PROMOTION-chasing Bourne Club first team were at full strength for their away match against Wimbledon Racquets 4 in the Surrey Squash Cup Division 4B.

First on the adjoining courts were Richard Hargreaves and Kevin Ryan, numbers 3 and 2 respectively. Hargreaves was up against Kelcey Button who was quicker, fitter and more skilful than he looked. However, the Bourne man was on top form and won 3-1 after four close games.

Ryan didn’t fare so well against Ross Maconachie, a young and talented player with a long reach, who won 3-0.

Mike Perring (5) and opposing captain Andreas Grill were evenly matched, but three extremely close games all went the way of the Wimbledon man.

Bourne No 1 Darren Gray met the very young, fast and stylish Matt Cook. After losing a tight first game, Gray used his experience to frustrate the younger man and a 3-1 victory levelled the match up at 2-2.

Could Bourne captain Richard Housley secure the win? He stormed out of the blocks to take the first game, but lost the next two, struggling to cope with James Harrington’s accuracy.

But the effort to secure those two games took a toll on the home player and Housley ran away with the fourth. So the match was dead level going into the deciding game.

It was nip-and-tuck all the way, with the lead swinging either way before a very relieved and exhausted Housley got over the finishing line 15-13 to seal a 3-2 victory for the visitors.

Bourne, who now head the division by 10 points, should be at full strength for their upcoming top- of-the-table clash at second-placed Surbiton 2.

Bourne Club second team, keen to build on their bright start to the second half of the Division 6R season, were home to Kings Club and hoped to avenge their earlier defeat.

Skipper David Henderson was back at 2 and he and Steve Jackson (3) ran out comfortable winners, 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.

Number 1 Dan Kirkland, having lost to the classy Noel Smith in the first meeting, this time outlasted his opponent, winning 3-1 to clinch the match for Bourne.

John Mehenick (5) saw off his opponent 3-0 in rapid time, but Allan Davison (4), trying to ensure maximum points for his side, went down 3-1.

However, with 17 points secured, Bourne leapfrogged Kings Club into fourth place.