26/04/09 at Bryanston: North Oxford drew with Old Edwardians 1-1

R.Pattison & G.Hoskins beat P.Scholey & C.Friend 3-0 (12-8,12-8,12-7)

C.Davies & I.Mitchell lost to M.Powell & P.Knowles 1-2 (8-12,14-11,8-12)

With competition from interested venues making the 2012 Olympic bidding look like a WI raffle, this year's North Oxford vs Old Edwardians friendly was awarded - after much deliberation - to Bryanston and two pairs from each side, including a smattering of eminent guests, made the trip down to Dorset and were rewarded with a splendid pub lunch, a chance to see the fabulous buildings and grounds of Bryanston School and tea and cakes courtesy of Chris Poole, Master in Charge of Fives at Bryanston. Oh and we played a game of Fives in the middle as well. With the history of this fixture littered with roofless courts, tarmac floors, on-court weeds and low-hanging lighting cables, the black walls, non-existent back bricks and oddly-angled buttress tops of Bryanston were no obstacle to veterans of North Oxford/Edwardian clashes. At first pair, Gareth Hoskins played some of his best Fives of the season, combining well with Ronald Pattison to dominate all three games against the Edwardian pair of Peter Scholey and Courtney Friend. At second pair, Chris Davies coped manfully as various bits fell off his ailing body, but he and Ian Mitchell eventually went down 1-2 in three close games to the local knowledge of Peter Knowles and the steady play of guest Edwardian Martin Powell. It is certainly fair to say that a fine time was had by all and that the long trip was undoubtedly worthwhile. Who knows where we'll be next year? Various suggestions were made at the post-match tea - Repton, Wrekin, Rydal, Aysgarth, St.Bee's, Zuoz, Darjeeling...the Fives world is indeed our lobster, as Del-Boy (an Old Etonian surely?) would have said.

18/04/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Old Stoics 3-0

G.Pulsford & G.Hoskins beat A.Theodossi & J.Hutter 3-1 (12-4,12-6,8-12,12-8)

P.Scholey & T.Bossom beat M.Skjott & J.Saunders 3-2 (5-12,12-7,12-3,11-13,12-7)

S.Chapman & C.Davies beat J.Ware & R.Malacrida 3-0 (12-3,12-3,12-4)

A triumphant day at Eton as North Oxford moved to within touching distance of the Division 2 title and a triumphant League and Cup double. With club founder and President Andy Bishop watching on, along with Barclay Lawrence and members of the Scholey and Pulsford families, the pressure was on the North Oxford team to deliver the win to take them back to the top of the table. Gareth Hoskins and Graham Pulsford were untroubled for two and a half games at first pair before a bit of a wobble and a comeback from the dangerous Stoic pair of Theodossi and Hutter caused a few nerves amongst both players and spectators - thankfully Graham and Gareth managed to cling on to take the fourth game 12-8 and win the crucial second point, Spencer Chapman and Chris Davies - showing real dedication to the cause and playing through the pain - having already polished off third pair in straight games. Two points was enough to take us level with the Old Millhillians at the top of the table and ahead of them due to our win in the head to head match earlier in the season, but Peter Scholey and Theo Bossom came through in five games at second pair to win the match 3-0 and take us to 25 points for the season (out of a possible 33), one ahead of Mill Hill. The only team able to overtake us now is Highgate School I, who have to play three matches before the end of April and win all three 3-0 to finish above us. With a very strong likelihood of them not being able to fulfil all their fixtures, we currently have one hand on the Division 2 trophy. Watch this space for further news and hopefully official confirmation in due course!

05/04/09 at Wolverhampton GS: North Oxford lost to Old Wulfrunians 1-3

G.Hoskins & C.Friend lost to A.Simmons & C.Austin 0-3 (4-12,6-12,2-12)

R.Malik & C.Mellor lost to M.Yates & M.Yates 0-3 (8-12,4-12,3-12)

S.Chapman & R.Pattison lost to S.Bickerton & G.Hammond 2-3 (8-12,12-8,12-6,3-12,4-12)

A.Bishop & H.Tobias beat A.Mitchell & C.Moore 3-0 (12-7,12-4,14-11)

North Oxford's first ever fixture North of Oxford resulted in a splendid morning's Fives on the courts at Wolverhampton Grammar School, a venue new to all the North Oxford contingent except for Courtney Friend, and even he had never previously played in the current courts, which were built a couple of years before the courts at Summer Fields arrived in the mid 90s. Some serious recruiting from captains Mark Yates and Gareth Hoskins produced a four pair contest and the result was some terrific Fives and some close matches. At first pair, Courtney Friend and Gareth Hoskins produced occasional moments of quality but were worn down by the virtually error-free Fives of Simmons and Austin and went down fairly tamely in three straight games. Edwardian duo Rez Malik (making his North Oxford debut) and Chris Mellor got off to a strong start against 2007 Midland Tournament champions Mark Yates and Mark Yates but an 8-6 lead quickly turned into a 12-8 first game defeat and thereafter their match went the same way as first pair. Fourth pair was also over in three games, but this time it was the North Oxford pair of Club President Andy Bishop and Hugo Tobias who proved to be the stronger pair and despite a slight wobble towards the end of the third game they managed to chalk up North Oxford's first victory of the day. At this point, all eyes turned to the third court to see if the North Oxford pairing of Spencer Chapman and Ronald Pattison - finally playing a match for North Oxford having appeared against us in the colours of at least threee different clubs - could tie the overall match score up at 2-2. At the end of the third game, with Spencer and Ronald 2-1 up and dominating the set-piece, things looked promising but the Wulfrunian pair of Greg Hammond and Stuart Bickerton showed great tenacity and staying power to turn the tide and finish off the last two games. A fine morning's Fives was followed by a fine lunch in a local pub and hopefully the start of an annual North Oxford trip to the Black Country.

