Melbourn 2 squash team faced fearsome opposition from Cambridge 3 – rapidly losing the first four matches without claiming a single game.

It fell to No1 string Liam Murphy to save face with a 3-2 victory against Ben Knappett, breaking his own run of four previous losses. But it was an overall 4-1 defeat for Melbourn, who were playing away at Churchill College’s courts.

First on court was Jamie Ware who lost his first two games to highly experienced player Sanjay Poria. A motivational talk from his teammates fired Jamie up who laid it all on the line to make it 15-15 in the third game. However, a dramatic dive for the final point was not enough and Sanjay took the match.

Melbourn No 4 Thomas Higginson came close to winning his third game with a run of six consecutive points which brought him back to 12-13. But Miles Jeaneret closed him down to win the two final points – winning the match 3-0.

Sean Hamilton, playing at No3, was no match for Cambridge player Christopher Thorpe. The Melbourn player was constantly frustrated and lost his match 15-4, 15-8, 15-5.

Melbourn’s Colm O’Gorman put in an incredible performance against James Buckley, fighting hard for every point. He managed to accrue significant points, losing 15-13, 15-10, 15-11, but failed to win a game. Colm’s broke a string in his racket at a crucial moment in the first game when he was 13-12 ahead. But he lost the next three points with his replacement bat, and never got ahead again.

Liam’s No1 match was incredibly tense to watch. He lost the first game 15-13, then won the next two 13-15 and 12-15, before losing the fourth 14-16. However, he dialled up the pressure in the last game to win it 16-14.

Melbourn 2 are now in sixth place in the league of eight after winning two matches and losing four.