Chairman’s Report, North of
England Masters
2nd – 4th January 2015
 The
fourth Regional of 2014/15 was possibly a week too early, as
entrants totalled only 125 as opposed to the usual 150+.
Held at Pontefract Squash Club for the twelfth year
running, a favourite club to play at for many.
In the WO55 Julie Field, playing at her home
club, was too good for everyone, but Welsh traveller, Lynne
Davies, gave a good account going down 8/10 5/9 3/9.
 In
the WO50 Shelly Walsh gave her England chances
a sizeable boost, beating Tamsin Bennett 9/1 9/2 9/3, whilst
Sarah Howlett just shaded the unlucky Julia Dolman 7/9 9/4
6/9 9/6 6/9. In the Final, Walsh was up against no 1 seed
and many times winner Fran Wallis, not known for
taking prisoners. Fran kept her nose in front winning 9/7
9/3 9/7.
WO45 saw Rachel Woolford edge past Kay Fallows 1/5
4/11 11/9 12/14 11/5, before the former went down to no 1
seed Andrea Santamaria 11/2 11/5 8/11 11/5. Isabelle
Tweedle beat Rose Bamber 11/6 11/8 11/5 and in a tight
Final, overcame the northern favourite on her home courts,
4/11 8/1 11/8 11/13.
WO35/40 – With the combo effect in this group, the
paradox being the O40 are slightly stronger. Sarah Parr
beat Natalie Townsend 11/2 11/8 11/5 whilst Shayne
Baillie won 3/1 against Kate Bradshaw. The Final, which
I marked, was a really athletic affair with both players
favouring cross court lengths at pace. Eventually, Baillie
emerged the victor, 11/9 6/11 11/9 8/11 11/3, in an
entertaining and friendly Final.
 MO70
– was a was horse affair, both Messrs Clemson and
Wright in a class of their own. With a number of
possibles not playing, one or two newcomers are making a bid
for the latter spots in the International Team and Steve
Burgess did his chances no harm beating Nigel Belle 9/5 9/6
9/6. However, Adrian Wright, though not as mobile as usual,
too much Christmas pud with his drinking partner BFD, was
too good, as was Clemson over Brian Hardcastle, after the
latter sneaked the first.
Clemson eventually won the Final 10/9 9/1 2/9 9/10 9/1, an
unusual scenario, seeing the current World O70 Champ at no
2. But with Messrs Goodbourn, Pearse, Boswell and Ansell all
travelling to Johannesburg in 2016, he had better make the
most of it!
 MO65
was a Barry Featherstone affair yet again, beating
Alan Hendry 9/0 9/7 9/0 in the quarters and Martin Pearse
9/2 9/1 9/5 in the Semi. However, a few surprises, Martin
Day stormed past Trevor Cox 9/2 9/0 10/8.
Roger More held a 2/1 6/0 lead over Chris Ansell, but Ansell
made one of his famed comebacks ! As did Martin Pearse for
the sixth time in seven years at Pontefract, came back from
a 1/2 1/6 , deficit in the fourth, and 1/7 in fifth defeat
to beat no 3 seed Chris Goodbourn. In the bottom half,
Aubrey Waddy suffered an ultra rare hiding 2/9 0/9 3/9 at
the hands of Terry Norman, who had beaten Chris Ansell by a
similar score. But Featherstone led 9/5 9/0 4/0 in the Final
before Norman staged a no-avail comeback. So Barry, without
his wife watching, ran out an easy winner-yet again.
MO60 – Dave Lumsdon, soon to be 65, entered a
Regional for the first time as his son was in the O35’s. He
beat Paul Vale 3-0, Paul Reader 3-0 before sneaking past Ian
Holmes 9/4 8/10 9/4 6/9 3/9. In an early round, the very
likeable Geoff Redfern edged past Neil Nightingale 10/9 in
the fifth, after the latter had seemingly won the match in a
lot of spectators eyes, but a ‘let’ was given. Neil did well
not to self explode. However, Holmes was too clinical for
Redfern in the next round.
