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At the start of the winter season in the South Staffs Squash League, the Stafford team suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of their close rivals Cannock. In the return match this week however, Burton Manor showed amazing resolve in returning the favour and giving the visitors a mauling.

The first two matches set the tone of the evening with Rob Robotham and Paul Faulkner playing tenacious squash. Robotham’s big hitting was nullified by his opponent’s countless drop shots, but for once the Stafford player kept his head and ground out a well deserved 3-1 win. Faulkner showed his growing maturity on the squash court as he patiently worked his opposite number, waiting for openings to clinch key points in his 3-1 victory.

Even at 2-0 up the Manor team were only too aware that there was still a lot to do to secure the win. Colin Gallow and Richard Smith were next on court and Gallow set about the task with determination. Taking early control in the first game, his opponent struggled to find a way into the match. Gallow’s domination continued as he swept through the second without dropping a point. In the third the match came to an abrupt end as his opponent retired. Meanwhile on court 2 Smith was involved in a classic encounter. With little to separate the two players, it came down to fitness and sheer doggedness – and Smith has these qualities in abundance. With only a handful of points the difference in three games, Smith finally wore down his opponent earning a richly deserved 3-1 win.

With the match now secure for Burton Manor, it was down to Alan McDonald to make it a clean sweep for the Stafford club. In their earlier encounter McDonald and his opposite number had enjoyed a gruelling 5 game match. On this occasion, however, McDonald had no intention of allowing his opponent to find any rhythm. Playing a mixture of fierce drives and deft boasts, he wrong-footed him time and again and cruised to a very comfortable 3-0 win.

"This was a huge win for us" said team captain Rob Robotham "beating the league leaders is one thing, but upstaging them in this way and getting a 5-0 result is really impressive".

Burton Manor Squash Team braved blizzard conditions to clinch close encounter against Bilston

Having won their previous match the manor was keen to continue their winning streak away to Bilston. Having battled the weather the team were keen to warm things up.

Starting proceedings was the young and inexperienced Pete Mathews. Nerves were apparent from the start as a close first game got under way, Mathews soon found his range and after some good well thought out shots managed to clinch the game. In the second game the older and more experienced opponent came back and won the game 10-9, not to be put off by that, Mathews soon won the third with impressive style taking the score to 2-1. Again his opponent made some good shots and clinched the fourth game. In the final game experience and age got the better of the youngster succumbing to some brilliant shots, gracious in defeat the youngster showed his maturity and congratulated his opponent.

The next game was Ross Beck, having been away from the team for some time Beck was keen to get stuck in but his opponent was equal to the challenge and stole the first game. Annoyed with himself Beck put his heart and soul into the next game with lots of powerful drives and lots of shouting at himself like an escaped physiatric patient he clinched the second game. From then on his opponent wanted to get off the court as quickly as possible fearing the by now foaming at the mouth Beck and so followed two quick games without much resistance from Beck clinching the match 3-1.

This left the Manor 2-0 down with 3 to play. Up steps the man mountain Rob Robotham keen to impress his team mates Robotham started in blistering style hitting the ball with such ferocity that the plaster on the wall started to come away. Unable to match or even see the ball his opponent soon succumbed to the big hitter, now nicknamed the DESTROYER, and was despatched with ease.

Richard Smith was next on court having won all of his matches for the Manor Richard was keen to keep his unbeaten record. The game got off to a good start with Smith showing some class and some deft shots to bamboozle his opponent. With his wristy action Smith never looked in any danger and easily spanked his opponent keeping his unbeaten record winning the match 3-0

With the game tied at 2-2 up step the number 1 seed’s to clinch the match for either team. Alan McDonald has beaten his opponent in the past and like the weather he was given a frosty reception by the home team. Not to be put off the first game soon heated up proceedings with some long and gruelling rallies, the score swung one way and another with McDonald taking the first game 10-9. The second game was just as close with his opponent just running and running like the Duracell bunny but McDonald like a bad case of myxomatosis soon had the bunny exhausted clinched the second game again 10-9. The third game McDonald changed tactics and burnt out the already exhausted opponent with some clinical shots to finish off the match. Awarding the Manor a well deserved and hard fought win.

Wolverhampton has frequently been Stafford team’s bete noire in the Staffs and Central Squash league, however, a resilient Burton Manor swept aside previous uncertainties and produced a performance to be proud of.

A cold, wintry night is unlikely to generate a lot of enthusiasm for a tussle, but Rob Robotham showed immediately that it wasn’t going to slow him down as he generated his usual scorching pace from the start. His opponent rallied briefly in the second to snatch a game, but was overpowered by Robotham’s bullish approach who closed the match a comfortable 3-1 winner. A feature of Paul Faulkner’s game is his sheer doggedness, with his matches invariably running into five hard-fought games. This was no exception as the match swung between the two protagonists, with Faulkner finally edging into a well-deserved lead in the final game and earning a 3-2 victory.

Richard Smith and Colin Gallow went on court hoping that between them the match could be wrapped up for the Stafford club. In the first game Smith looked distracted and unsettled by his younger, more attractive opponent, but gradually sense prevailed and he eased into a comfortable lead with some wristy, commanding shots. In the end it was a one-sided affair, with Smith cruising to a 3-0 win. Meanwhile on court 1, Gallow was similarly dismantling his opponent’s game who had no answer to the pace and variety of shots – Gallow dropping only 6 points in a crushing 3-0 win.