29/03/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Old Olavians III 2-1

G.Hoskins & G.Pulsford lost to S.Ranasinghe & S.Fautly 2-3 (15-12,7-12,12-9,3-12,7-12)

P.Scholey & C.Friend beat R.Harpham & C.Wilson 3-0 (12-7,12-1,12-3)

Old Olavians conceded third pair

The Division 2 title race continues to go right down to the wire as North Oxford achieved a creditable 2-1 win against the Old Olavians at Eton yesterday. However, the narrow defeat at first pair opens the door slightly for the Old Millhillians, who are on 20 points with two matches remaining compared to our 22 points with one match left. If we end up level, we take the title having beaten the Millhillians 2-1 at Aldenham earlier in the season. Disappointingly, the Olavians conceded third pair, denying Spencer Chapman and Theo Bossom the opportunity to win their point for the cause on court rather than sat at home. Second pair proved to be a comfortable win for the team's Edwardian engine room of Peter Scholey and Courtney Friend, leaving Gareth Hoskins and Graham Pulsford to battle it out for the vital third point against a strong Olavian first pair. The initial signs were good, with Gareth and Graham taking the first game 15-12. A poor start (0-8 down almost straight away) meant that the second game went the way of the opposition, but a strong comeback in the third put the North Oxford pair 2-1 ahead. At this point in the match, however, the momentum shifted irreversibly, as the younger Olavian pair began to step up the pace and dominate the match. Gareth and Graham fought hard but were unable to get their noses back in front and finally went down 12-7 in the fifth. We now have one match to go in the league - against the Old Stoics at Eton on April 18th - and the nail-biting goes on for a while yet as we look to add the league title to our cup success.

Gareth Hoskins and Graham Pulsford playing at first pair against the Old Olavians at Eton

17/03/09 at Westminster: North Oxford lost to Old Westminsters 1-2

J.Shaw & T.Fletcher beat H.de Quetteville & E.Levy 3-1 (9-12,12-7,12-6,12-7)

E.Thompson & J.Hepburn lost to P.Dickinson & M.Chen 2-3 (5-12,12-7,7-12,12-7,12-13)

A.Fort & A.Millership lost to J.Sanderson & S.Sakrani 0-3

Our third match this season against the Westminsters - this time on their home courts - produced our first defeat after wins in both the League and EFA Trophy. Being a friendly fixture, however, the main focus was on producing a well-balanced match and this was certainly achieved. Captain for the day Justin Shaw, teaming up at first pair with guest player Tom Fletcher, cut "like a dream" (in his own words!) and they ran out 3-1 winners over good opposition, with Justin no doubt inspired by his son's run to the final of the Under 15 competition in the National Schools' Championships. Second pair saw the welcome return to North Oxford ranks of Ewan Thompson, unavailable in the League this year due to Berkhamstedian commitments, and his match at second pair with guest player Jamie Hepburn from Windsor & Eton turned into a five set humdinger with the lead see-sawing back and forth and only ending with a 13-12 victory to the home side in the fifth game. At third pair it was good to see our newest Monday night Summer Fields recruit Adrian Fort making his North Oxford debut - the first appearance of many we hope! Unfortunately he and Alejandro Millership came up against a Westminster pair who proved to be too strong on the night and lost in straight games.

15/03/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Windsor & Eton 2-1

S.Chapman & J.Staley lost to N.Bunyan & R.Wilson 1-3 (3-12,9-12,14-13,5-12)

N.Cox & J.Hindle beat P.Wilson & I.Mitchell 3-0 (12-3,13-11,12-8)

G.Hoskins & A.Millership beat D.Cooper & G.Underwood 3-0 (12-3,12-5,12-5)

In glorious spring sunshine at Eton and with a full set of courts courtesy of the Senior Girls section of the National Schools' Championships, the Fives players of North Oxford and Windsor & Eton paraded their skills in front of an appreciative crowd (well Jeremy's dad watched for a while). At first pair the club sponsor, returning from injury, teamed up with Jon Staley to take on Nick Bunyan and Robert Wilson. Despite going 0-2 down, the tide seemed to be turning North Oxford's way after a 14-13 third game win. However, a succession of unforced errors at the start of the fourth gave the Windsor & Eton pair the flying start they needed to go on and clinch the match 3-1. Second pair saw Nigel Cox and Jeremy Hindle back in tandem and as usual they combined well and won in three closely-fought games. At third pair, Gareth Hoskins allowed himself to be carried through to a comfortable victory thanks to a fine performance by the rapidly improving Alejandro Millership, who dominated the match with his aggressive cutting and attacking volleying. An enjoyable morning's Fives was followed by lunch at the Waterman's Arms and an afternoon admiring the play in the semi-finals of the Kinniard Cup, which at times almost touched the heights of the morning's match.