In the top half, no 1 seed Stuart Hardy (as dour as
the weather on court, smiling once – the spectators remarked
on it) was too good for all and sundry, 3-0 v Tim Delves,
Alistair Niven and Simon Evendon. However, the Final was
even-stevens until a very contentious ‘no point’ early in
the third, upset Lumsdon, who then suffered series of no
lets and Hardy ran out a 5/9 9/3 9/3 9/7 victor, his second
Regional in succession.
MO55, missing some stars, saw the re-emergence of the
Squash Doctor, aka serial squash blogger Richard Millman,
who now resides in the USA, and is the USA and Canadian
Champion. However he was probably surprised to find the
standard in England is much higher now due to the fanatical
competitiveness for England places and he became the first
casualty, losing 1/9 7/9 3/9 to no 4 seed Neil Harrison.
In the bottom half, James Ockwell, a father to be, and just
55, sneaked past Colin Shields 9/7 7/9 2/9 9/7 3/9, but
found no 2 Dermot Hurford much, much fresher four
hours later as Mot had had an easier 3-0 in the morning. The
Final saw Harrison start well leading 9/1 6/9 9/7 but
Hurford consolidated and was in control for the two that
counted 9/5 9/0
MO50 saw the re-emergence of Murray Scott whose
ultimate power was too much for all on his way to the Final.
Nigel Young 11/4 11/5 11/5, Peter Lonsdale 9/4 10/8 9/3 and
John Parkes 9/2 9/7 9/0. In the bottom half, Eamonn Price,
just back from an injury layoff, wasn’t quite himself as he
found to his cost when he played the ultra competitive Ray
Burke in the Semi Final. Price led 9/5 9/2 but Burke’s
strength saw him through 9/3 10/8 9/0. However, all his
energy and fire had gone into this one match and Scott kept
the power on full bore (think 140+mph every shot) and won
the Final 9/7 9/2 9/2.
MO45, no 4 seed Glen Ragou, amazingly playing at this
standard whilst in the middle of chemotherapy, went down
narrowly to no 1 seed Jon Lilley, 11/8 12/10 11/9,
whilst James Piddington (no 3) edged a furious battle with
no 2 Andy Normile 7/11 11/5 3/11 11/4 11/8. In the Final,
Lilley was too clinical winning 11/6 11/3 11/4.
MO40 – a small draw saw Matt Stephenson overturn Jago
Nardelli 3-1 but became a Paul Boyle victim in the
Semi. Jon Gliddon had poor Joss Hargreave retire with a torn
groin after beating Antonio Petronzio 11/6 11/8 11/4. In the
Final, Boyle won 11/3 11/6 11/7, but Gliddon will be happy
as he is now pretty certain of a cap.....
MO35 saw Matt Marshall sneak Tim Richards 11/5 in the
fifth but go down to newly minted 35 year old Gareth
Lumsdon, son of David, 3/11 10/12 1-/12. Barry Talbot
had a lengthy battle with Jaakko Antti Peltola 8/11 9/11
11/7 11/8 7/11 but fell to Lumsdon 2/11 6/11 4/11.
In the bottom half, a newly protected Jamie Goodrich,
sporting an IMask, as worn by Richard Millman (and myself in
friendlies only), saw off Marcus Hayes 13/11 8/11 11/8 0/11
5/11 and then Alistair Coker 10/12 8/11 11/3 7/11. However,
Master Lumsdon, having 8 years on Mr Goodrich, was just too
fast and clinical, 11/7 11/9 11/2 in the Final.
Thanks to Mick and Cindy Todd at Pontefract, Malcolm
Willstrop and Steve Ridge, Coach and Manager, Diane behind
the desk and Chris and her Catering Team for their food and
drink.
Also, of course, to Brian and Ros Brock for keeping the
whole Tournament in ship shape order.
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North-West
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