Sarnians given welcome boost with 4-2 away win

GUERNSEY has tasted success for first time this year in the KIA National Club League Division One. Their 4-2 victory away at Sutton at the weekend was a long time coming after they were switched into the very strong southern league after playing in the south west version in 2005.

They had lost every one of their previous matches that included a defeat at the hands of the mighty Queens Club in their last run out.

But with Rob West and Dom McLuskey - they are both studying abroad at tennis academies - back in action at one and two, Guernsey got the elusive win that they were so desperately seeking.

'They thought they were going to beat us but we played really well,' said captain Chris Hickling.

'There were some pretty tight games and everyone played well. It's been a hard year.

'It's good for everyone to get the win.'

Cleveland State University tennis scholar West was the only Sarnian to lose in the singles as the visitors took an early 3-1 lead. The 19-year-old lost in straight sets to the higher ranked George Carpeni.

On the other courts, McLuskey won 6-0, 6-3 over the cocky Stuart Sutherland, while Hickling and the flamboyant South African, Stefan Cloete, both registered a straight-set victory.

In the doubles, West and 16-year-old McLuskey, who has just returned from Nice where he is at the ISP Tennis Academy, came undone against Carpeni and Sutherland 3-6, 4-6.

But New Zealander Hickling and Cloete picked up another point for the greens when they crushed Josh Whiteman and Chris Forder 6-1, 6-3. Hickling and his men now have one match left in the league, away against a strong St George's Hill outfit.

James Auckland, who is ranked number seven in the UK, leads the Surrey club. The 26-year-old partnered Andy Murray at the French Open and in the Davis Cup earlier this year.

Guernsey will be without McLuskey and Cloete for the match, but Andy Privett and Jimmy Wood both step up. Going into the clash, Guernsey are lying in bottom place in the table on eight points, with Sutton above them on 12.

With the South London team playing league leaders David Lloyd Raynes Park in their last match, Hickling believes his team need to beat St George's Hill at least 4-2 to avoid the drop.

'They have got three guys who can qualify for Wimbledon,' said Hickling.

'If they do qualify, they won't be playing, so they'll have their second string team out. If that's the case, we are pretty confident.'