11/03/09 at Westminster: North Oxford lost to Old Etonians 1-2

G.Pulsford & S.Purkis lost W.Sorrell & A.Knight 0-3 (8-12,10-12,8-12)

J.Shaw & N.Cox lost to M.Powell & F.Wickes 0-3 (6-12,8-12,6-12)

Old Etonians conceded 3rd pair

The Old Etonians club can be unpredictable at the best of times currently and that was certainly the case last night at Westminster. The Etonians conceded third pair at the last moment, gifting us a point and leaving Spencer Chapman and Andy Erskine at home twiddling their thumbs. However, they were boosted on court by a rare appearance from star player Will Sorrell, warming up for his Kinnaird Cup semi-final at the weekend. Graham Pulsford and Simon Purkis fought well at first pair and pushed them hard, but Will's class was ultimately too much. At second pair, Justin Shaw suffered a rare defeat on his home Westminster courts as he and Nigel Cox were unable to overcome the experienced duo of Martin Powell and Foreman Wickes. A setback to our title hopes then, but not necessarily a fatal one. With two games to go for both teams, we are level on points with the Old Millhillians with Highgate 1 lurking close behind. The biggest advantage we have - apart from two home matches to finish - is that we have already beaten both of those sides this season and would therefore finish above them if we ended up level on points. "Squeaky bum time" as I believe Sir Alex Ferguson once described this stage of the season!

22/02/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Old Salopians 2-1

G.Pulsford & N.Shaw beat G.Williams & C.Hughes 3-2 (8-12,12-0,9-12,12-4,12-9)

S.Chapman & C.Davies lost to M.Quinn & T.Welti 0-3 (7-12,1-12,5-12)

J.Shaw & T.Bossom beat J.Pollock & R.Pattison 3-0 (12-4,12-10,12-7)

Five years of frustration and near misses were finally forgotten at Eton on Sunday afternoon as North Oxford claimed the first silverware in their short history, winning the final of the EFA Trophy 2-1 against the Old Salopians in a nail-biting finish. A tactical masterstroke instigated by Chris Davies saw Theo Bossom move down to third pair to partner Justin Shaw whilst Spencer Chapman partnered Chris at second pair. With Theo in impressive form, this allowed us to win a tricky and feisty third pair contest in straight games, Theo's cutting and dominant volleying and Justin's steady support and fine back-court play produced a 3-0 win against potentially very awkward opposition, with Justin having trouble keeping his feet on the ground both during the match and afterwards when celebrating the win! Chris and Spencer struggled manfully at second pair and the contest was actually much closer than the scoreline might suggest, but the Salopians proved too strong and levelled the match at one apiece. All eyes then turned to the decisive and see-sawing first pair battle, which provided tension, excitement and high-quality Fives in equal measure. The Salopian pair of Grant Williams and Chris Hughes made a fine start, taking the first game 12-8, before the North Oxford duo of Nick Shaw and Graham Pulsford stormed back to win the second 12-0 with some outstanding cut returning and volleying. With the match threatening to run away from them, the Salopians then showed great fight to claw their way back in the third game, eventually winning it 12-9 to move to within one game of clinching a seventh EFA Trophy title for their team. The momentum now swung back to the North Oxford pair, however, as they replicated their form of the second game to win 12-4 and level the match at 2-2. In front of a vociferous and enthralled group of spectators, all four players produced some fantastic Fives in the final game; Grant and Chris had their noses in front from the start and at 9-5 up it seemed like they had done enough. Instead, in the final twist of a classic encounter, Nick and Graham refound their cut returning rhythm at the crucial time and raced through to clinch the game 12-9, the rubber 3-2 and the match 2-1 to bring the EFA Trophy back to Summer Fields for the first time. Amidst emotional scenes at the conclusion of the match, the club sponsor's rib injury was made rather worse by an over enthusiastic hug from the club captain; Spencer managed to rally in time to receive the trophy from Mark Williams before the team plus the supporting Shaw family repaired to the nearest available pub in Eton and cracked open the champagne. A great day in the history of North Oxford Fives - all we need to do now is to stay at the top of Division 2 and clinch an historic double!

