This Is Guernsey

GUERNSEY coaches were putting on a brave face despite a heavy defeat for the island second team in their opening inter-county league match of the campaign at the Rohais Hall. Middlesex Three romped to a convincing win against a young and inexperienced side.

Development officer Paul Le Tocq described it ‘as an encouraging performance from a team containing only one player over the age of 24′.

‘They have raised their game and competed at a level that is higher than theirs and this will only give them a chance to develop and become stronger individuals,’ he said.

‘We have made a conscious decision this year that with our first team losing some of its stars, we have to make an effort to blood younger players in the second team and build for the future.’

Middlesex took all four singles rubbers, but there were encouraging performances from the home players.

Debutant Matt Thoume lost to Carl Crossfield 21-18, 21-18 but raised his game considerably to compete at this level, while Stuart Hardy, in losing to Amir Intisar 21-12, 21-19, showed good attacking play in the second set.

In the women’s singles, Fran Babbe found it tough on her debut and went down 21-11, 21-12 to Lorraine Thompson, but she showed no lack of grit and determination, while Miranda Knight again showed flashes of her great potential in losing 21-18, 21-15 to Ansali Gudhka.

Knight again displayed her good shot range and strength, but will now have experienced the intensity and importance of every point in the senior game.

In the men’s doubles, Nick Merrien and debutant Jed Le Page found life tough in their first match together, losing to King and Brown 21-10, 21-12 and losing also to Crossfield and Cuell 21-13, 21-13.

The combination of Hardy and Richard Wood played some impressive doubles and showed signs that they could make a fine pairing this season, but lost to Crossfield and Cuell 21-19, 21-14.

Then, in the match of the day, they lost to King and Brown 27-25, 13-21, 21-18.

Guernsey finally found some success in the women’s doubles.

Jayne Goldborne and Renee Stuart won their first match against Clasper and Cuell in three tight sets 19-21, 21-19, 21-18, with Goldborne showing some strong defence and Stuart moving up the court with purpose.

The Guernsey pair could not keep this going in the second rubber against Thompson and Lockie and lost out 21-18, 21-19.

The other Guernsey pairing of Knight and Annika Johnson also beat Clasper and Cuell 21-16, 16-21, 21-12 and lost to Thompson and Lockie 21-18, 21-19.

The mixed doubles also went the way of the visitors.

The second team’s next matches are away in Cornwall and Devon in two weeks’ time.

On home soil the Carey Olsen Team Challenge takes place at the weekend and the Guernsey Junior Open follows on the weekend of 16-18 November. It promises to be a top event with many English, Welsh and Jersey entrants.