Chichester notch up first win

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Chichester notch up first win

Team Chichester welcomed Bexley to Chichester Racquets & Fitness Club to play the first round of the second half of the PSL season.

In the first half Bexley defeated Team Chichester 4-1. This time the City home Club looked to make amends and start the second half with its first victory of the season.

First on court, Chichester’s Miles Jenkins, WR173, played Curtis Malik who is another Sussex player who plays for the Bexley squad. Jenkins dominated the proceedings from the start, taking the middle of the court well, hitting deep and using the volley drop to great effect. He won the first game 11/3. In the second Jenkins continued in the same manner. Malik tried to come back and hit a few good shots but lacked positivity and made a few too many errors. Jenkins took full advantage and ran out a 11/6 game and match winner. 1.0 to Chichester.

Next on court Tim Vail took on Bexley’s Benjamin Aubert [FRA & WR112]. The first two games were very tight with Vail making greater use of the lob and being patient during the game and he won it 12/10. In the second, Aubert’s speed around the court kept him in the match and both players traded points throughout. Vail had match ball but Aubert persevered and eventually fought back to take it 14/16. In the final game Vail began to tire and fall behind allowing Aubert to straightforwardly take it 4/11. One-all.

Alison Thomson [WR74] against Kace Bartley [WR87] followed on. Both played cautiously at the start of the match. Bartley, however, was slightly more adventurous and hit a few outright winners. Thomson, nonetheless, was not going to give in and from 7/10 down she battled hard to sneak it 14/12. Thomson upped her game and doggedly retrieved every ball that she could and was always a couple of points ahead. She continued to maintain her lead and wrapped up the match 11/7 in the second. 2-1 to Chichester.

Next for Team Chichester Olli Pett played WR95 Rui Soares [POR]. From the outset Pett was having trouble moving and although he battled well Soares quickly took this advantage of this and worked Pett all around the court to score a 7/11, 6/11 victory.

Two-all and down to a decider between Chichester’s Mathieu Castagnet [WR27] and Olli Tuominen [WR61].

This match was full of attacking squash and both players covered the court well. Castagnet’s excellent touch-play enabled him to narrowly take the first game. Tuominen’s persistence and attacking volleying helped him save a match point in the second to equalise the match and take it down to the wire. The final game would decide the outcome of the whole match. Castagnet upped the tempo and pace and raced to a 10/1 lead before closing out the match 11/3 to give Team Chichester its first win of the season.

CHICHESTER 3-2 BEXLEY (10-5)

Mathieu Castagnet 2-1 Olli Tuominen    12-10, 10-12, 11-3
Olli Pett 0-2 Rui Soares                                            7-11, 6-11
Tim Vail 1-2 Benjamin Aubert                  12-10, 14-16, 4-11
Miles Jenkins 2-0 Curtis Malik                               11-3, 11-6
Alison Thomson 2-0 Kace Bartley                        14-12, 11-7

The next match is away to St George’s on 5 February.