2005 Team Competition - WinnersThe National Squash Centre at Manchester once again hosted the CSSC Inter-Departmental Team Squash Competition as 13 teams of 3 men and 2 ladies competed for the 2004/05 Trophy.

Last years winners, Inland Revenue, at the top of the draw, arrived with the handicap of having lost their No. 2 lady to injury. This was to prove crucial for in their semi-final clash with twice previous winners HASSRA 'A' they went down 3-2 when Inland Revenue newcomer Pat Comer lost a tough 3-0 battle (9-5, 9-5,10-8) to HASSRA’s Sian Hughes.

In the bottom half of the draw MOD 'A' team got off to a sleepy start beating DEFRA 3-2. This set up what appeared to be a straight forward path to the final with only MOD 'B' team to beat! The MOD Seeding Committee in the end got it right with their 'A' team winning 5-0. However, MOD B’s No. 1 player John Ashton so nearly achieved the upset of the tournament when he took the CSSC National Champion and MOD No. 1 player Marc Aldridge to a thrilling 5 set match 'cliff-hanger'.

The final, once again, would be decided between MOD 'A' and HASSRA 'A', historically always a competitive thriller. MOD’s No. 3 player Simon Amery got his team off to a convincing start by beating HASSRA’s veteran campaigner Gary Worley 3-0. The MOD ladies playing at 4 and 5, however, could not match this fine form, both going down to HASSRA ladies Jackie Codman and Sian Hughes 3-0 and 3-1. This gave HASSRA’s No. 2 Dave Hickman the chance to seal the Championship against MOD Captain Merv Davies. Both players are previous National CSSC Champions and it was Hickman who took the first game convincingly 9-4. Davies, however, clawed his way back in the second game with a hard fought 9-7. Both players were now suffering from the difficult playing conditions, but it was the determined Davies who came out on top 3-1 by winning the next two games 9-5, 9-5. With the match 'all square' at 2-2 it would be the No. 1 players who would decided their teams fate! MOD’s Marc Aldridge rose to this challenge with magnificent aplomb and playing his best squash of the tournament he ran out a convincing 3-0 winner against HASSRA’s Mike Nichols to give the MOD team a 3-2 victory.

The third and fourth play-off was won by Inland Revenue who beat the MOD 'B' team 3-2.

In the Main Plate Event for second round losers the DEFRA team were victorious against SPARTA with Customs and Excise 'A' team running out in third place.

The B Plate for first round losers was hotly contested with HASSRA 'B' winning a Round Robin style competition with the DTI and CSSC Specials coming out in second and third positions.

The next Team Squash Competition will take place later this year at the CSSC Games to be held at Loughborough University on 21-24 September 2005.


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