Melbourn won 11-6

One win and three defeats in their opening four games wasn’t quite the 2nds had hoped for this summer. However, the points totals in the losses had been OK (a marker of the matches having a good competitive balance) meaning the side were mid-table ahead of this game against a Letchworth team slightly above them.

First on was James Storer (3) against Stuart Pyper. James made the early running in this one, looking the stronger and more consistent player in the first two games, which he won reasonably comfortably. However, it was a while since James had won a match in a team game and nerves began to show in the third. Plus Stuart was now reading James’ preference for hitting low crosscourt drives out of the front corners, using the sneaky experienced match-player “stand still and wait for him to hit it to me” thing as an effective counter. Advice from Jan after game three about trying to use sound as a ‘tell’ about whether Stuart was rushing forward proved over-complicated – Colm had the tactical instructions nailed instead with his simple and easy to follow pattern of “deep, then short” delivered prior to the decider. James played the right shots in the last game and that saw him home, 15-11, 15-9, 9-15, 7-15, 15-10 for a win that will hopefully break the logjam on self-belief.

Next match up was Sean Hamiton (2) against Paul Arnold. Over to ChatGPT for a description of this one:
In a thrilling five-game showdown at Melbourn Squash Club, Paul Arnold of Letchworth Squash Club edged past home player Sean Hamilton in a fiercely contested encounter that could have gone either way. The match was packed with tension, momentum swings, and high-quality Squash, ending 3-2 in Arnold’s favour.
Hamilton started the match with flair, taking the first game 16-14in a dramatic tie-break that set the tone for what was to come. His intelligent shot variation – mixing lobs, drops , with attacking drives – kept Arnold guessing and gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about.
But Paul Arnold, known for his incredible reach and court coverage, struck back quickly. Using his wingspan to devastating effect, he retrieved balls few others could have touched and began to dictate the pace. He took the next two games 15-9 and 15-11, countering Hamilton’s creativity with consistency and relentless pressure.
Refusing to fold, Hamilton rallied again in the fourth. A display of clever angles and crisp volleying saw him edge the game 15-13, drawing level at two games apiece and igniting hopes of a Melbourn comeback.
The deciding game was a high-energy diel, with both players digging deep. Hamilton battled valiantly and continued to challenge Arnold with imaginative play but the Letchworth players athleticism and composure in the key moments proved decisive. Arnold sealed the match 15-10 in the fifth, clinching a well-earned victory after nearly an hour of riveting squash.

ChatGPT was take the pen on Colm O’Gorman’s top string clash with Chris Saynor.
In a well-contested fixture in the Hertfordshire Summer League, Colm O’Gorman of the Melbourn team secured a 3-1 victory over Chris Saynor from Letchworth in an entertaining match played in an excellent spirit.
O’Gorman came out firing in the opening game, asserting control early with precise shot placement and consistent pressure, racing to a dominant 15-4 win. Saynor responded strongly in the second, lifting his intensity and showcasing impressive court coverage and retrieval skills to level the match with a well-earned 15-8 game.
With the match finely balanced, O’Gorman found his rhythm in the third, regaining control through improved accuracy and measured pace. Despite Saynor’s continued resistance, O’Gorman edged the third 15-12. The fourth followed a similar pattern, with O’Gorman maintaining a slight lead throughout and closing out the match 15-11.

We will end with a humans eye summary:
Another night of excellent, evenly matched, hard fought Squash. But one that ended breaking the 2nds way. We remain fifth in the table for now, but if we can win games like this we can begin to ponder chasing the teams ahead of us rather than just keeping our noses in front of the ones below.

P.S. Isn’t ChatGPT’s relentless positivity exhaustingly American??