09/03/2026
EGLINTONS COUNTRY WARRIORS TURN HEADS AS THEY BLITZ CITY SIDE IN CAPTIVATING VICTORY - This years 2026 Annual Cup Tennis Challenge between the Eglinton Tennis Club and the highly coveted Northbridge Tennis Club was always going to be the talk of the town as both sides locked horns in what was expected to be a keenly contested affair. Co captains of the Eglinton side Stumpy Stapleton and Robert Mack gave strict instructions to their players to go out all guns blazing and attack at all times, well it worked as the country side absolutley blitzed the city side 23 sets to 9. Division one lost 6 sets to 2, with divisions 2, 3 and 4 winning 7 sets to 1. Divison one could have been closer than the score indicated as three sets went citys way 6-4, 7-6, 7-6. Eglinton win those three close sets they win the match 5-3. Ben Freak and Andy Phelan started off with a bang for the Northbridge side winning there first set over Eglintons Brook Lynch and Jason Molkentin 6-1. Then Northbridge captain Clive Wilkinson and Ben Jones stunned Eglintons Kurt Booth and Slugger John Bullock 6-2. Wilkinson and Freak then stood up in the next set to win a thriller over Eglintons Molkentin and Booth 7-6. Phelan and Jones then paired to win over Egos Lynch and Slugger Bullock 6-4 in a very close match. Northbridge Freak and Jones were running hot as the came up in the next set against Egos Slugger Bullock and Molkentin. The Ego pair were up 5-3, had one set point and lost the set 7-6 in a tiebreaker. It wasnt looking good for the night watchmen Slugger Bullock as he had lost three sets but as all champion players do they bounce back, and that he did partnering Kurt Booth to beat Northbridges Wilkinson and Jones 6-2. A well earned victory for the Northbridge lads 6 sets to 2. The boys from the bush were in a bit of bother but division two sorted the men out from the boys as Egos side of Matt Tree, Iron Lady Allyson Schumacher, Rod Schumacher, Matt and Garth Hindmarch trounced the city side of Lance Lin, Richard Eaten, Andrew Wong and Justin Wood 7 sets to 1. The star players in this match were Egos Rod Schumacher and Matt Tree, as they were the only two players of all the eight players to win all of their four sets. Tree and Schumacher were in hot form carving up the city boys playing well above there ability with there heavy groundstrokes and brilliant court craft skills doing the damage in there 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 7-5, 6-0 sets win. Iron Lady Allyson Schumacher and Garth Hindmarch too were in blistering form winning three sets each 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 respectively. At this stage of the match it was 9 sets to 7 with Ego having their noses in front. Co captains Mack and Stapleton were looking happy at this stage of the match as they new their division three players were a strong outfit and instructed them not to play safe tennis but play fortune favours the brave tennis. Well it worked as the Ego side of Bryan Reiri, Andrew Tree, Sarah Tree and Leo Meares combined like Torvil and Dean gliding round the court playing some vintage tennis to blitz the Northbridge side of Robin Hutchens, Harry, Peter English and Joost Van De K**k 7 sets to 1. The star players in this match were Egos Bryan Reiri and Leo Meares, as they were the only two players of all the eight players to win all of there four sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, 6-0, 6-0 respectively. Meares and Reiri never looked in trouble playing that ch*****ne tennis for what they are renowned for. Sarah and Andrew Tree dug deep playing some electrifying tennis winning three sets each leaving the city lads back peddling. It was now 16 sets to 8 in favour of the Ego guys with the fourth division to play the final leg. Ego Co captains Mack and Stapleton new they only had to win one more set to win that coveted trophy and new that there division four side had what it took to bring home the trophy back on home soil. The fat lady was singing as the Ego side of Brian Dwyer, Jason Honeyman, Jake Robinson, Markus Matiszik and Luke Booth turned back the clock in what was a flawless display of tennis from the magnificent five, hammering the Northbridge side of Kevin Ng, Roger Giles, John Freak and Winton Gibson 7 sets to 1, and clinching the overall match and golden trophy 23 sets to 9. Egos Jason Honeyman and Brian Dwyer let loose playing some super tennis from the back of the court with their net skills working wonders. Egos Markus Matiszik playing in his first annual cup challenge had nerves of steel winning three all important sets 6-4, 7-5, 6-0 to help steer his side to a most memorable victory. Egos young gun Jake Robinson also playing in his first cup challenge played some really inspiring tennis in his 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 sets win. Egos Luke Booth was also running hot winning two sets 6-0, 6-0. Well folks what a memorable victory for Eglinton in this years 2026 Annual Cup Tennis Challenge. Egos Co captains Rob Mack and Stumpy Stapleton praised both sides for playing the match in the true spirit of the game and especially thanked there players for their utmost committment in bringing that coveted cup back to Eglinton. "We played as a team today not as individuals, thats how cup challenge matches should be played. It was truly a sweet victory for our side." Mack and Stapleton said. Losing Northbridge captain Clive Wilkinson was gobsmacked at his teams loss." We were outgunned today by a very committed Eglinton side. You have to give it to the bush boys, they certainly know how to play that pressure tennis. "You can only play as well as your opponents let you play" Wilkinson said. A huge thank you to our major sponsor for the cup challenge Bathurst Toyota and VW. For without their support such events like this would not exist. Bravo Bathurst Toyota & VW. Also a huge thank you to all the Ego players for help in setting up for the dinner, and a special thank you Allyson Schumacher, Stumpy Stapleton and their hard working team for preparing the lunch and dinner for all the players on the day. It is such a huge job to undertake, so bravo guys. May i just conclude in saying that it is not all about winning in this greatest sport of ours, its about getting out there and having a go. Win, lose or draw. So until the 2027 annual cup next year and before my finger falls off after this marathon article, its Slugger signing off. GOOD HITTING.
