Beds SRA closed 2015
Davies Downed in Dramatic Final
The defeat of reigning and 6 times winner of the Bedfordshire County Squash Championships, Steve Davies, signalled the end
of a fascinating and ultra-competitive weekend of top quality squash at Lewsey Sports Park.
Play began early on Saturday morning with the early adult rounds followed by the junior categories and whilst there were no upsets in the first round amongst the adults, the Boys Under 19 kicked off with a cracker! Oliver Spence, who only took up the game two years ago, faced local LDSC player, Sean Davies, arguably the favourite for the title. Over an hour later Spence left the court having triumphed 3-2 in a thrilling match. Young Davies, had to go straight back on court to face the number 3 seed in the adult tournament Joe Elfasi and unsurprisingly put up little resistance.
Spence then followed up his win with yet another five game thriller against Alex Axford to take the title in the round robin format. Given the turn of events it was hardly a surprise then that the play off for second and third also went to five with Davies showing remarkable fortitude to edge home and take second place.
In the Under 15 event, LDS starlet, Sophia John, saw off all her opponents, boys and girls without dropping a game, despite only being 11.
The Under 11 event was a much closer affair and unsurprisingly the final was contested between siblings Lily and Natalie Main. The only surprise was that it didn’t go to five in what will be their final domestic final at this age group as Lily moves up to U13. Lily played the most thoughtful squash of her career to date and posed problems for her younger sister to which she had no reply and romped home 3-1.
The second round of adult matches finished Saturdays play with all matches going to form setting up some mouth-watering ties for the following day in both the A and B Grades.
Sunday kicked off with the two A Grade finals and Steve Davies disposed of young Sam McCoy in quick style, however, the other semi was a fiery affair between Bunyan’s Nathan Derrick and LDSC player Joe Elfasi. There is no love lost between the pair and the referee did well to keep a lid on the raised emotions. Elfasi edged the first before Derrick scrapped through to win the next two. Elfasi took an early lead in the fourth as Derrick seemed to take a mental and physical time out. In the decider Derrick showed just a little more maturity and focus on the vital points to eventually triumph and set up a repeat of last year’s final.
In the B Grade semi-finals Stephen Axford triumphed over Flitwick’s Jeff Bulled, whilst an understandably tired Sean Davies seemed to run on pure adrenalin, but that was sufficient to defeat Mowsbury’s Phil Hale.
Sandwiched between the Mens’ Competition, the Women’s final took place. Last year’s winner, Debbie Main, failed to cope with Alison Parles’s aggressive shot making who was unfazed when losing the second game, ultimately winning 3-1.
The B Grade final was keenly fought, but Sean Davies pulled energy reserves from deep within to win 3-1. A suitable reward for a very hard weekend.
All that remained was the A Grade Final and what a final it was. The vast majority of the watching crowd were clearly favouring Davies, however, Derrick raced into a 2-0 lead and all looked lost. However, great champions never give up easily and despite being hampered by injury, Davies dug out the next two games to level it. Both players looked dead on their feet in the final game, however, some uncharacteristic unforced errors by Davies allowed Derrick a lead which he never relinquished and deservedly won his first County Championship.
All in all a great weekend of squash, with some very tired limbs. It is perhaps testament to the Monrad format of the tournament that in the final round in A Grade, EVERY match went to 5 games. Hopefully that will encourage some more of the non-elite players to enter and get some competitive squash.
Final Standings:
A Grade
Davies Downed in Dramatic Final
The defeat of reigning and 6 times winner of the Bedfordshire County Squash Championships, Steve Davies, signalled the end
of a fascinating and ultra-competitive weekend of top quality squash at Lewsey Sports Park.
Play began early on Saturday morning with the early adult rounds followed by the junior categories and whilst there were no upsets in the first round amongst the adults, the Boys Under 19 kicked off with a cracker! Oliver Spence, who only took up the game two years ago, faced local LDSC player, Sean Davies, arguably the favourite for the title. Over an hour later Spence left the court having triumphed 3-2 in a thrilling match. Young Davies, had to go straight back on court to face the number 3 seed in the adult tournament Joe Elfasi and unsurprisingly put up little resistance.
Spence then followed up his win with yet another five game thriller against Alex Axford to take the title in the round robin format. Given the turn of events it was hardly a surprise then that the play off for second and third also went to five with Davies showing remarkable fortitude to edge home and take second place.
In the Under 15 event, LDS starlet, Sophia John, saw off all her opponents, boys and girls without dropping a game, despite only being 11.
The Under 11 event was a much closer affair and unsurprisingly the final was contested between siblings Lily and Natalie Main. The only surprise was that it didn’t go to five in what will be their final domestic final at this age group as Lily moves up to U13. Lily played the most thoughtful squash of her career to date and posed problems for her younger sister to which she had no reply and romped home 3-1.
The second round of adult matches finished Saturdays play with all matches going to form setting up some mouth-watering ties for the following day in both the A and B Grades.
Sunday kicked off with the two A Grade finals and Steve Davies disposed of young Sam McCoy in quick style, however, the other semi was a fiery affair between Bunyan’s Nathan Derrick and LDSC player Joe Elfasi. There is no love lost between the pair and the referee did well to keep a lid on the raised emotions. Elfasi edged the first before Derrick scrapped through to win the next two. Elfasi took an early lead in the fourth as Derrick seemed to take a mental and physical time out. In the decider Derrick showed just a little more maturity and focus on the vital points to eventually triumph and set up a repeat of last year’s final.
In the B Grade semi-finals Stephen Axford triumphed over Flitwick’s Jeff Bulled, whilst an understandably tired Sean Davies seemed to run on pure adrenalin, but that was sufficient to defeat Mowsbury’s Phil Hale.
Sandwiched between the Mens’ Competition, the Women’s final took place. Last year’s winner, Debbie Main, failed to cope with Alison Parles’s aggressive shot making who was unfazed when losing the second game, ultimately winning 3-1.
The B Grade final was keenly fought, but Sean Davies pulled energy reserves from deep within to win 3-1. A suitable reward for a very hard weekend.
All that remained was the A Grade Final and what a final it was. The vast majority of the watching crowd were clearly favouring Davies, however, Derrick raced into a 2-0 lead and all looked lost. However, great champions never give up easily and despite being hampered by injury, Davies dug out the next two games to level it. Both players looked dead on their feet in the final game, however, some uncharacteristic unforced errors by Davies allowed Derrick a lead which he never relinquished and deservedly won his first County Championship.
All in all a great weekend of squash, with some very tired limbs. It is perhaps testament to the Monrad format of the tournament that in the final round in A Grade, EVERY match went to 5 games. Hopefully that will encourage some more of the non-elite players to enter and get some competitive squash.
Final Standings:
A Grade
- Nathan Derrick
- Steve Davies
- Sam McCoy
- Joe Elfasi
- John Blackwell
- George Allen
- Paul Main
- Matt Carey
- Sean Davies
- Stephen Axford
- Jeff Bulled
- Phil Davies
- Glen Bush
- Colm McNelis
- Alison Parles
- Debbie Main
- Oliver Spence
- Sean Davies
- Alex Axford
- Sophia John
- Aran Mingay
- Lily Main
- Natalie Main
- William Lanz