A GROUP of 16 competitors gathered at Thurso Squash Club for the annual Dounreay Site Restoration Limited Handicap tournament.
All were in a good physical and mental state, and their minds were focused on winning the trophy.
The main event semi-final brought together a tough tie between training partners, James Mackay and Andy Bain and, as both were familiar with each other’s preferred styles of play, this match was always going to end with very little to spare.
Bain led the way by romping in front to take the first set but Mackay pulled it all back to even the match.
After some long rallies, it was Mackay who eventually just held the edge and progressed to the final.
In the other semi-final, Jimmy Cassidy was up against his longtime nemesis, Donald Pollard.
This pair have played against each other for a number of years but with Cassidy on top form and holding a healthy handicap, it was always going to be difficult for Pollard to pull back the deficit.
Although Pollard managed to take the match to a final set, Cassidy played some of his best squash of the weekend, leaving him with little chance of toppling the determined competitor.
In the final, and after a tough day of squash, Mackay’s short game proved too much for Cassidy.
As much as the older statesman tried to pull the handicap difference back, it was Mackay who held it together to stride in front and take the title.
In the plate final, James Henderson’s long rallies, tight shots and retrievals were just too much for Dougie Wright and he went on to take the win.
Miller blasts his way to club silverware
AFTER narrowly losing out in the Thurso Squash Club League trophy, Alistair Miller set his sights on the rejuvenated RDI Services handicap silverware.
Both Miller and Ian Adamson managed to oust good family scalps in the semi-final stages of this tournament with the latter driving out Scottish junior internationalist, Jamie Henderson, in a long and tough contest, followed by his father, James, losing out to Miller.
In the final, Miller set out his game plan and blasted his way to the title with some quality, low drives.
Dougie Wright managed to pull back a fair handicap difference against older statesman Jimmy Cassidy and return home to the west of the county the happier man.
Plate event sees killer shots
TWENTY-four players converged at Thurso Squash Club to take part in the acclaimed Taylor Trophy handicap silverware competition.
In the plate event it was Shona Mackay who went home with the trophy but not without a battle against Willie Steven.
Both came through tough semi-final ties and it was just a matter of who could hold on the longest and produce the killer shots.
With the tie sitting at one set each, it was difficult to know who was going to pull away in the final set.
Steven tried desperately to pull back the difference but Mackay used her badminton volleying skills to secure vital points and finish off the match with a few points to spare.
Not to be outdone by his wife, Mark Mackay managed to edge out Ian Adamson in the main event to go home with the top prize.
The first set lasted the full allocation of points and, after a long rally on the final point, it was Adamson who made the error giving Mackay an important lead. He pulled away in the second set to wrap up the match.
Mackay takes title with just a three-point lead
THE 2010/11 Thurso Squash Club League trophy sponsored by Doosan Babcock concluded with one of the tightest point tallies since the 2001/02 season.
This competition runs for a 12-month period in a group of five league ladder systems, where players amass points in a round-robin fashion and either move up, down or remain in the same league – depending on points gained.
In the final month, the scene was set and the two top competitors throughout the period with most points, Mark Mackay and Alistair Miller, had to play against each other in the final match.
The pressure was slightly on Miller as he required a good win to gain enough points to lift the trophy.
Mackay never allowed this to happen – he went on to win the tie and accumulate enough points to secure the title with a meagre three points to spare over Miller.
This was a good trophy to win for Mackay as about 11 months previously he had just returned to competitive squash after a nasty knee injury left him out of action for a long period.
Davie Rosie continued his consistent league performances by finishing in a very respectable third position.
Juniors show off key court skills
IN the last few years a good group of keen youngsters have been invading the Thurso squash courts gaining experience and freshening up their techniques as much as possible.
With this in mind, it was decided to have a Christmas handicap event to exhibit their skills and improvements.
After a round-robin tournament, it was Fraser Steven who just edged the overall points with a win in the final match against Ross Mowat.
Excellent and encouraging performances by all players kept the crowd enthralled, which bodes well for the future.
Steven clinches win in city debut
IN his debut competitive tournament south of Caithness, and not long after a serious knee operation, Willie Steven travelled to Inverness Squash Club with only aspirations of taking part and gaining some experience in the Highlands and Islands graded tournament.
After a convincing win in the first match, he had an early start the following day to blow away his opponent and settle his position in the final.
Not to be outdone and with a lengthy wait for his final on the show court, Steven took no prisoners and played a controlled and measured match which took him on to win the title 3-0 with points to spare.
Ian Adamson also took part but, with tough opponents in the top group, it was always going to be hard work to pull anything from this section.