22/02/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Old Westminsters 3-0

G.Pulsford & N.Shaw beat G.Coren & F.Krespi 3-0 (12-4,12-0,12-2

C.Davies & T.Bossom beat M.Chen & J.MacDonald 3-0 (12-6,12-8,12-6)

S.Chapman & J.Shaw beat S.Sakrani & N.Tandy 3-0 (14-11,12-5,12-8)

Whilst the Old Salopians and Old Wulfrunians were battling it out in tough semi-final in the other half of the draw, North Oxford had a comfortable time in their EFA Trophy semi-final, cruising through against the Old Westminsters without dropping a game. The Wesminsters were without some of the key players who had won them their group a few weeks previously and they were no match for the strong North Oxford line-up, despite Chris Davies and Sepncer Chapman both struggling with injury. At first pair, Graham Pulsford and Nick Shaw were able to use their match as perfect warm-up for the final without having to take too much out of themselves. Theo Bossom at second pair more than justified his late call up after a ruptured achilles playing badminton had put paid to Chris Lloyd's chances of playing, and showed that his strong recent form was no fluke, dominating the step and allowing Chris to nurse his injured elbow through their 3-0 win. After a tricky first game, Spencer and Justin also came through to win in three.

15/02/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Cambridge University 5-3

J.Reynolds & S.Chapman beat W.Illingworth & L.Brock 3-1 (8-12,12-7, 2-0 ret)

C.Davies & T.Bossom beat C.Lewis & O.Watts 3-0 (12-5,14-11,12-9)

G.Hoskins & H.Meakin beat A.Jackson & D.Elliot 3-1 (9-12,12-7,12-9,12-5)

N.Cox & J.Staley beat E.Winfield & K.Loke 3-2 (13-14,7-12,12-9,12-5,12-7)

J.Knight & M.Millership lost to Y.Mustafa & J.Westrip 0-3 (11-12,6-12,5-12)

I.Mitchell & B.Lawrence beat R.Morgan & F.Lyon 3-0 (12-7,14-11,12-6)

H.Cutmore-Scott & L.Pugh lost to A.Griffiths & K.Hird 0-2 (4-12,4-12)

F.Sarantis & S.Chowienczyk lost to E.Thompsell & L.Bishop 0-2 (8-12,3-12)

A fantastic morning's Fives at Eton on Sunday saw a record eight pair friendly between North Oxford and Cambridge University, including two ladies pairs. The absence of Cambridge's top pair in the men's match gave North Oxford the edge and led to a near clean sweep in the top six games. North Oxford's first pair, boasting eleven Kinnaird titles between them (if you would like to know how many that is for each of them, ask Spencer Chapman), got off to a shaky start conceding the first game to the Old Westminster pairing of captain Will Illingworth and freshman Laurie Brock but were beginning to assert their authority when an unfortunate Cambridge injury halted proceedings. A strong-looking second pair of Chris Davies and Theo Bossom won through for North Oxford in straight games whilst at third pair, Gareth Hoskins teamed up with Old Summerfieldian and North Oxford debutant Hugo Meakin. Despite losing the first game, they came through strongly to win in four, as Hugo adapted to the pace of the adult game, began to return cut successfully and finally dominated the fourth game on his own with some splendid volleying. As I write this report on Monday morning, there is still some speculation that the fourth pair match may in fact still be in progress as they were into the fourth game and fourth hour of the match with everyone else happily ensconced in the pub. Nigel Cox assures me, however, that he and Jon Staley eventually came back from 0-2 down to claim an epic five-game victory in a shade under four hours! Fifth pair also proved to be a close contest, featuring Joss Knight and the welcome return of Michael Millership after his hip operation. The first game proved crucial here with the Cambridge pair just edging it 12-11 and going on to win in three. Another return from long-term injury at sixth pair saw Barclay Lawrence making his long-awaited North Oxford debut, and with partner Ian Mitchell proving to be the dominant force on court, they recorded another North Oxford victory in straight games. It was an absolute pleasure to see two ladies pairs also battling it out. Hannah Cutmore-Scott of Oxford University (one half of last year's winning pair in the Schools' Championships) partnered Lucy Pugh, a highly talented and promising young player from Emanuel School, and although they came off second best against the Cambridge first pair, they recorded a fine subsequent victory over the Cambridge second pair. The Cambridge second string had previously beaten an improving St.Olave's girls pair, who were representing North Oxford and for whom the experience can only have been beneficial. All in all it was fantastic to see so many players on court at Eton and testament to the current strength of both clubs.

04/02/09 at Iffley Road: North Oxford lost to Oxford University 0-2

H.Tobias & T.Bossom lost to W.Betts & R.Worth 0-3 (7-12,9-12,3-12)

S.Chapman & J.Shaw lost to P.Stewart & T.Greene 0-3 (5-12,8-12,7-12)

A strong Oxford line-up proved too good for North Oxford in the local derby at Iffley Road last night. At first pair, Theo Bossom and Hugo Tobias played well and put up some stern resistance for the first two games against Will Betts (Lancing OB) and Rex Worth (Salopian and former Schools' Championships winner), but the latter pair's powerful cutting was always a bit too much and the University pair came through to win in three games. At second pair, Spencer Chapman and Justin Shaw got off to a shocking start in the first game, finding themselves 0-11 down against freshmen Peter Stewart (Salopian) and Tom Greene (Cholmeleian) before beginning to find their feet. The student pair, though, were now full of confidence and despite opportunities at 8-8 in the second and 5-1 in the third, Spencer and Justin found themselves frustrated with their performance and also on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline. On the plus side it is good to see the University side looking strong and hopefully providing us with some new recruits for the future!

