Guernsey A regain title with blistering victory

GUERNSEY have regained the Bucktrout Trophy with a resounding win in the inter-insular A match at Kings. Although the Jersey team was missing several top players through injuries and other commitments, the Sarnians thoroughly deserved their 15.5-8.5 victory as both the men and the women took their respective sections 5-3.

In the men's doubles, the pairing of Richard Smeed and Ian Robinson were in blistering form as they dropped only four games against Jersey's number one pair of Ian Morgan and Dale Broadhead.

They also secured victory in their other encounter against the pairing of Craig Stewart and Matt Harris.

Andy Privett and Rob West also claimed a comfortable victory over the latter pairing.

Guernsey's other two combinations, Tim Creasey and Paul Garrard, and Danny Strappini and Patrick Ogier, both claimed a point apiece for the home side by overcoming Claudio Fort and Joel Camp.

However, both pairings lost to Michael Steigenberger, who was unbeaten throughout the day, and Grant Collins.

In the women's doubles, Jo Robinson and Bridget Yabsley picked up from where they left off in the Island Games by dropping only four of their games in their two matches.

Helen Creasey and Denny Griffiths, both making their debuts, had a memorable victory over Jayne van Neste and Danielle Alsop.

Holding a 10-6 lead going into the mixed doubles, Guernsey needed four wins to make sure of overall victory.

The first victory came quickly, with Smeed and Yabsley quickly dispatching the Jersey number twos Broadhead and Laura Cattell.

The Robinsons were involved in the match of the day, finally coming through in three sets against Morgan and Catherine Francescon.

Charlotte Koller and Privett won the match that sealed the cup for the Sarnians with a hard-fought three-setter against Harris and Jenny Carnegie, the decider being taken 7-5.

'It was a great team effort and very satisfying to win back the trophy in such a convincing way,' said Smeed, the Guernsey captain.

Meanwhile, Jersey retained the shield for the B inter-insular, but only by virtue of winning the deciding set in the final mixed doubles match to earn a 12-12 draw overall.