Club takes on a huge Challenge
Firsts play seconds for bragging rights at BofA
Bridge of Allan Sports Club is set for one of the most eagerly awaited nights of the squash season when the first team face the seconds for the Minewood Challenge Cup on Friday evening.
The firsts will be spearheaded by club champion Andy MacBean who will face former Scotland Under 17 number one James Dougan in an eagerly awaited top of the bill contest that should leave club patrons seasonally salivating.
And with former Scotland Under 21 captain Blair Christie and exclub champ Roddy Campbell also in the first team ranks, seconds skipper Martin Jack knows his men face a real test of their mettle.
Jack said: “Obviously the firsts are very strong at the top of the order but they are missing a couple of players lower down that could make them vulnerable.
“We are sitting very comfortably in the third promotion spot in East Division Two and from that point of view we will be treating this Challenge Cup meeting as a test match of our ability to cut the mustard in Division One next season.
“While young James (Dougan) is relishing the prospect of having ago at Andy (MacBean) I believe our depth may help us spring a surprise.”
Both sides, sponsored by Richardson and Starling, will be augmented with some of the club’s outstanding junior talent like Scotland Under 13 champion Kyle Penman and West of Scotland Under 15 boss Ben Orr, while Ladies Over 45 champ Sabine Mackenzie is also slated for a start.
Squash convener Bert Mitchell, who has the tricky task of matchmaking down through the order, is anticipating a feat of squash where the friendly fire might prove unseasonably fierce.
He said: “With play starting at 6pm there will be some great ties spanning the whole order in both teams and further down the line-ups I will be making sure that we have some very tasty tussles between experience and youth that will add some real spice to the fixture!
“The match also gives us a chance to record our gratitude to team sponsor Richardson and Starling and their finance director James Stewart, in particular, whose patronage has been vital to the squash success story we have going on here.
“But afterwards we will all sit down for a turkey curry and a shandy and it should be a great night.”
Meanwhile there were mixed fortunes for the thirds as they completed the first half of the season with a win and a loss that brought their eight-game unbeaten record to an end.
A battling 3-2 victory in Dalgety Bay had some of the shine taken off it when the Minewood dirt-trackers went down by the same score line to ESC 8 at home on Thursday.
Captain Stewart Penman remains bullish about his side’s title prospects. “Obviously we would have liked to have gone into the festive break unbeaten, but the main thing is that we are still top and more than 30 points clear of the team in fourth who are chasing the three promotion placings,” said Stewart.
“When you look back over the first half and compare it with last season, when we won only one match by the same stage, I think the proof of our progress is there for all to see.”