Barrie Matthews’s four-game victory over Hamish Dowell in the men’s final of the Conley and Blyth University open squash tournament yesterday meant the end of a long wait.

It was the University player’s first open tournament win of the season, contrasting sharply with his record last year when he had chalked up five tournament successes by early June.

After a bad lapse in the second game Matthews took control to beat Dowell, 9-2, 9-10, 9-2, 9-2, in 32min.

Another surprise result of the quarter-finals was Geoff Mason’s defeat of the second seed, Lawrence Skurr. The Wellington player produced a string of deadly drops to upset Skurr in five games, after holding three match balls in the fourth.

The women’s A grade final went to another Wellingtonian, Karen McDonald, in a battle of the left-handers. However, Saskia O’Brien certainly had her chances as she went down, 7-9, 8-10, 2-9.

Results:

MEN
A grade. Quarter-finals: H. Dowell beat B. J. Simpson, 9-1, 9-3, 9-5; L. Walton (Wellington) beat G. Monk, 6-9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-5; B. D. Matthews beat M. Crosbie, 9-7, 7-9, 9-10, 9-1, 9-2; G. Mason (Wellington) beat L. P. Skurr, 10-8, 0-9, 9-5, 9-10, 9-6. Semi-finals: Dowell beat Walton, 9-5, 9-5, 5-9, 2-9, 9-7; Matthews beat Mason 9-0, 9-3, 9-10, 9-7. Final: Matthews beat Dowell, 9-2, 9-10, 9-2, 9-2. Plate: M. Clements beat P. Davenport, 5-9, 9-10, 9-2, 9-0, 9-2. Consolation plate: J. Oakley beat J. French. 9-5, 9-5, 9-10, 10-9. Special plate: Simpson beat Skurr, 3-9, 9-7, 4-9, 9-5, 10-8.

B grade final. G. Egan beat P. Herd, 8-10, 5-9, 9-7, 9-7 9-6.

C grade final. R. Kirk beat J. Murdoch, 9-7, 9-5, 9-10, 9-5.

D grade final. P. Eathorne beat M. Antcliffe. 9-3, 10-8, 9-7.

E grade final. S. O’Neill beat M. Neilson 4-9, 8-10, 9-7, 9-2, 9-7.

WOMEN
A grade. Semi-finals: K. McDonald (Wellington) beat J. Abrahamson, 9-2, 9-6, 9-0; S. O’Brien beat M. Hunt, 7-9, 9-1, 9-1, 9-2. Final: Miss McDonald beat Mrs O’Brien, 9-7, 10-8, 9-2. Plate: E. Wilding beat R. O’Sullivan, 9-6, 10-9, 9-3. Special plate: M. Hunt beat J. Abrahamson, 9-3. 9-3, 10-8. Consolation plate: H. Shannon beat J. Tanner, 9-2, 9-6. 10-8.

B grade final. M. Gorton beat S. McNaught, 10-9, 9-2, 9.3.

C grade final. J. Jackson beat F. Topp. 5-9, 8-10, 9-3. 9-3. 9-5.

14 July 1980.