Court success for youngsters
WHILE men’s teams in the Ma c c l e s f i e l d area have been enjoying their Easter and early-May playing break, younger players have been competing - with spectacular results, leading to the award of three trophies and two promotions.
Three sides, by virtue of their finishing places in the inaugural North West Counties Junior League, contested end-of-season finals a fortnight ago last Sunday. And there was joy for the entire trio, as Prestbury 1 and 2 became respective overall champions for the First and Third Divisions, and Bollington 2 joined Prestbury’s ‘Seconds’ in gaining promotion to Division Two.
Having won the First Division South without losing any matches as a team, Prestbury 1 - comprising Harry Mattocks (18), James Paulson (17) and 15-year-olds Rhys Asquith-Evans and Ebrahim Mohammedbhai - continued their undefeated sequence at Grove Park by beating both the second-placed hosts and Northern Crosby 4-0, as well as prevailing 3-1 against Crewe Vagrants.
And at Knutsford, the Second Teams of Prest
bury (George Hine, James Brauckmann, Olivia Knight and Jacob Pack) and Bollington (Casey Holliday, Connie Dewar and brothers Matt and Lewis Robins) finished in the top two play-off places above Rochdale Cricket, Lacrosse and Squash and the home club’s ‘Seconds’.
For Prestbury 2, a 4-0 victory over Knutsford, coupled with 2-2 draws against Bollington and Rochdale, saw the Division Three South winners promoted in first position.
And the ‘Bolly’ juniors will accompany their near-neighbours into the second tier, after drawing with Knutsford and then edging out Rochdale 3-1 to deny the Lancashire team a finish as runnersup.
Three days ago, a team from Prestbury lifted the club’s third junior trophy within two weeks - after taking part in the NWCL Spring Cup, an invitation event held at the National Squash Centre to coincide with the prestigious Women’s Manchester Open.
In a tournament that featured six other sides within the region - fielded by City of Manchester, Crewe Vagrants, Grove Park, Haslingden, Knutsford and The Northern - Prestbury’s team of Jonny Murray (17), Harry Mattocks, Rhys AsquithEvans and Ebrahim Mohammedbhai knocked out Crewe for the loss of just one game, before taking to the NSC’s glass-walled show court against home side, City of Manchester.
All four Prestbury youngsters, who have each enjoyed a successful season for the men’s teams in either the Third or the Fourth Division during 2018/19, overcame their opponents in the Final to add a further item of silverware to the Bollin Grove trophy cabinet.
The next set of junior team fixtures will take place by way of a Summer League competition during June.
Once again, on the evidence of Bollington’s and Prestbury’s achievements this Spring, the future of the sport looks very bright indeed at clubs around our town. North West Counties Junior League: Division One Final, 28 April (at Grove Park) Prestbury 1: won 3-1 v Crewe Vagrants 1; won 4-0 v Grove Park 1; won 4-0 v Northern Crosby 1. North West Counties Junior League: Division Three Final, 28 April (at Knutsford Sports) Bollington 2: drew 2-2 v Knutsford 2; drew 2-2 v Prestbury 2; won 3-1 v Rochdale CLS 1. Prestbury 2: drew 2-2 v Bollington 2; won 4-0 v Knutsford 2; drew 2-2 v Rochdale CLS 1. North West Counties Junior Spring Cup, 12 May (at the National Squash Centre) Prestbury: won 3-1 v Crewe Vagrants; won 4-0 v City of Manchester.