Like a stubborn German shopkeeper in the wake of the introduction of the Euro, York’s squash season has taken a long time to get off the mark.
This week, however, all was change as the Men’s squash firsts earned their first points of the year after a dramatic victory thanks to a performance described by onlookers as York’s “finest of the year.”
And it was with this fine play that York romped their way to a confident 4-1 victory over their opponents, Sheffield Hallam 1sts.
First to step onto the court was Matt Brennan who got York off to a flying start winning his match in three straight games. However York’s early lead was short-lived and, despite an inspired comeback which drew the scores level after he had gone 2-0 down, York’s captain Matt Johnson was beaten by his opponent Jake Byrne in a tense final game.
With the scores now level at 1-1, it was David Potter’s turn to take to the court. With stunning aggressive play and some wonderful athleticism, Potter took control of the match from the outset, winning his first two matches without breaking a sweat. His only minor wobble came in the third game when Hallam’s James Garner managed to get the better of him but this was short lived after Potter worked his magic and wrapped the match up for York in the fourth game.
It was now all down to York’s top seeds to bring the game home and give their season the much needed boost that victory would bring.
Next on was Matt Lewis whose flashy, somewhat picturesque style of play may have irritated his captain, but certainly wowed his audience. Lewis’s classy short game and persistent usage of the skid boast shot were too much for his opponent Tom Perry to handle, and in the end Lewis walked away with a well deserved 3-1 victory for York.
With the match point in the bag at this juncture, one might have expected York’s number one and resident Racketeering Kingpin Calum Fraser to take his foot off the accelerator.
Nothing doing. As the ‘Big Dog’ told Vision after the match: he had no intention of giving “anything less than 110%.”
Despite his efforts the match remained close throughout, right up until the dramatic conclusion of the final game in which Fraser fought back from 10-8 down, and dead and buried like Uma Thurman, to win 10-12 and, like the bride, taste his sweet redemption. “I was running on pure adrenaline by the end,” he told friends after the match. “You should know by now that the Big Dog always delivers!”
There is no doubt that this victory was exactly what York needed. But, despite the squashers being flush with the joy of temporary midtable security, the shadow of possible relegation still looms large over their heads.
Their next league match is a home tie against fellow strugglers Durham; one of the two teams York share joint bottom place with.
There are three teams, all on three points. York, Durham, and Sheffield Hallam all have to play each other in a troika of rubber-balled death before the end of the season. Sanctuary will ensue for two, while one must taste that bitterest of pills, relegation. Worthy of mention is the fact that York will enjoy home court advantage in both matches; bet on “The Big Dog” and his boys to stay up.