Played in Guernsey, only the Jersey pairing of Clive Dunford and Chris Agathangelou overcame one pair in the strong Sarnian squad, 15-10, 15-11, although it is fair to say that every Jersey player made their opponents work hard for every point.The match started with the men’s and women’s singles, where Dunford stuck at his task in the first set before losing 17-16, but he then came unstuck in the second to lose 15-2.
Chris Cotillard, just back from university, also played well, but not quite well enough as he lost 15-10, 15-11.In the ladies’ singles neither Jersey player managed to win.’It was a disappointing result,’ captain Clive Dunford admitted.’The fact is that Guernsey have a better set-up, from the juniors upwards – their top man plays against the Welsh national side – and they have many more players at a high level; they’ve also won the big inter-insular match, the Gilson Trophy, for the last 25 years.’But things are changing here slowly; there’s a new junior set-up, and although we won’t see the results of that for another five years, it is a positive step in the right direction.’And he pointed out that at the weekend’s event, the young and less-experienced Jersey side were also missing three of their women players.’Guernsey’s team consisted of most of their Island Games squad and they are a strong side.
They were relegated from the division above this one at the start of the season and are certainly favourites to go back up.
But we can give other teams in this division – our next matches are against Oxfordshire, Devon and Berkshire – a good game.”A lot of things didn’t go great for us at the weekend but the team spirit is good, even though we were rather downhearted afterwards.
Even so, as long as the players still enjoy their badminton, that’s the main thing.’Team: Clive Dunford, Chris Agathangelou, Dan Toft, Chris Cotillard, Trish O’Brien, Sarah Groves, Kim Ashton, Tracy Hudson.
