Gareth Hoskins reports:
This year's EFA Trophy saw a pleasing entry of ten teams and produced the highest overall standard of Fives I have seen in this competition in recent years. Particularly noteworthy was the return to the competitive Fives circuit of the Old Wulfrunians, inspired by the enthusiasm of Mark Yates, whose team list read like a Who's Who of Schoolboy Fives from the 80s and 90s.
The group stages, despite good showings from the Old Etonians and Cambridge University, produced four clear semi-finalists. North Oxford A won Group A from the Old Salopians and the Wulfrunians rolled back the years to come top of Group B ahead of a young Berkhamsted team containing a mixture of staff, old boys and schoolboys.
In the first semi-final, the Wulfrunians continued their fine form to beat the Salopians 3-0, whilst in the other half of the draw Berkhamsted, strengthened by the addition of a couple of Oxford University players, had too much youth and energy for North Oxford and also won through 3-0.
The final provided terrific entertainment and even managed to attract a larger crowd than the neighbouring Barber Cup final. At first pair Herring and Rose for Berkhamsted showed the benefits of a season playing regular Division 1 Fives together as they held off the formidable challenge of Midland Tournament winners Yates and Yates, winning 3-0 with all three games going to the wire. At second pair, Simmons and Jones of the Wulfrunians showed that they hadn't lost the ability that saw them both win the Schools' Open Championship in the early 90s, winning a close first game then cruising comfortably through the next two. The stars of the day, however, were undoubtedly the Berkhamsted third pair of Joyce and O'Neill, both still at school, who played with a confidence, steadiness and skill that belied their relative lack of experience. Having won a hard-fought semi-final in the morning they raised their game still further in the afternoon, beating Austin and Hammond 3-1 to ensure a first EFA Trophy success for Berkhamsted.
Qualifying Round (27th January)
Group A
North Oxford A 20
Old Salopians 16
Old Etonians 14
St.Olave's School 7
Windsor & Eton 3
Group B
Old Wulfrunians 20
Berkhamsted 16
Cambridge University 12
Westway 8
North Oxford B 4
Finals (17th February)
Semi-finals
Berkhamsted beat North Oxford 3-0
M Herring & E Rose beat P Scholey & M Fairbanks-Smith 15-12, 12-6, 12-2
P Kennedy & A Erskine beat C Lloyd & G Pulsford 12-6, 6-12, 12-7, 14-12
J O'Neill & A Joyce beat S Chapman & J Byam Shaw 15-14, 12-6, 12-7
Old Wulfrunians beat Old Salopians 3-0
M Yates & M Yates beat M Hughes & M Quinn 12-4, 7-12, 12-7, 12-7
A Simmons & D Jones beat R Pattison & C Hughes 12-4, 12-5, 12-7
C Austin & R Hobbs beat P Corn & J Pollock 12-3, 12-14, 12-7, 12-7
Final
Berkhamsted beat Old Wulfrunians 2-1
M Herring & E Rose beat M Yates & M Yates 12-7, 15-10, 15-13
P Kennedy & A Erskine lost to A Simmons & D Jones 10-13, 4-12, 0-12
J O'Neill & A Joyce beat C Austin & G Hammond 12-4, 6-12, 12-0, 12-2
3rd/4th place play-off
Old Salopians beat North Oxford 2-1