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Photos: Jack Bradshaw
The fixture between second and third place in the BUCS league was always going to be a close-run affair, with both sides keen to close the gap on leaders Huddersfield. The two teams did not disappoint.
York got off to a strong start, with Jay Lee giving his opponent very few opportunities to get into the match. A 21-15 second game followed a decisive 21-7 opener in which Lee controlled the play with powerful smashes and consistent play.
The second singles match saw Rolf Choutan put in a spirited performance against the Durham first choice in a high quality game that went the distance. Despite a late surge, the first game went Durham’s way 21 to 17. Choutan, however was far from discouraged and controlled the following game with some quality positional play to take it 21-14.
In the decider, both players seemed more reluctant to go for the big shots, which, until the York player started letting fly, led to trading points. Levelled at 20 all, Tonks from Durham managed to keep his resolve to edge out a victory 23-21.
The next round of singles games saw an equally impressive performance from the York team, with results to match. Once again, Lee needed just the two games to seal victory against a Durham player whose impressive court covering and Djokovic-esque slides had got the better of Choutan. In a gripping second game, Lee finally came out on top 26-24.
Choutan, meanwhile, found himself facing the definition of a confidence player. Having claimed the first game 21-17, Choutan was on the receiving end of a barrage of strong smashes, and was quickly dispatched 21-7. With the momentum still going his way, the Durham player clinched victory in the third, 21-19.
Having registered 2 a piece in the singles, the doubles fixtures were a more decisive affair. York claimed all 4 of them thanks to some powerful play from John Sinclair and David Gardner alongside a resolute performance from captain Marc Dickinson and partner Tan Jun Chuen. At times, the York pair of Sinclair and Gardner were a little erratic with their shot selection, and allowed the Durham players to take a game off them in both matches, but with more composure in the tail end, they secured victories each time.
Captain Marc Dickinson said he was “over the moon” with the result and was “delighted that we’ve move up to second – if only temporarily”.