“I was thinkin’ to myself this could be heaven or this could be hell” sang Don Henley in the Eagles 1977 record “Hotel California” and never has that sentiment been more appropriate than on the squash courts of York’s hallowed sports centre.
Unfortunately for York, this week it was it was Northumbria who found themselves in heaven after a well earned 4-1 win over York’s men’s 1sts team.
First to play in this fateful bout were the number 2s. York’s Matt Lewis faced off against Alex Storey of Northumbria, gaining York’s first and last point in the process. Lewis’ consistently high quality play allowed him comfortable wins in all of his games, much to the irritation of his opponent Storey, who was visibly frustrated by the end of the match. The victory was made all the more impressive following the revelation that the first year, tipped to be a big player within the club in the next few years, was nursing a hangover after raving it up in Salvation until well after dawn the night before.
Next to step onto the courts were the 5th seeds, David Potter for York and Luke Madge for Northumbria. Overall, Potter was unlucky not to get more from the match after temporarily regaining his composure halfway through but, in the end, the 3-1 victory was well earned by Madge. From York’s point of view the match was adequately summed up by Potter’s own quote: “Today has not been a good day.”
Little did York know things were about to go from bad to worse for their squash dream team as Northumbria’s Craig Dowie sank York’s own Matt Brennan in three straight games. Brennan did put up a spirited fight, running around the court with seemingly boundless energy, (something he put down to his policy of always drinking at least a whole 2 litre bottle of Dr Pepper before every squash match), but succumbed to a 11-0 thrashing at the hands of a superior Dowie in the final game. As he walked from the courts, a mixture of tears and sweat streaming down his face, Brennan held his head up high. “They can batter me into the ground,” he growled defiantly, “but they’ll never take my dignity!”
By far the closest match of the afternoon came between the third placed Matt Johnson and his opponent Johnny Murray. Twice Johnson, York’s first team captain, managed to pull the game back to a draw but it was to no avail and, despite a final game that was tighter than a Scotsman in a shoe shop, Murray went on to claim victory for himself and his team by winning the final set 11-8.
The final match therefore was all about pride; and in more ways than one. Having been beaten in all three of their previous meetings this term York’s self styled “Big-Dog”, Calum Fraser, was a man with something to prove in his match against Northumbria’s Matt Hardy. However when the terminator-like Hardy won their first game 10-12 without so much as breaking a sweat, it looked like history may be about to repeat itself once more. Throwing everything he had into the second game Fraser finally managed to get the drop on Hardy and ended up gaining a convincing 11-7 victory. With the score now set at one game apiece these two tortured souls of squash clearly had to up the ante. Each played like a man possessed and, for a time, it looked as if either may emerge the victor. In the end, however, it was York’s man who allowed his demons to get the better of him and, as foolish errors crept into Fraser’s game, Hardy was able to capitalise: initially going 2-1 up and then eventually go on to win the whole match 3-1.
Overall York’s super squash men can be mostly pleased with their performance. On another day the result may have gone their way but unfortunately this was not that day and the loss sustained here today may sit heavy on their hearts in the future as the team, currently plagued with relegation woes, dream of what could have been.
Raving it up in Club Salvation ! Good lad