The Hampshire & IOW Men‘s team was in Group 4 of the Summer County Cup week held this year at the lovely Ilkley Club in Yorkshire.
Representing Hampshire & IOW were:
Ryan Golesworthy, Liam Hignett, Josh Goodall, Mike Johnson, Jack Curtis, Sam Bird, Aaron Dawson, Arthur Attrill, George Houghton and Mats Colling
We went up last year and needed to be at our best this year, the problem came before we started with George Houghton getting an injury.
Day 1 v Cheshire
The team was: 1 – Goodall + Golesworthy 2 – Hignett + Curtis 3 – Johnson + Dawson Sub – Bird
Cheshire are a renowned top county and we needed to get off to a good start. We didn’t, we were down 2/1 then 4/2 but came back to lose 5/4 which was encouraging. Our worry was that we were losing Josh mid-week and we needed to stay in the Group.
Day 2 v Dorset
The team was: 1 – Goodall + Golesworthy 2 – Hignett + Curtis 3 – Johnson + Dawson Sub – Bird
We won 9/0. Although we have always had great rivalry with Dorset over the years, it was very sad to see that they had extreme difficulty raising a team within the county. It really was a mismatch, which didn’t help us as the other counties were going to beat Dorset comfortably.
Day 3 v Lincolnshire
Luckily we persuaded Josh to stay another day! We desperately needed a win to stay up as the last two days were stronger teams.
The team was: 1 – Goodall + Golesworthy 2 – Hignett + Curtis 3 – Johnson + Dawson Subs – Bird + Attrill
Our start was difficult as Lincs played extremely well, but somehow we ended up 3/0 up, great work from our 2nd and 3rd pairs. Maybe we won’t go down?!
A great afternoon’s work left us ending as 7/2 winners. We should now be safe barring two thrashings in the last two matches.
Day 4 v Durham & Cleveland
Rain came overnight so they decided to play Fast4 sets which turns it into a lottery. Brilliantly Josh stayed to play again until we were safe in the Group before he had to leave.
The team was: 1 – Goodall + Golesworthy 2 – Hignett + Curtis 3 – Johnson + Dawson Subs – Bird + Attrill
We played superbly, including the subs, and won 8/1. We were now safe.
Day 5 v Lancashire
Josh had now gone and we play Lancs, originally the strongest team in the Group. We decided to give Liam and Ryan their chance to get 3 wins against a rival loud Lancashire team even if our 2nd and 3rd pairs would be much weaker.
The team was: 1 – Hignett + Golesworthy 2 – Curtis + Attrill 3 – Johnson + Dawson Sub – Bird
We possibly could go up, but it was lottery odds, sensibly Lancashire were too strong. The only chance was if Liam and Ryan won all 3, and our 2nd and 3rds beat their 3rds. So that would mean 2/1 up after the 1st round.
In that 1st round Liam and Ryan won convincingly to give us hope but after a titanic battle and some loud intimidation by the Lancashire 3rd pair, our 3rd pair lost in 3. We were 2/1 down.
In the 2nd round our 3rds lost in two close sets. Liam and Ryan came through in three great sets, which left Jack and Arthur still playing but a set and a break down. Whatever happened this had been a great learning experience for the two youngsters and for their future tennis careers. Then Jack played an awesome return game, Arthur crossed twice and we break back….Well that was exciting! We hold two more games to get to the 2nd set tiebreak… and maybe ? We go down in the tiebreak, they get a match point. Jack hits a world class return, now back to 7 all. We battle a bit longer then we get a set point. Jack returning. Again, a world class return but this time they volley it back, then another volley then a snippet of a chance comes for Jack to thread a forehand down the line. They cover it. So he hits it even more accurately. Time stood still. It’s goes in. Championship tiebreak next.
Exactly the same thing occurs, this time Arthur comes out with the winner and we win it. Amazing!!
3/3 at lunch. There is now a chance we could win and go up…..
But really the match ups don’t work for us this round and lightning doesn’t strike twice. We get off to a bad start, Lancs 1st pair contain Mike and Aaron convincingly. Liam and Ryan get in a dog fight with the 3rds and Jack and Arthur go down a set quickly. It doesn’t change for Mike and Aaron and they lose. We now have to win the remaining two.
Jack and Arthur are now back in it, we have chances returning and we keep holding. We get a set point. They completely contain us and win it. That was our chance. We get to another tiebreak. At the same time Liam and Ryan win the first set then lose the second easily. Next, Championship tiebreak.
This is quite exciting. A very quick and controlled championship tiebreak goes in our favour with Liam and Ryan. Now 4/4
Jack and Arthur are now 5/4 down in the 2nd set tiebreak. This really is exciting. 3 quality shots later Jack and Arthur win the tiebreak! Championship tiebreak for the win to go up.
By now other teams are over to see this. Unbelievably we go 8/3 up. Could we…?
This was a quality Lancs pair… they turn it around and go 9/8 up as expected. We save the match point. We hold. Jack again gets a return at match point. He makes, they volley. A rally ensues. Arthur gets a short forehand and absolutely belts it through them for the win!
We go up! Really, we go up! !
The reason I have made a long winded report is in my 41 years at County Cups, I have never ever seen this whole week from any county. It could have been a Hollywood film!
This was a momentous County Week. Quite incredible by this team one and all.
Great thanks to Josh for giving the team the chance to do this, Ryan and Liam for unselfishly playing whatever the team needed, the youngsters for showing enough maturity to control match scores, Mike and Aaron for playing as a quality 3rd pair and Sam for performing the level when needed and brought in off the bench. It was a perfect storm.
Liam ended one point from 15/15 at 14/15. Amazingly Jack was 13/15, his first County Week! The others had been dropped in and out, but importantly this has been a huge team performance.
I’m looking forward to next year.
Julian Godfrey – Men’s Captain
