By LEE HORTON
THREE Essex teams made it through to Stage Two of the Boys’ Inter-Counties National competition on Sunday.
Our Under-13’s led the way at Ipswich Squash Club going through their three-match programme for the loss of just one point. Coach Dave Webster’s team opened their account with a 5-0 win over Herts and then came through a fearsome battle with Surrey. Although we won 4-1, every match was tight with a tough Surrey side pushing us all the way. We wrapped up our day with a 5-0 win over Suffolk much to the delight of our team Joel Braddock, Yusuf Sheikh, Josh Stephens, Stanley Sykes, Daniel Caton and Caleb Belcher.
Coach Paul Selby took charge of the Essex Under-15 team of Oliver Green, Travis Tatum, Harry Martin, Zaid Mushtaq and Brandon Higgins-Pearce. We had a sixth player, Michael Tallentire, unfortunately none of the other teams brought a reserve. After a comfortable 5-0 opener against hosts Hertfordshire, we were edged 3-2 by Suffolk but re-grouped to claim top spot in the table thanks to another 5-0 win over Cambridgeshire,
The Essex U-17’s were in action at Connaught Squash Club. With Lauren Selby at the helm, the boys top and tailed their day with wins over Herts and Oxfordshir, 5-0 and 3-2 respectively. However, the team of Haydon Smith, Harry Kitchens, Tom Bacon, Charlie Martin, Tom Bird and Jamie Carroll were soundly beaten by Buckinghamshire with only Harry taking a couple of games off his opponent. However, their performance was good enough for a place in Stage Two.
The Essex Under-19’s were hotly fancied to reach this year’s National Finals but alas, we fell at the first hurdle. Due to a communication faux pas, we arrived at Moreton Hall in Suffolk with only four players. That proved too tough tough a hurdle with the team of Aaron Allpress, Joe Blackmur, Conor Adams and Clayton Hunt surrendering matches in every rubber and eventually missing out on Stage Two by a single point. Both Cambridge and Suffolk finished on 42 points and must have thought Christmas has come very early with Essex behind on 41 points. The four Essex boys put in brilliant and brave performances but the task proved to beyond them. A disappointing end to what had been a fabulous weekend’s work by Essex juniors.
RESULTS, TABLES A MATCH SCORES BELOW. For a full list of all Inter-County results go to http://junioricc.countyleagues.co.uk/
Boys U13 Region 3 – Stage 1
Essex U-13’s: Stanley Sykes, Joel Braddock, Yusef Sheikh, Josh Stephens, Daniel Caton, Caleb Belcher and coach Dave Webster
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Boys U15 Region 3 – Stage 1
Essex Under-15’s Ollie Green, Travis Tatum, Zaid Mushtaq, Brandon Higgins-Pearce and Harry Martin
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Boys U17 Region 3 – Stage 1
Essex Under-17s Boy Band: Harry Kitchens, Tom Bird, Charlie Martin, Timmy Bacon, Haydon Smith and Jamie Carroll
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Boys U19 Region 2 – Stage 1
Essex U-19’s: Clayton Hunt, Joe Blackmur (back row) Conor Adams, Paul Allen (coach) and Aarron Allpress
| Group C | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pen | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridgeshire | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 30 | 0 | 42 | |
| 2 | Suffolk | HOST | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 33 | 0 | 42 |
| 3 | Essex | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 31 | 0 | 41 | |
| 4 | Norfolk | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 51 | 0 | 20 | |
| Host Venue: Moreton Hall Health Club | ||||||||||
| Nom | Suffolk | Nom | Essex | Result | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | Gus Beecroft | 1-1 | Aaron Allpress | 3 | 2 | 7/11 11/7 11/8 4/11 20/18 |
| 1-2 | Billy Beecroft | 1-2 | Joe Blackmur | 1 | 3 | 11/9 9/11 2/11 3/11 |
| 1-3 | Isac Andersson | 1-3 | Conor Adams | 3 | 1 | 11/9 9/11 11/6 11/3 |
| 1-4 | Harrison Gladding | 1-5 | Clayton Hunt | 3 | 1 | 8/11 13/11 11/7 11/7 |
| 1-5 | Harry Chatwin | (walkover) | 3 | 0 | ||
| Result: | 18 | 7 | ||||
| Nom | Cambridgeshire | Nom | Essex | Result | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | SCOTT DREWERY | 1-1 | Aaron Allpress | 2 | 3 | 11/5 12/10 7/11 9/11 5/11 |
| 1-8 | EDWARD WHEELER | 1-2 | Joe Blackmur | 0 | 3 | 2/11 1/11 0/11 |
| 1-6 | JOSH ABBS | 1-3 | Conor Adams | 0 | 3 | 8/11 4/11 8/11 |
| 1-4 | JOSH JENKINS | 1-5 | Clayton Hunt | 1 | 3 | 11/7 4/11 7/11 5/11 |
| 1-5 | MIKEY SARKISSIAN | (walkover) | 3 | 0 | ||
| View Full Details | Result: | 6 | 17 | |||
| Nom | Essex | Nom | Norfolk | Result | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | Aaron Allpress | 1-1 | William Henden | 3 | 2 | 2/11 11/8 11/13 11/9 11/8 |
| 1-2 | Joe Blackmur | 1-2 | Robert Thirst | 3 | 2 | 11/7 10/12 10/12 11/2 11/8 |
| 1-3 | Conor Adams | 1-3 | Oliver Gollop | 3 | 0 | 11/6 11/2 11/1 |
| 1-5 | Clayton Hunt | 1-4 | Olly Farmer | 3 | 0 | 11/7 11/6 11/5 |
| (walkover) | 1-5 | Philip Davis | 0 | 3 | ||
| View Full Details | Result: | 17 | 7 | |||