The England Squash Masters circuit of events moved to the lovely town of Cheltenham for the first time as the East Glos Club hosted the West of England Masters Open. A wonderful club and the Masters were made very welcome by members and staff alike.
There were 157 players Registered for the event from all over the country and a strong Welsh entry.
The Women's 65s has become very competitive and Wales won this age group in the Home Internationals last season. The top two players came through to the final. Inevitably it was a Wales / England encounter and it was a cracker. Julie-Anne Pegram took the close first two games but Lynne Davies is a tremendous competitor and struck back to rake the next two and level. The fifth was a nail-biter but Pegram clinched it 16/14 to take her first Regional Championship.
The Women's 55 and 60 groups were combined and Isobel Smith (HFD) returning from injury showed she was back on form with a fine win over multiple champion Fran Wallis (LCN) in the semi-final. In the final though she came up against the top player in the group at present in British Open Champion Helen Barnard of Wales. Barnard was too strong in the final powering through in straight games for her fourth Regional title.
The Women's 50s is a particularly competitive group with a number of players capable of winning on their day. In their quarter-final, Libby Montgomery (HFD) had a great five game win over Jane Armstrong (WKS), coming back from 2/1 down to win 12/10 in the fifth game. Her semi final against Chrissie McMullen was a match too far, however and she went out in three games. National Champion Louisa Dalwood looked to be favourite in the final but Merseyside's Chrissie McMullen had other ideas and, covering the court brilliantly, edged home in three very tight games to take her fourth Regional.
In the 45s there was again a group of England players vying for the honours. Kate Bradshaw (CBE) came through the round-robin pool unbeaten to claim her fourth Regional win with Natalie Townsend (WKS) in second place after a close call with Caroline Hazelwood (OFE) where she clinched the fourth 14/12.
The Women's 35/40 group is always combined for the Regionals and again it was two England team mates who progressed to the final. Natalie Lawrence (SOM) came through a round-robin pool taking her fourth title with Heather Joy placing second after a strange match where the first was won 11/1 by Joy but the next three by Lawrence with only points in it. Good squash by two fine players.
On to the Men.
There was a Men's over 80 event but unfortunately, it was hit by injury withdrawals. Alan Whittow (BUX) is playing very well at present and has been competing with the age group below him. Here he had to contend with the experience of Scotland international Ken Reid and would have been pleased when he took the third game 12/10 for the match. A second Regional title for him.
The 75s are dominated by Barry Featherstone (HPH) who has a terrific record of wins. He very nearly came unstuck here though. After cruising into the final he met an old foe in Martin Day (YKS) who had previously removed second seed Bryan Francis (MDX), in four games. Playing better than of late, Day went 2/1 up and reached 10/10 in the fourth before a mishit gave Featherstone a point to level which he converted. Featherstone then ran away with the fifth for a record 38 Regional titles, moving one ahead of the legendary Adrian Wright.
Stuart Hardy ((WLT) the Masters Chairman is on a roll this season with the British Open and the North of England already won. He had a testing match in the semi-final against the Wales Champion Tony Bevan, whose paceless drop shots were well suited to the court conditions. Hardy survived a 17/15 second game to win 3/0 but there were fireworks in the other half as Ian Graham (SSX), the 2 seed, dug deep to beat John Hithersay (NHM) in five in the quarter-final but did not have enough left in the semi-final to stop Cornwall's David Matthew reaching his first final. After a tight first game, the Wiltshire man imposed himself and won in straight games for his 19th Regional Championship.
Nick Gollaglee (SOM) is another player on a roll. Also a winner of the British Open and North of England, Gollaglee has since added the Irish Open. The Men's 65s are a solid group and Tom Burton (HFD) nearly spoilt the party but two errors cost him the fifth game in a closely fought semi-final. Meanwhile, in the other semi-final, George Kousseff looked outplayed early on by the talented Gordon McManus (KNT) but battled through in five to earn his place in the final. Gollaglee was back on form in the final though with his signature lob and drop style as he took his fourth Regional.
The Men's 60s saw several good matches. One of the best had Wiltshire's Paul Clark battle to a 13/11 in the fifth win over Tony Kaye (YKS). John Parkes (WOC) removed Clark then the dangerous Andrew Killey (AVN) to set up a final with Alex Betts (MDX) the top seed, who had removed Wales International Richard Murphy in four. It. Looked like straight games for Betts but Parkes is not a former British Open and National champion for nothing. He saved three match points in the third before Betts reestablished himself to take the fourth for his eighth Regional triumph.
Steve McLoughlin (HPH) is the 55s British Open Champion and was the favourite here. But second seed Sam Hanbury (SSX) is on great form at present and captured the North of England title last month. Hanbury had a super match with Simon Spencer (NOT) in their semi-final, winning in four but with the last two games going into extra time as he earned a shot at McLoughlin. He did not waste it. Finding the right shots he came through in four high-quality games to take his second Regional.
The top two seeds in the Men's 50s were outstanding favourites for the final and duly obliged the seeding committee. Top seed and National Champion Mike Gregory (DVN) had his hands full against the powerful hitting of Norfolk's Ian Cox in the semi-final but came through in a tight three games while Paul Boyle (BUX) was too good for England colleague Wayne Beglan (SRY). Boyle was very controlled in the final not allowing the Devon man to use his racket skills which can be so devastating and ran out the winner in three entertaining games. An 11th title for him.
There was a shock in the Men's 45s as top seed Mick Biggs (MDX) fell to England teammate Tim Burrell (BRK) in four games in their semi-final. Meanwhile, in the other half of the draw, Andrew Walton (WKS) took an hour to subdue Dean Newbury (SSX) and Simon Lucas (WLT) came through in five after Mark Davis had to retire with an injury. Neither could match Surrey star James Greenhead, however, as he powered to the final and through it, taking out Burrell in straight games. His first Regional.
Some terrific Squash and a new Masters Champion in the Men's 40s. England International Ross Gore (OFE) was top seed here and he removed Tony Webb (SRY) after Webb had battled past Mark Camden-Howarth (CNL) in five. But the match of the draw was newcomer George Shoulder (HPH) who overcame Steven Davies (BFD) the second seed in 70 minutes, the last three games of the five needing extra points. An absolute cracker of a match. And then, the next day, Shoulder came back and won the final beating Gore in five in nearly an hour. He must be tired on Monday! A first Masters title for him.
The Men's over 35s have improved in standard remarkably over the last few years and players over 20,000 Squash Levels are battling it out in some cases. Gurbhaj Kahlon (BRK) is exceptionally talented and needed all of that to overcome Ryan Atherton (LNH) after losing the first game 21/19! In the semi-final though, Jamie Douglas (NLD) the two seed had too much firepower, however, and booked his final berth. Meanwhile, the outstanding top seed, James Snell (DVN) had continued his very impressive form before meeting Dave Allman (AVN) in the semi-final. Allman is possibly the most athletic player in the Masters and he kept the Open and National Champion on court for over 40 minutes for their three games. In the Final Snell just had too much for Douglas and despite some great rallies, it always looked like Snell was in charge. A third Regional for Snell in straight games.
At the presentation thanks were given to our Sponsors, Karakal who sponsor the ESM regional circuit and were there to make the presentations. Also, special thanks to the club who made us very welcome, Cheltenham College for the use of their courts and the England Squash referees.
There is a tremendous amount of work that goes on behind all of these events and thanks and gratitude go to the ESM Committee for their help and support and Roz Featherstone for her Admin. But especially, to the Events Manager, the incredible Badger Brock.
Stuart Hardy
Chairman