Cornwall's girls' under-13 squash team travelled to

Exeter recently to take on Dorset and Gloucestershire.

With the youngest team member at just nine years old, their spectacular win against Dorset is testament to the Duchy's strength in depth.

During their first match against Gloucestershire, nine-year-old Emily Fanson, at No.3, began well with effective serving.

However, despite running well and playing some hard-fought rallies, too many short cross-court shots enabled her opponent to play the winning shots and triumph 6-11, 5-11, 7-11. 

At No.2, 12-year-old Katy Brickell put in a determined performance and got to the T to put the ball away from her opponent. She gave Cornwall a comfortable win 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 to level the scores.

Nicola Hardwick, 13, went on at No.1 and began confidently to take the score to 10-4. However, too many front-court shots crept into her game and she lost 10-12, before going down 7-11 in both of her other games as the Duchy fell to a 9-5 defeat.

After a brief lunch break and short court practice, the Cornwall team launched themselves into the Dorset match with enthusiasm and determination.

Fanson began her match well, playing better and longer serves, improved volleys and some lucky boasts. 

She took everything in her stride and confidently won 11-6, 11-3, 11-5. 

Brickell, again at No.2, was never in trouble. 

She played the lengths when needed and generally placed the ball away from her opponent to take the match 11-0, 11-3, 11-3.

Having, therefore, already won the match, Hardwick was more relaxed and moved well around the court and – thanks to some good drop-shots – took the score to 10-8.

Despite her hard work, though, she unfortunately suffered a poor marking decision and lost the first game 10-12. In the second, she ran for everything and put her opponent under considerable pressure.

In the next two games she continued to work her opponent hard and managed to revert to better length to win the match 11-3, 11-9, 11-7 for a 12-4 final score to the Duchy.

Team manager Eve Methven admitted: 'This was an excellent result for our girls and, if they continue to work hard in their training, the return matches could see a definite turn-around in their fortunes to take them to the top of the League.'