Get set for a big title charge
No1 chases cap spot
Bridge of Allan’s European Championship squash bronze medal winning No 1 Dougie Kempsell believes the first team’s trouncing of the club’s second string can launch a title charge.
The former Scotland No 3, who is determined to force his way back into the Scotland team for the 2019 Euros, led the way with an epic 3-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Fergus Richards in the first ever East of Scotland League match between the Allanwater Brewhouse-sponsored sides.
Dougie, who had to come back from deficits in three of the four games of his 63-minute encounter with Fergus, has issued a call to arms to his team mates ahead of tomorrow night’s visit of Watsonians in Division One.
He said: “It was a big win for us. To be fair to them although it was 5-0 and 18-4 on points the matches were a lot closer than the scoreline suggests.
“If we want to be serious about challenging for the title we need to get a consistency of selection week in week out. We came undone at Heriot Watt three weeks back in a match we would have won at full strength and really it would be criminal if we blew a great title opportunity because we can’t get a full strength side out.
“Tomorrow we face the team just above us and in that respect we have the ideal opportunity to back up the win against the seconds and take another step up the table.”
Few of the packed Minewood auditorium who witnessed Kempsell’s epic with young pretender Richards will forget the lung-bursting encounter. The Scotland international seemed to be running on empty midway through the fourth set with his younger opponent sniffing the win only for Dougie to respond with three quick fire winners that turned the tide back his way.
With club champion Andy MacBean solid in a 3-0 win over Andy Meldrum at two, firsts captain Iain Logan squeaking a third set tie break 18-16 to pip seconds’ skipper Robin Bairner at three and Roddy Campbell and Jonny Brady coming home in four and five sets over Martin Jack and James Stewart, a feast of squash was served up.
Now the seconds will look to bounce back from their mauling at ESC3 tomorrow.
Meanwhile the thirds entertain Dalgety Bay 2 as they bid to take their unbeaten record to four and keep the pressure on Division Four leaders Watsonians IV.
Captain Stewart Penman is at full strength and said: “We had a week off due to our visit to Dunbar being rearranged because of a flu outbreak down there and with most of our squad watching the firsts v seconds match we are looking to take inspiration from that to take our unbeaten run to four.”
He added: “Really for our youngsters to see Dougie and Fergus and the rest of the lads going at it and all in tremendous spirit, there were some fine examples of skill and sportsmanship on show.”
But there was bad news for the ladies side as they lost their unbeaten record in a bad-tempered 3-2 defeat at ESC 1.
Skipper Sheena Logan said: “They are tough opponents and to be fair they all played at the top of their game. But we are very much looking forward to the return match on our home courts!”