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Salopians Retain The EFA Trophy

21/02/23: It was finals day in the EFA Trophy in association with Advanta Wealth at Eton on Sunday and a third successive win for the Old Salopians, who beat Midlands rivals Old Wulfrunians in the final.

There was a familiar look to the semi-final line-up this year, with last year's winners and runners-up - Old Salopians and North Oxford - both back in action, alongside 2016, 2018 and 2019 champions Oxford University and 2010 and 2012 winners the Old Wulfrunians.

The Salopians had qualified second in their group back in November but made several changes for the semis, bringing in Will Sissons, Sam Mcloughlin and Grant Williams, all members of the winning side last year. They went into their morning match against North Oxford as favourites for the title but were pushed hard by the Oxford team, who played well and had their chances at times to cause an upset. At first pair, Will Sissons & Guy Williams had their work cut out to hold off Alex Abrahams & Nick Shaw, firstly by coming from behind and then by holding off a comeback. Both times they had the skill and composure to get over the line 12-9, following it up with a 12-8 third game win to chalk up an impressive win. The second pair was a bit more of an up and down affair, Jack Flowers & Sam Mcloughlin twice taking the lead only to be pegged back by Nathan Turnbull & Matt Asquith. The fifth game could have been all important, but only if North Oxford's third pair of Karen Hird & Matt Chinery could somehow overcome the experience of Mike Hughes & Grant Williams. Their chances didn't look good to start with, as the Salopian pair cruised to a 2-0 lead. The third game was much closer and with Karen & Matt beginning to find their range and Grant & Mike starting to tire, things began to get interesting as the game reached 11-11. As quickly as a glimmer of a chance for North Oxford appeared, though, so it was snuffed out, Grant & Mike finding the couple of rallies they needed to win the third game 14-12 and take the Salopians into the final, leaving the second pair contest to be conceded at 2-2.

The other semi-final pitted Oxford University against the Old Wulfrunians. Some Barber Cup success had meant that the Wulfrunians had been away from the sharp end of this competition for a while and it was good to see them back, with four members of the winning 2010 team still going strong - Sid Simmons, Chris Austin, Mark Yates and David Jones. They were joined by a pair of Husselbees - father Andy and son Tom - and took on an Oxford University team weakened by the absence of Charles Plummer, rendered ineligible having played in the recent Barber Cup semi-finals for the Old Millhillians, but still full of talented players. Leading the way for the Wulfrunians were the second pair of Husselbee sr & Jones, who put in a strong performance to win in three against Jack Ledigo & Aaditya Deshmukh. The other two pairs were having to work much harder to find the win to take them through into the final - Nick Choustikov & Ben Hart (himself a Wulfrunian) going 2-0 up at first pair against Austin & Simmons and Joel Robb & Edwin Gosnell in a dogfight at third pair against Yates & Husselbee jr at one game all and 11-11 in the third. As with the other semi-final, this was the moment for the Oxford team to get themselves into the game but as with North Oxford they couldn't take the opportunity. Chris & Sid started fighting back and got the first pair match to 2-2, while crucially Mark & Tom took the third game 12-11 to go 2-1 up at third pair. They went on to wrap up the fourth quickly, leaving Sid & Chris to shake hands and conserve as much energy as possible for the final.

Sadly for the Wulfrunians, it wasn't enough. Both teams kept their pairs the same and right from the start it was apparent that the Salopians were stronger across all three pairs, with the Wulfrunians unable to reproduce their morning levels in the afternoon. Jones & Husselbee (A) at second pair got closest to winning a game but even they weren't ever really in the hunt and the Salopians raced through all three pairs in straight games to win the trophy for the third time in a row.

The two Oxford teams fought out the 3rd/4th place play-off and it was town that conquered gown, North Oxford also winning all three pairs 3-0.

Thanks go to Eton for hosting the competition, Advanta Wealth for their continued sponsorship and to all of the teams who took part this year.

 

Semi-Finals

 

Old Salopians beat North Oxford 2-1

W.Sissons & Guy Williams beat A.Abrahams & N.Shaw 3-0 (12-9, 12-9, 12-8)

J.Flowers & S.Mcloughlin lost to M.Asquith & N.Turnbull 2-3 (12-5, 5-12, 12-4, 8-12 ret)

M.Hughes & Grant Williams beat K.Hird & M.Chinery 3-0 (12-3, 12-6, 14-12)



Old Wulfrunians beat Oxford University 2-1

S.Simmons & C.Austin lost to B.Hart & N.Choustikov 2-3 (6-12, 3-12, 12-4, 13-10, 3-0 ret)

D.Jones & A.Husselbee beat J.Ledigo & A.Deshmukh 3-0 (12-8, 12-3, 12-5)

M.Yates & T.Husselbee beat J.Robb & E.Gosnell 3-1 (11-13, 12-8, 12-11, 12-1)

 

Final

 

Old Salopians beat Old Wulfrunians 3-0

W.Sissons & Guy Williams beat S.Simmons & C.Austin 3-0 (12-6, 12-3, 12-1)

J.Flowers & S.Mcloughlin beat D.Jones & A.Husselbee 3-0 (12-2, 12-8, 12-9)

M.Hughes & Grant Williams beat M.Yates & T.Husselbee 3-0 (12-3, 12-6, 12-6)

 

3rd/4th

 

North Oxford beat Oxford University 3-0

A.Abrahams & M.Asquith beat B.Hart & N.Choustikov 3-0 (12-6, 12-6, 12-4)

N.Turnbull & N.Shaw beat J.Ledigo & E.Gosnell 3-0 (15-11, 12-6, 12-7)

K.Hird & M.Chinery beat A.Deshmukh & S.Chapman 3-0 (12-10, 12-5, 12-2)

 

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