01/02/09 at Eton: North Oxford beat Old Westminsters 2 3-0

G.Pulsford & T.Bossom beat J.McDonald & H.de Quetteville 3-0 (15-12,12-3,12-7)

S.Chapman & C.Davies beat E.Levy & N.Margerison 3-0 (12-6,12-8,12-8)

Old Westminsters conceded 3rd pair

Sunday saw a return to fortress Eton for the first time in the League this season and a resounding 3-0 victory against the struggling Westminsters second team. With a point in the bag before a ball had been struck in anger after the disappointing concession of a pair by the Westminsters - depriving us of the opportunity to unleash the dream team of Nick Shaw and Pierre Leveque on their unsuspecting third pair - Spencer Chapman and Chris Davies cruised through their second pair match in second gear, largely untroubled whilst winning in straight games. First pair saw a most welcome first league appearance of the season from Theo Bossom, who made the journey up from Bristol University to do his bit for North Oxford. Theo, along with Graham Pulsford, had to dig in during a tight first game against useful opposition who were making more mistakes in the rallies but winning the cutting and returning battle. Having clinched the first game 15-12, Theo and Graham then got on top, with Graham accepting his "midget" status as the only player on court under 6'4". They began returning better, forcing more and more mistakes from the opposition and dominated the play in the second and third games to win 3-0. We now have three matches left to complete our league campaign and have a real chance of winning the Division 2 title this season.

25/01/09 at Eton: EFA Trophy Qualifying Round

North Oxford A came second in their pool with 11 points out of 15 - North Oxford A, Old Wulfrunians, Old Etonians, Berkhamsted, Old Citizens, Cambridge University B

North Oxford B came fifth in their pool with 5 points out of 15 - Old Salopians, Old Westminsters, North Oxford B, Westway, Cambridge University A, Windsor & Eton

North Oxford A - Nick Shaw, Will Betts, Martin Fiennes, Chris Lloyd, Spencer Chapman, Justin Shaw

North Oxford B - Andy Bishop, Hugo Tobias, Jon Staley, Nigel Cox, Alejandro Millership, Jeremy Hindle, Pierre Leveque

A very successful day of qualifying in the EFA Trophy ended with the A team reaching the semi-finals for the fifth time in six years. With Graham Pulsford and Chris Davies unavailable, OUEFC captain Will Betts stepped in to make his long awaited North Oxford debut and Martin Fiennes made a rare and most welcome competitive appearance. Despite having to settle for second place to a strong Wulfrunian side, a winnable semi-final against the Old Westminsters beckons.

The B team, captained by Andy Bishop more than held their own in a highly competitive group and finished with a highly creditable 5 points won from a possible 15. The day is surely coming when two North Oxford teams qualify for the semi-finals!

17/01/09 at Westway: North Oxford beat Old Citizens 2-0

S.Chapman & N.Cox beat N.Gill & R.Heindorff 2-1 (6-12,13-12,12-6)

I.Mitchell & A.Millership beat D.Cooper & A.Nice 3-0 (12-8,12-6,12-4)

After the morning disappointment at Highgate, North Oxford returned to winning ways in the afternoon, with a 2-0 victory in a new friendly fixture against the Old Citizens. Spencer and Nigel at first pair finally found some form after losing the first game 12-6 and by the end of a long two hour, three game match were the dominant pair, returning plenty of cuts and forcing errors from the opposition. Ian and Alejandro at second pair continued the game by game improvement they had shown in the morning and won an impressive straight games victory, setting up all concerned nicely for next weekend's EFA Trophy.

17/01/09 at Highgate: North Oxford lost to Highgate School 2 1-2

G.Hoskins & N.Shaw beat C.Most & G.Sulkin 3-0 (12-0,12-1,12-0)

S.Chapman & N.Cox lost to T.Whitehead & M.Karamani 1-3 (4-12,12-13,12-9,9-12)

I.Mitchell & A.Millership lost to A.Buchanan & A.Coleman-Bennett 0-3 (1-12,4-12,9-12)

A first league defeat of the season came North Oxford's way at Highgate School on Saturday. Yet the story could have been so different with last minute withdrawals and (with hindsight) incorrect pair selection costing us one and maybe even two points. Nick Shaw and Gareth Hoskins partnered each other at first pair and raced to a ridiculously one-sided victory in less than 45 minutes, conceding only one point. Unfortunately this left second and third pair a little exposed, with Nigel Cox and Spencer Chapman slightly below par at second pair. Despite a missed game ball opportunity to level at 1-1, a win in the third game looked as though it may have turned the tide Spencer and Nigel's way but the schoolboys held on to win in four games. At third pair, Alejandro Millership made his league debut, saving us a penalty point by heroically filling in at the last minute. At first he and Ian Mitchell struggled to get into the match and lost the first two games to 1 and 4. They began to find some form in the third game, however, and at 9-7 seemed to be fighting back, only to be pegged back and defeated 12-9. Despite the defeat we have added another point to our impressive points tally and retain a strong lead at the top of Division 2.

