Concordia Squash Players,
                                    
  The semi finals took place last night (Monday 25th February) Don  Pattison played Keith Gray and Mark Livingstone played Ian
Morton. Don and Keith were closely handicapped at +6 and +4  respectively. As always Keith gave 110% and worked extremely
hard to return many of Don's deceptive and often delayed shots. Don  was just too accurate and showed his experience in mixing things up  throughout the match. Don won 2-1 but truthfully, on another day, it could have gone the other way. A great game to watch.
The other semi was similar  in that both players were closely handicapped. (-8 and -10) Mark  Livingstone has improved massively this season, his introduction to team squash  has seen his game go up to another level in both technical ability  and court movement. Both of these players are fine hitters of the  ball, there is no doubt that Ian has gone through the junior coaching
programme and shows us all how it should be done. This meant for a great  battle with many long rallies to the back of the court as well as  some very hard work by both players retrieving each others drop shots on a  cold court. This also went to the wire with Ian just getting there in the third  game winning 21-17.
There was a good turn out to watch the games  which was great to see. Thank you to Steve Goldie for marking Ian and
Mark's game. 
The final is at 6.40pm on Friday 1st March. Please
come along and watch the match.
Ian Mc      

Concordia Squash Players,
                                    The quarter  finals of the Handicap Competition took place last night (Monday 18th February)
All four matches were fiercely contested and produced some thoroughly  entertaining rallies.
There was virtually nothing between Keith Gray and  Mark Knott, the pair having already played each other several times leading up
to the competition, it could have gone either way however Keith got over the  line first winning 21-14 in the third.
Don Pattison showed his experience and  made good use of his points advantage over Nick Fecitt who just couldn't make
ground. Don took it 21-16, 21-18.
Both Mark Livingstone and Ian Morton  managed to overturn their deficit to catch Chris Brock and Andy Lawrence
respectively but both had to battle hard to do so. Mark beat Chris 21-17 in  the third while Ian beat Andy 21-19, also in the third. They don't come closer  than this.
A big thank you to Les Carr who marked 2 of the games and to those  spectators who made it an event.
The draw for the semi finals, Dave Buckle  doing the honours, came out with Keith Gray (+4) playing Don Pattison (+6) and
Mark Livingstone (-8) playing Ian Morton (-10).
Both of these semi's will be  played on Monday 25th February, 6.40pm start. The final is on Friday 1st March,  also 6.40pm.       
Ian Mc    

Concordia Squash Players,
                                     In a world of  internet websites, blogs, twitter, facebook and heaven knows how many other
means of communicating that I haven't got my head round yet, I was surprised to   receive a bundle of good old fashioned newspapers in the post.
The new  publication of the Professional Squash Association called 'Squash-Xtra' has been  sent to squash clubs around the country. I have put our club copies on the  counter to the left of Concordia reception. Please take a copy next time you are
passing.
The newspaper has some good coaching tips, interesting articles on  past masters and some injury advice. Well worth a read.
If you are not  throwing red roses over a candle lit dinner table our men's 1st team are playing  at home tonight (Thursday 14th Feb') you will see some top quality squash.
7.20pm start.
Ian Mc 

Concordia Squash Players,
                                     The first of
the knock out rounds were played on Monday (11th February). The 6 match winners  plus the two highest scoring losers went into the draw for the next round. Thank  you to Dave Buckle for hanging back to draw the names out of the hat, he had a
bottle of lager to finish anyway.
This is how the draw came out. 
 
Andy Lawrence (+3)          v             Ian Morton (-10)
Keith Gray    (+4)               v             Mark Knott (+5)
Don Pattison    (+6)           v             Nick Fecitt  (-6)
Mark Livingstone (-8)        v             Chris Brock (+8)

Keith Gray who always gives 110% reaped the rewards of  his hard work by going through as one of the highest scoring losers (33pts).
Nick Fecitt (30pts) was the other after a hard fought battle with Mark Knott who  is much improved this season and who had a 11 point advantage. Mark went through  winning 2-1.
The quarter finals to be played 6.40pm Monday 18th February  2013. Please come along and support the event.
Ian Mc

Concordia Squash Players,
                                    The draw for the knock out stage of the competition was carried out at Concordia bar last night (Friday) with the names drawn by Geoff Armstrong from behind the bar and adjudicated by Jim Bell who used to play squash 50 years ago.
This is how the matches came out. 
Kizer Khan (-8)           v     Andy Lawrence (+3)
Tony Hedley (-19)       v     Ian Morton (-10)
Nick Fecitt (-6)            v      Mark Knott (+5)
Don Pattison (+6)       v     Keith Gray (+4)
Mark Livingstone (-8)  v     Steve Goldie (-8)
Roland Smith (+3)      v     Chris Brock (+8)
 
All the games to be played on Monday 11th February 2013. (6.40pm start) The above list is the order in which the names came out of the hat and not necessarily the order of play.
The six match winners plus the two highest scoring losers go through to the last eight. Same format as before, best of three games to 21, American scoring. 
The quarters are scheduled for Monday 18th February 2013, 6.40pm.
Please come along to support the event.
Ian Mc