First team match report
Charing Cross - 23/10/2006
Verdict
A fine 3-2 victory for the North London boys over friendly rivals Charing Cross. Despite claims from the opposition skipper that his team needed to re-arrange they still managed to field a full strength side which makes the win even more impressive. A couple more wins and we'll have firmly cemented our place in the top flight this year.
Tim Vail
Result: Lost 1-3
Plus's: Looked good in the 2nd game.
Minus's: Lost a match that was banked as a comfortable win, looked sluggish.
Verdict: Vole's debut this season was marred by a typical 5 hour drive through Surrey in rainy traffic. Upon turning up in a baggy springboks jacket (evidently hiding his steadily growing gut) the team soon realised that was the only spring we'd be seeing as he laboured against his opposite number Ben but ultimately struggled covering the front of the court.
Rating: 1/5
Nick Buckley
Result: Won 3-0
Plus's: Looked sharp, made his opponent look and feel rubbish.
Minus's: None
Verdict: A fine win for Nick over his out of sorts opponent to a loss of just 3 points. Amazing to think that the last time they played the match ended 10-9 in the 5th. Nick has evidently been working on his fitness and is rapidly becoming the Frank Lampard in McGill's squad rotation system.
Rating: 4.5/5
Ally McGill
Result: Won 3-1
Plus's: Dogged retrieving, some good lengths.
Minus's: Needed some harsh words from Vail to get game going.
Verdict: Convincing win for McGill against his talented big hitting opponent who had a strange tendency to hit the self destruct button when faced with the longer points. It wasn't looking good after the first but a stern talking to followed by some patient squash and relentless running allowed McGill to grind a surprisingly comfortable first win of the season.
Rating: 3.5/5
Simon Evans
Result: Lost 0-3
Plus's: Some decent precentage squash, crosscourt flicks.
Minus's: Blew leads in the first and 2nd, lost anything at the front of the court.
Verdict: Up against a handful in the powerful Charing X skipper Max, Simon struggled to contain the big hitter and despite promising starts to the 1st and 2nd games he was ultimately too stiff (openly admitting to being full of booze after the weekend) to deal with Max' tricky front court game. About to undertake a harsh training regime involving numerous, beers, cigars and court sprints to get a bit sharper.
Rating: 1/5
Peter Baird
Result: Won 3-0
Plus's: Didn't bottle it, volley drops.
Minus's: None
Verdict: Star man of the evening played a blinder chopping up the Charing X number 5 comfortably. Baird was just to quick and skilful for his opponent who looked more and more dazed as Pete volley dropped length after length. Proving to be very useful in the top flight.
Rating: 4.5/5