30/11/08 at Highgate: North Oxford beat Highgate School I 2-1

G.Hoskins & N.Shaw lost to S.Little & C.Ryan 1-3 (11-13,9-12,12-9,8-12)

C.Davies & C.Lloyd beat J.Meyrick & J.Marks 3-0 (12-6,12-3,12-7)

S.Chapman & P.Scholey beat O.Rowlands & A.Bhattacharya 3-0 (12-0,12-6,12-4)

An excellent away win at the home of last season's Division 2 runners-up saw North Oxford extend their winning streak to 6 matches out of 6 and 15 points out of a possible 18 - a tremendous first half of the season. After an imposing arrival in the team minibus (aka the Scholeymobile) with everyone resplendent in team shirts and with team kit bags, the squad's strength in depth was quickly illustrated at second and third pair. Even the late withdrawal of Graham Pulsford due to illness failed to unsettle the line-up, with Chris Lloyd stepping up from the bench to reunite North Oxford's traditional banker pairing of the two Chrises and as ever they didn't disappoint, winning in straight games at second pair. Meanwhile the team bus driver and team sponsor combined at third pair to teach another pair of schoolboys some Fives lessons, also dispatching their opposition in straight games. A different story was, as expected, unfolding at first pair where Highgate were able to field the outstanding Sam Little, one half of last year's Schools' Championships winning pair and one of the best schoolboy players to appear on the circuit in a long time. Nick Shaw and Gareth Hoskins battled hard throughout, winning the third game in impressive style after narrowly losing the first two. The fourth was evenly poised at 9-8, with Gareth and Nick on a run of points, when Nick's four matches and Gareth's three for the Harrovians in Division 1 in the previous eight days began to take their toll and a couple of tired mistakes from Gareth allowed the Highgate pair to clinch the match 3-1. Despite the disappointment of not being able to clinch a 3-0 whitewash, the two points were already safely in the bag and the North Oxford lead at the top of Division 2 further extended. The race for the title will resume after Christmas!

Nick Shaw and Gareth Hoskins at first pair against the Highgate schoolboys and the Club Sponsor makes his mark!

30/11/08 at Highgate: North Oxford B drew with Highgate Sch Ladies 1-1

A.Griffiths & E.Thompsell lost to C.Mantle & J.Varma (7-12,14-15)

T.Scholey & G.Scholey beat H.Rapley & F.Howell 2-1 (6-12,12-6,12-11)

Whilst the First team were claiming a 2-1 victory against the Highgate School boys team, North Oxford B had a rare and very pleasing outing, taking on the Highgate School girls in a two pair match. Cambridge University pair Annabel Griffiths and Emmalina Thompsell both made the effort to travel down from Cambridge to make their North Oxford debuts and had a closely fought contest with the Highgate girls first pair, acquitting themselves extremely well despite eventually going down to a 7-12, 14-15 defeat. The North Oxford youth policy was in evidence at second pair, which saw the first match appearances of Tim and George Scholey, who took on the School U14 girls first pair. The Highgate girls greater match experience saw them take the first game 12-6, but Tim and George dug in, improved their play and took the second game by the same scoreline. The deciding game was close all the way before the Scholeys finally managed to mark their North Oxford debuts with a win, claiming it 12-11 in a nailbiting finish. The first win of many for Tim and George we hope!

19/11/08 at Westminster: North Oxford beat Old Ipswichians 3-0

G.Hoskins & G.Pulsford beat M.Graves & T.Fletcher 3-1 (9-12,12-2,12-9,12-4)

P.Scholey & S.Purkis beat P.Forrest & D.Leach 3-0 (12-2,12-5,12-5)

S.Chapman & J.Shaw beat S.Woolfries & R.Wood 3-0 (12-9,12-6,12-3)

The unbeaten run at the start of the season continued last night at Westminster as the mighty North Oxford made it five league wins out of five with a resounding 3-0 victory over a strong Old Ipswichian team. Gareth Hoskins - against his old club - and Graham Pulsford at first pair got off to a slightly slow start, struggling to return the excellent cutting of Tom Fletcher and Mark Graves and conceding the first game. Things turned round in the second, however, and once the third game had been clinched from 2-8 down, the final outcome was never in doubt. At second pair the Edwardian duo of Peter Scholey, powered by his pre-match custard tarts, and Simon Purkis followed on from their weekend Barber Cup success and taught some Fives lessons to their youthful Ipswichian opposition, whilst at third the ever dependable club sponsors dominated their match more and more as the games went on, with Justin in particular enjoying being back on home turf at Westminster. So the points tally is now 13 out of a possible 15, our lead at the top of the table has been increased and the North Oxford Division 2 juggernaut moves on to Highgate in 10 days time for the not to be missed clashed of two of the Division's heavy hitters.

