Isle of Man Squash hosted a team from the Northern Club in Liverpool for an exciting competition at the NSC last weekend, providing a taste of what could be in store when the Manx hosts the Island Games in 2029.

The competition saw players from both teams go head-to-head across four grades, with some closely fought matches and plenty of competitive squash throughout the day.

The headline battle came in Grade A, where five of the Isle of Man’s best players took on five of the Northern Club’s strongest competitors.

In a tightly contested team battle, the local players eventually secured victory but only just, with very little separating the two sides.

The remaining three categories were played according to squash level, providing players with the opportunity to compete against opponents of a similar standard.

In Grade B, local competitor Harvey Douglas produced a superb performance, coming through to claim victory at the last minute in a closely-fought contest.

Grade C was won by Jonathan Gower-Jackson who raised his game when it mattered to secure the win for the hosts.

In Grade D, it was the Northern Club who took the honours, with former island resident Fatheha Essa edging the competition in the final stages to claim victory for the visiting team.

Beyond the results, the event was an excellent opportunity to bring players together from both sides of the Irish Sea and showcase the island’s ability to host a successful international sporting competition.

A huge thank you goes to everyone involved in organising, supporting and competing in the event. The friendly but competitive atmosphere made for a fantastic day of squash.

LES CALLOW