Nosh & Dukes sponsored Sidmouth Squash Club ended the league season with an emphatic victory over the side placed one below them Culm Valley, writes Rob Cann.

Sidmouth 5 (20), Culm Valley 0 (1).

Results elsewhere meant the side finished fourth, an agonising 10 points from the two automatic promotion places. This result, along with wins over the top three sides, show what might have been, but for injury and unavailability. Nevertheless, it was a very successful and enjoyable season.

Paul Clare opened proceedings at fifth string with a hard-earned 17/15, 15/8, 15/4 over Culm's No 5 Tim Johns. A scrappy opening game was followed by more typical Paul Clare play as he breezed through games two and three without a hitch.

Alick Russell ended his extremely successful season with a straight game victory over Culm captain Chris Tucker. The resultant 15/2, 17/15, 15/13 scoreline was testament to Alick's superiority.

Third string Chris Marriott took a little time to settle in his rubber with Mark Chattey. Having found his touch, Chris raced through games three and four to leave an exhausted Mark reflecting on the 15/11, 8/15, 15/8, 15/4 defeat.

Nigel Desousa ended his season in style with a 17/16, 15/12, 15/12 victory over Culm second string Greg Harrison. In a tight rubber, the result hinged on the final points in each game. The final rubber of the evening saw top string Chris Woodruff end the league season undefeated with a routine 15/9, 15/4, 15/0 win over Culm's Steve Lodge.

? Sidmouth took on Culm Valley, in the Devon Shield (Plate) final at Devon & Exeter Squash Club. Unfortunately, the team lost in a thriller with the result decided in the final game of the final rubber. Results as follows:- Chris Woodruff bt Steve Lodge 3/0; Nigel Desousa lost Ian Jolley 2/3; Paul Symington lost Greg Harrison 1/3; Alick Russell bt Mark Chattey 3/1; Paul Clare lost Chris Tucker 1/3.

The players and partners celebrated the end of season, for different reasons, with the customary team squash round robin followed by a superb meal at sponsors Dukes.

Thanks go to Mark Seward and the staff at Dukes along with Graham Stout at Nosh for their support this season.