At 4-0 it was looking like an unlikely whitewash for the Wolverhampton visitors as Alan McDonald stepped onto court for the final match of the evening. However, McDonald found himself in a real scrap. He threw everything at it, but the Wolverhampton man seemed to always have one extra shot in reserve. With only a couple of points in each game it was always close, but his opposite number grabbed a well-deserved 3-1 win leaving Burton Manor buoyant over their 4-1 victory.

After their lacklustre performance a week earlier, Burton Manor squash team were clinical in sweeping aside Four Oaks in their match this week. Previous matches with the Sutton Coldfield team have always been close encounters, but the Stafford team, still hurting from a dismal performance against Cannock, were determined to put that right.

Alan McDonald and Rob Robotham got proceedings underway, and it looked like it was going to be a long evening as McDonald’s game quickly developed into a series of long, gruelling rallies. McDonald looked tired but persisted with his long game tactic. The strategy was soon rewarded as his opponent’s game began to unravel and he simply ran out of energy.

On Court 2 Rob Robotham started his match in blistering style, thrashing the ball with such intensity that his opponent succumbed meekly in the first game. The following game was just as devastating but, with what appeared to be the support of a little Dutch courage, his opposite number came out in the third and found a way into the match. Robotham looked annoyed that he had let a game slip and so hit the ball even harder in the fourth game and his opponent surrendered, leaving the court defeated, but grateful to have survived.

With the Stafford team two matches up, Paul Faulkner and Colin Gallow stepped onto court hoping that between them they could secure an early victory for the Manor. In his first game Gallow started cautiously, pushing the ball about tentatively. Very quickly, however, he got into his stride and had his opposite number floundering in the corners and grabbed a comfortable 3-0 win.

On Court 2, Faulkner, dressed in a sombre black outfit, was involved in a much closer encounter. His steady, albeit predictable, game seemed to suite his opponent as they matched each other shot for shot. However, Faulkner’s superior fitness paid off. Coming back from 1-8 down in the third to win 10-8 seemed to drain all the energy from his opposite number, securing him a well-earned win.

With the Stafford team in an unassailable 4-0 lead, it was down to Richard Smith to earn maximum points for Burton Manor. Smith needed all his experience to hold off his young, hard-hitting opponent who played an array of scintillating shots. However, one of Smith’s strengths is his resilience and he consistently ran down shots, forcing his opponent to play again and again. His tenacity finally paid off as his opponent’s error count rose and Smith earned an impressive clean sweep for Burton Manor.

An odd arrangement in fixtures meant that Burton Manor went the entire month of November without playing a match in the South Staffs squash league and this enforced layoff showed as the Stafford team struggled to find some form in the clash at Cannock. None of the team played particularly badly, but they all seemed to lack fitness as one by one they the lost key points that are so crucial to winning games.

Steve Mitchell played with tenacity, but he always off the pace and, although he rallied briefly in the 3rd, he never seriously looked like troubling his opposite number as he went down 1-3. Rob Robotham started in his usual, robust style and then floundered as his opponent snatched the following two games with ease. Robotham recovered in the fourth, playing some quality shots, but in the fifth he looked exhausted as he succumbed 2-3.

Both Paul Faulkner and Colin Gallow fared little better – Faulkner losing in straight sets while Gallow, who started well, faded in the latter games to lose 1-3. Alan Macdonald was involved in the longest match of the evening and, at 2-1 looked as though he alone might clinch a match for the Manor. However, his lack of match practise also showed as he slumped to a 2-3 loss.

Burton Manor squash team started the winter season in impressive style as they made it a clean sweep against visitors Oak Park.

The Manor stuck to their policy of bringing on young, inexperienced players and the club was rewarded with some feisty performances from the likes of Nick Fudger, Paul Faulkner and Rob Robotham.

In the most entertaining match of the evening, Fudger enthralled spectators with his tenacity as he clawed his way back into the match when he was 2-1 down. Literally throwing himself about the court, Fudger frustrated his opposite number into making an increasing number of errors as the games progressed and earned himself a well-deserved 3-2 victory.

Paul Faulkner stepped onto court in a striking black outfit, peppered with bold red flashes. This is in marked contrast to his style of play which is characterised by a steady, conservative approach. Avoiding risky, flamboyant shots (unlike his dress sense), Faulkner places the ball consistently where he wants and waits for his opponent to make mistakes. This he did once again with precision as his opponent’s error count grew throughout the match, making it a comfortable 3-0 win for the Stafford player.

Rob Robotham’s high octane approach to the game was in evidence once again as he petrified his opponent by the sheer power of his shots. There were brief moments in the second game when his opposite number showed signs of weathering the storm, but they were short-lived as Robotham swept to a 3-0 victory.

Alan McDonald, widely regarded as one of the most consistent players over the years, showed no signs of losing that quality. Starting at a high tempo he never allowed his opponent to settle into the match and, within 20 minutes it was all over, sealing maximum points for Burton Manor.