved in a pair of South Division derbies, while the fifth continued to plough a lonely, but fruitful, furrow elsewhere.
Prestbury 1 may be this area’s sole representatives in the East Division, but, with two fixtures left to play, look a good bet for the title after doubling their previous week’s lead at the top from four to eight points.
The latest success, at home to City of Manchester 2, was not only a fourth consecutive victory for the leaders – who have not lost since the Summer League’s opening night – but also their first of the competition by a 5-0 margin. Mike Quartley, Alan Whiston and Pat Hunter, as well as junior players Kaamil Bhatti (14) and Harry Mattocks (15), ensured the collective rout.
The South Division, meanwhile, reached its halfway-stage – marked by 3-2 home wins for Bollington 1 and Macclesfield Squash against their respective visiting near-neighbours, Prestbury 2 and Bollington 2.
Bollington 1’s triumph was all the sweeter for being a first of the summer, and saw the team free itself from the basement position to go eighth. Fourth-placed Prestbury 2 ruled the roost in the top order, courtesy of wins by Rob Alcock and 15-year-old Jonny Murray at first and second strings. But straight-games victories for Bolly’s Gareth Ainsworth, Eugene Mole and junior George Lomas (12) enabled the hosts to clinch the contest overall.
And fifth was playing seventh at the town’s leisure centre, which bore witness to a victory by the odd match in five for the higher-placed Macc. The quintet of pairings produced closely-fought battles that included 3-1 wins for Ollie Critchley and Jon Stoker from the home team and Olli Stewart of ‘Bolly 2’. The two remaining matches went to five games, and both could have gone the way of either team. In the event, however, each claimed one – with Simon Fisher for the hosts and Bollington’s Andrew Berry edging home.