A-TEAM SHOW TRUE GEORDIE COLOURS
THREE of Tyneside’s finest flew the Northumbria flag in reaching the A Event of the Lowes Financial Gosforth Classic second round - and went down fighting against their full-time professional opponents . . .
While another Newcastle player made up for first-round disappointment by lifting the A Plate trophy.
17-year-old Northumberland Champion Max Forster saw off fellow Geordie Jamie Todd in the first round - helped by his opponent having to retire early after suffering a bizarre injury when a bead from his bracelet forced his way into the palm of his hand as he dived on the floor to retrieve a shot.
Forster was supposed to lose 3-0 in the second round to No 1 seed Richie Fallows; but the Nothumberland Club player hadn’t read the script. He sneaked the opener, roared on by a partisan home crowd, and made a fist of it in the others as he went out 3-1 to an established top-50 standard player who cannot fail to have been impressed by his resilience and character.
Tournament organiser and current Northern club champion Cai Younger saw off Durham County Championship runner-up Ben Cross in his first round - a gritty 3-1 win against a players whose retrieval and tenacity has to be seen to be believed.
And never mind his socks, Younger worked his skin off to clinch an epic second game - 16-14 - against reigning champion Mark Fuller in their second round clash. Fuller re-established his lead with some accurate squash, but Younger - playing on his favoured No 1 court at his home club - hit nicks a-go-go in the fourth to establish an early lead, including a forehand crash nick which rolled out so flat it nearly went underground.
Younger held on to 8-8 before hitting the proverbial wall, and Fuller showed his trademark patience to close out 11-8 and emerge a 3-1 winner.
Northern’s whirling dervish Michael Mattimore - back in the region from Birmingham University for the Christmas break - hit top form with an impressive 3-0 win over fast-improving 17-year-old clubmate Andrew Shipley in the first round.
Renowned for his attacking shots and speed around the court, Mattimore was tipped to have half a chance against Charlie Cowie from Manchester in the last 16. However he found the world No 270 in imperious form, and Cowie barely mis-placed a shot on his way to a 3-0 win.
Newcastle University squash coach Liam Gutcher lost a 3-2 thriller to Scotsman Martin Ross in what was the pick of the first round clashes.
Gutcher - a firm favourite at Northern where he has won the club championships three times - probably deserved better after an impressive and energetic display.
However, just like the year before, Gutcher dusted himself down and set about winning the plate; he claimed impressive scalps in Michael McKay (Newcastle Uni - last year’s Plate finalist) and Northern club-mate Andrew Shipley on this way to the final.
That match was a North of England squash version of the UEFA Supercup - a clash between Gutcher, a former Northumberland County champion, and Tom Bamford (Ex-Yorkshire County Champion). Bamford boasts a deceptive laid-back demeanour on court, and a full array of flair shots.
However, Gutcher’s accuracy, determination and speed around court were too much for his opponent on the day as he ran out a deserved 3-0 winner.
