Sidmouth squash team played their annual league fixture away to Tiverton and came away with a well earned win on the tricky courts at Blundell’s School, writes Alick Russell.

Paul Clare and stand-in captain Alick Russell got the match going in the right direction with good wins at five and four respectively. Clare played sensible squash and won all the key points to defeat a current Devon age group champion 3-1. Russell came back strongly to win 3-1 after a lapse in concentration saw his tricky opponent take the second game.

Paul Symington at number three ensured Sidmouth won the tie with a convincing 3-0 win. Symington is playing excellent squash at the moment and has had some very good wins this season at crucial times.

Second string Nigel De Sousa, playing on the tail end of man ‘flu, looked well below par and lost comfortably to an in-form opponent.

New recruit, Elliott Kingsley, at 17 years of age, is a hot new prospect but was somewhat thrown in at the deep end and played at number one on his debut for the team. He put in a mature performance but lost to an opponent who never stopped running and played his home courts to perfection. In hindsight maybe a few games further down the playing order would have broken him in more gently. Kingsley brings the average age of the team down significantly and could be the start of the next generation of Sidmouth squash players?

Both teams were fed and watered at a local Tiverton public house where the squash was put behind them and the banter commenced.