02/11/08 at Aldenham: North Oxford beat Old Millhillians 2-1

C.Friend & G.Pulsford lost to V.Bhimjiyani & O.Sander 2-3 (3-12,9-12,12-9,12-6,9-12)

G.Hoskins & J.Shaw beat C.Vincent & J.Hutcheson 3-0 (12-1,12-0,12-5)

C.Mellor & A.Fraser beat P.Mason & N.Krendel 3-0 (12-1,12-6,12-7)

Four wins out of four now in the league and ten points out of a possible twelve - heady stuff! The 2-1 win against the Millhillians on Sunday was achieved despite the absence of a whole raft of players, otherwise engaged in various activities in locations ranging from Repton to Australia to Italy to the Cotswold Wildlife Park. Nevertheless, a team was mustered to negotiate another tricky set of wet courts (the second time in four league matches this season) and the win was duly recorded. Second and third pairs were both won comfortably - Gareth Hoskins and Justin Shaw racing through their match as the opposition struggled to come to terms with the conditions. At third pair, Aldenham bursar Andrew Fraser made an impressive debut alongside Chris Mellor, making his first appearance for North Oxford in 18 months and keeping the Edwardian quotient high, and they also cruised through in three games. At first pair the old firm of Graham Pulsford and Courtney Friend started slowly against strong opponents and at two games down and 2-7 in the third it looked all over. However, the lure of a potential comeback was stronger even than the lure of the pub for Courtney (I never thought I'd find myself writing that sentence) and the match switched round with the North Oxford pair taking control and levelling at 2-2. The fifth game was close all the way through, with the Millhillian pair always a point or two ahead and they managed to hold on to that lead to close out the match 12-9 at which point the lure of the pub really did take over and the victorious NOEFC team were able to reflect on their continued status as Division 2 pacesetters.

21/09/08 at Summer Fields: North Oxford beat Lancing Old Boys 2-0

S.Chapman & J.Shaw beat W.Betts & R.Black 3-1 (12-7,8-12,12-6 ret)

C.Friend & I.Mitchell beat H.Tobias & J.Staley 3-0 (12-7,12-4,14-12)

Some splendid Fives was played at Summer Fields on Sunday as North Oxford, back on home turf in Oxford for the first time since the first match of the season, dispatched the Lancing Old Boys 2-0 in a friendly. At first pair the old firm of Spencer and Justin were back in tandem for their first joint outing of the season. Whilst not at their absolute best, they produced some fine Fives to see off familiar and good quality opposition in Will Betts and Richard Black, with Richard succumbing to injury after Justin and Spencer had finally begun to gain the upper hand after over two hours of play. At second pair, Courtney Friend took a bit of time to get used to his new home courts, but alongside Ian Mitchell, nicely warmed up after a morning spent playing in the Ladder at Eton, they were good enough to see off ex-Oxford player Hugo Tobias and fellow Old Wellingtonian (rare beasts on a Fives court and therefore a welcome sight!) in straight games, all watched by an appreciative crowd of Hoskins snr and jnr.

19/10/08 at Eton: North Oxford lost to Old Etonians 0-1

G.Hoskins & A.Bishop lost to S.Cooley & A.Knight 0-3 (4-12,8-12,5-12)

Technically speaking, this should really count as a victory - whilst some of North Oxford's finest sat at home twiddling their thumbs, the Old Etonians were disappointingly and fairly pathetically unable to raise more than one pair for this three pair friendly at Eton. Not only that but their one pair contained Old Olavian star and new Fives coach at Eton Seb Cooley, and despite their best efforts and one of the best foot down cuts you've ever seen from the Club President, Gareth Hoskins and Andy Bishop were unable to carry out any on court giantkilling.

11/10/08 at Orpington: North Oxford beat St.Olave's School 3-0

G.Hoskins & G.Pulsford beat B.Michaels & S.Eglund-Newby 3-0 (12-5,12-3,12-0)

N.Cox & S.Purkis beat J.Elansei & S.Kirtikar 3-1 (12-8,13-15,12-8,12-4)

I.Mitchell & J.Hindle beat D.Hewlett & S.Ridgeway 3-1 (13-14,12-4,12-7,15-13)

North Oxford's flying start to the season continued on Saturday with a convincing 3-0 away win at Orpington against St.Olave's School. The first pair match didn't last very long with Gareth Hoskins and Graham Pulsford cruising to a comfortable straight games win against a school pair including the younger brother of OUEFC secretary and occasional North Oxford player Chris Michaels. Second pair featured Nigel Cox playing his first North Oxford match of the season alongside debutant Simon Purkis, who kept the Edwardian quotient up in the absence this week of Messrs Friend and Scholey. This new pairing combined well, with Simon's fitness - a week after completing the Great North Run - and quality dovetailing well with Nigel, back from a summer honing his skills in Provence and displaying all the élan, joie de vivre and je ne sais quoi you would expect as a result. At third pair, Jeremy Hindle and Ian Mitchell got off to a slow start and found themselves 11-2 down in the first game. Things quickly turned round, however, and 11-2 became 11-11 as Ian and Jeremy began to find some form. Despite the loss of that first game, momentum had swung the way of the North Oxford pair and they went on to win the next three games to complete North Oxford's first ever 3-0 away win in Division 2.

