ITL Report November 2025

November ITL – Rhythm & Blues and The Green Machine turn up the heat on Mellow Yellows

Fifty four club members nailed their colours to the mast in the second round of Reigate Squash Club’s Internal Team League 2025/26 season last Friday.  Mellow Yellows were seeking to protect their strong lead by taking on current champions Rhythm & Blues, whilst The Green Machine went head to head with Rediculous 5.

Morgan Stannard , a welcome returnee to the Greens, opened proceedings and overcame a slight handicap by taking out early bar bird Paul McKay three games to one.  Mike Pinggera the elder found his six point handicap to be an even tougher challenge, going behind to the wandering wiles of Coleen Cloherty, before girding his loins and pulling the tie back onto the Green side in five games.  Ruth Lewis continued the Green’s strong start by defeating Richard Allum in five tight games – see, no handicap needed for this one, Richard!  Meanwhile, Mark Peters ran Caroline Linton ragged to secure the first points of the night for the league leaders, but not before Caroline secured a point for the Blues.

The virtual antipodean that is Mike Parsons gave Jim May a run for his money in the first racketball match of the evening, taking the game 3-1.  Yellow’s Harry Peters took his revenge on corporate ringer Colin Woods, reversing a straight games defeat from the previous season, with a close 3-2 win; a testament to how fast he is improving.  Squash Levels bandits and beer buddies James Mace and Darren Mackay warmed up for their marathon bar stint with a desperately tight match, which James took 3-2 for the Yellows deep in the fifth. Freddie Jenkins had a four point advantage against Leah Beglan, and in an exhausting (for them) and entertaining (for the large crowd) encounter Freddie took the tie 3-2. “He nearly killed me!” Was all Leah could offer up in the post match interview .

Martin Wallbank further progressed the Blue cause by overcoming a two point handicap to defeat Richard English in five games.  Likewise for George Stoyle, who secured a precious win for the Reds, defeating Charlotte Fish in straight games.  ‘Father of the Blues’ Chris Lucas defeated corporate newbie Neil Chapman 3-0, but all three games could have gone either way.  To the obvious delight of daughter Ruth, Stephen Lewis defied the years and with the help of a small handicap took out an exhausted Paul Phillips 3-2 with many a deft boast shot – a great result for the Greens that one.

Now the more observant reader may notice the number of matches going the full distance; there’s no doubt that the handicap system, new to this year’s ITL, has delivered many more close calls.  On the flip side, the hapless organiser lost complete control of the timings; there were mutterings amongst the late starters, phone calls were made, promised lifts from railway stations were abandoned, dance parties were snubbed – how much domestic grief can one little squash evening cause?

One of the aggrieved, Matt Jones, leader of the Yellow pack, did not help his own cause by refusing to curl up and submit to the power play of Wayne Beglan, taking advantage of a sizeable handicap to go two games up.  But indomitable is Wayne’s middle name, and sure enough, he dragged back the tie for the Blues, winning in five games.  Two racketball ITL newbies Russell Barling and Martin Howe played out their match, with the latter winning in straight games, another tie secured for the Greens.  Ginger Pap took this new ITL lark in her stride, defeating her racketball opponent Sue Denman in straight games – Green is definitely the colour of the moment.  Jonathan Hart took another close match for the Blues, beating the retiring (hopefully temporarily!) Robert Essex in five games.  In yet another handicapped match, Blue’s Cliff Enslin defeated Tom Jenkins three games to one.  Paul McKay, released from the bar, took to the court again and won a tie for the Reds, beating Alison Newman 3-1. 

Squash doubles now appeared in the ITL for the very first time, with Blue’s father and daughter combo Wayne and Leah Beglan taking on Godfrey Jordan and Peter Knee, winning the tie 2-1.  Yellow’s Kevin Miret overcame a sizeable handicap penalty to defeat Ian Drummond 3-1.  Kevin Uphill, similarly ripped up and trod all over the handicap rulebook by defeating Andy Catford 3-1, another tie secured for the Greens.  The lesser spotted Ed Chapman nailed yet another Green victory by beating Maggie May in straight games.  Red’s Roy Taylor eventually drove Iain Briggs into submission with a very close win in five games.  Green’s Roger Crabb then defeated Alan Ellerbeck in a straight games racketball encounter.

In a couple of late evening racketball doubles matches, Mike Parsons found a couple of willing grade ‘A’ partners (Andy C, then Alison N), to inflict despair and misery on various combinations of Mike Pinggera Snr, Thomas Dalton, and Andy C (look, you had to be there!).  The ever patient Alan Taffinder made up time in overcoming a sizeable handicap, and Mike Pinggera Jnr, in straight games.  Come back to us Mike, I promise I will find you an opponent other than the Green Machine’s ultimate Machine next time out!  On the cold wastes of court D, Colin Waite garnered precious Red points in defeating John Miles in straight games, and the final knockings were left to the hapless organiser, Brandon Bratton sporting a natty Red number for the evening, to take out Callum Carmichael three games to two. 

Games over!  Bar and Curry time are well overdue, many thanks to Sarah, Clive and Lisa.

Well, what do we make of all that?  Strong performances from the Rhythm & Blues and The Green Machine on the night have closed the gap on Mellow Yellows, who hold onto top spot, just for now.  Rediculous 5 are struggling at the moment, but with four rounds of this season’s ITL still to go, there’s plenty of time for a miraculous comeback.  Could it happen in just three weeks’ time?  Yes, the famous, fabulous Christmas ITL sleighride is fast approaching – Friday 12^th December.  You heard those jingling bells here first.