Prestbury on the up after Knutsford win

THE penultimate week of North West Counties League fixtures before Christmas saw 11 of the 13 men’s teams from clubs in and around our town take to the courts last Thursday.

The two sides to have a night off were Second Division East leaders Bollington 1, and Prestbury’s ‘Fourths’ whose temporary inactivity led to a drop of three places to 10th in Division Four Central South. But of the 11 who did play, seven were victorious at the evening’s end.

The winners included divisional companions of the ‘Bolly Firsts’, Prestbury 1, who bounced back up to seventh following a 4-1 triumph at struggling Knutsford 1 that ended a run of three defeats. Cousins Paul and Brian Lomas, together with Adam Colebatch and junior player Jonny Murray (17), all prevailed for Prestbury.

Meanwhile, in Division Three South-East, fourthplaced Prestbury 2 hosted a side from Knutsford, and put the visiting Third Team to the sword at Bollin Grove with a 5-0 thumping that featured victories for Chris Dunkerley, Graeme English, Rick Bower, Keith Tolley and Mike Quartley.

There was no joy for either local team in the Third Division Central South, with defeats away from home for Bollington 2, in fourth, and Macclesfield 1, 12th, at Bowdon 3 and West Heaton 1, respectively. Mark Collins picked up a consolation win in the course of Bollington’s 4-1 reverse, while Simon Evans and Daz Glaser both triumphed, but could not prevent a 3-2 loss, for Macc.

Prestbury’s ‘Thirds’ increased their lead at the top of the Fourth Division Central South by three points to 16, following a 5-0 victory at Radbroke Hall against Knutsford 5. Mike Brauckmann,

Rich Curry, Paul Bartle,

Andrew Worsley and Harry Mattocks ensured the collective rout.

In Division Four South-East, in-form Bollington 3, sitting fourth, also triumphed 5-0 - and notched up a third win running

- after victories, at home to Grove Park 5, for Neil Garner, Tom Binder, Aldo Palazzo, Andy Phillips and Malcolm Kendrick. But Prestbury 5, seven places lower, suffered a sixth consecutive defeat - going down

3-2 at Knutsford 4, despite wins in straight games by Rob Thorneycroft and Kevin Wynne.

Bollington’s ‘Fourths’, who have a match-free evening tomorrow, signed off for Christmas with their 100 per cent record intact and an eight-point advantage at the top of Division Five South-East, after beating bottom-placed Glossop 2 at the village leisure centre - courtesy of wins for Rob Harland, Will Jordan, Zach Wilcox and a fifth-string walkover-victory.

Macclesfield’s

Second and Third Teams remain in fourth and fifth, following their in-house ‘derby’ that resulted in a 4-1 triumph for the ‘Seconds’, following victories by Craig Hulme, Ollie Critchley, Ian Hill and Chris Campbell - with Dave Birtwistle the sole player to enjoy success for ‘Macc 3’. And Prestbury 6 leapfrogged hosts Marple 4 into seventh, after a 5-0 win - thanks to Dave Jones, Nigel Oldbury, Gareth Evans, Bauke van der Ploeg and Alex Mighall.

Three days earlier, in the Cheshire Ladies’ League, both Prestbury 1 and Bollington, by way of their final pre-Christmas fixtures, travelled to play at Second Division squash outfits bearing names of Cricket Clubs.

Prestbury moved up two positions to fourth following a 5-0 victory against basement side Barnton CC 2 - overtaking Bollington, who dropped one to sixth after being edged out by the odd match in five at Liverpool CC 1.