05/10/08 at Charterhouse: North Oxford beat Old Carthusians 2-1

G.Hoskins & C.Friend beat A.Burrows & N.Bourne 3-0 (12-6,12-7,12-7)

S.Chapman & P.Scholey beat R.Pattison & M.Platt 3-0 (12-10,12-1,12-5)

N.Shaw & P.Leveque lost to N.Higgins & I.Clarke 1-3 (11-14,2-12,12-4,13-14)

A first away fixture of the season and a first away victory, avenging last year's disappointing 3-0 reverse at the hands of the Old Carthusians at Charterhouse. On arrival, rainfall and floods of biblical proportions prompted fears that the match could end up being played on slippery-floored courts; careful court selection, sweeping and the sacrifice of a couple of Carthusian towels meant that although conditions were difficult they were thankfully nowhere near unplayable. At first pair, Courtney Friend - resplendent in Charterhouse school kit helpfully left lying around in the changing rooms - and Gareth Hoskins adapted better than their opponents to the wet courts, with Gareth in particular making (for him) an unusually small number of unforced errors. All three games were close for a time before the North Oxford combination closed out each one with clinical efficiency. At second pair Peter Scholey picked up where Chris Davies had left off the previous week, carrying the club sponsor through to a straight games win that was comfortable once Spencer realised that cutting the ball straight out of court was not proving to be the tactical masterstroke he had clearly thought it might be. The real excitement of the afternoon was saved for the third pair match with Pierre Leveque making his competetive Fives debut against a Carthusian pair who were significantly stronger than anticipated. After narrowly losing the first game 14-11 and slipping to a 12-2 reverse in the second, it seemed that Pierre and partner Nick Shaw were going to go down in three. However, with Nick beginning to show his class and dominate around the buttress and Pierre growing in confidence and adapting well to the pace of the game, they roared back to take the third game 12-4. The fourth game - by now with all the other players plus additional spectators and assorted offspring and canines watching - was a classic with the lead changing hands several times. North Oxford came back from 10-7 and 11-9 down, saving match points in the process, then had a couple of attempts at game point themselves at 13-12, before the Carthusian pair of Higgins and Clarke finally managed to sneak through 14-13. This was a most encouraging debut for Pierre and we're anticipating plenty of future victories for him in North Oxford colours.

28/09/08 at Aldenham: North Oxford beat Berkhamsted 3-0

G.Hoskins & G.Pulsford beat D.Foster & A.Joyce 3-2 (9-12,8-12,12-3,12-7,12-3)

C.Friend & P.Scholey beat G.Whitehead & J.Steadman 3-0 (12-4,12-9,12-4)

C.Davies & S.Chapman beat R.Ariyapala & J.Winterburn 3-0 (12-0,12-0,12-1)

The Division 2 league campaign began on Sunday in fine style. Our first "home" fixture at Aldenham produced a 3-0 whitewash for NOEFC, gaining a small measure of revenge for our defeat in the EFA Trophy semi-final last year at the hands of Berkhamsted. The opposition this time were unable to match our great strength in depth. At third pair, the maestro Chris Davies (having turned down the opportunity to have a proper match at first pair) failed even to break sweat, despite being paired with the club sponsor; Chris and Spencer did blot their copybook, however, by conceding a point in the third game. At second pair the long awaited Courtney Friend North Oxford debut / Fives comeback saw the all Edwardian partnership of Friend and Scholey rolling back the years to ease to a comfortable straight games win, fortified by their pre-match warm up in the Round Bush. First pair saw Berkhamsted producing much more formidable opposition and Gareth Hoskins and Graham Pulsford found themselves 2-0 down whilst the rest of the team were already celebrating victory. Not wanting to miss out, Gareth and Graham raised their game and began imposing themselves on Foster and Joyce, forcing a succession of errors. The third game was won easily and despite a brief flurry in the fourth where the Berkhamsted pair recovered from 9-0 down to 9-7, the final result was never in doubt and the fifth game was won at a canter, clinching the three points in style. A good start to the season then, and with away trips to Charterhouse and Orpington to come over the next two weekends, a chance to establish ourselves as one of the teams to beat in Division 2 this year.

21/09/08 at Summer Fields: North Oxford drew with Old Wulfrunians 1-1

N.Shaw & C.Lloyd beat M.Yates & G.Hammond 3-0 (12-9,12-8,12-6)

G.Hoskins & A.Bishop lost to S.Bickerton & M.Stacey 1-3 (12-9,9-12,9-12,9-12)

North Oxford's 2008/09 campaign began on Sunday at Summer Fields with a high quality early-season fixture against the Old Wulfrunians. Despite the opposition attempting to nullify our home advantage by recreating a Ryder Cup style atmosphere with numerous WAGS and toddlers, both NOEFC pairs got off to a fine start, winning their first games. At first pair, Nick Shaw performed to his usual high standard and Chris Lloyd continued to demonstrate that he is now back and better than ever after an injury ravaged couple of seasons; they were able to maintain their early dominance and go on to win in straight games against strong opposition that included one half of last year's Midland Tournament winning pair. The second pair turned into an even and exciting contest with all four games going to the wire. However, after their strong start, Gareth Hoskins and Andy Bishop were unable to convert promising positions into victory and went down to a narrow 3-1 defeat against another very solid Wulfrunian pair. All in all an excellent start to the year and hopefully a regular season opener from now on!