With a strong team out this week MH 3rds were optimistic to gain a win over Club Diana when they visited on Monday. The 1st and 5th strings went on first and  both had close matches, running in parallel and finishing at the same time with a 3-2 loss for each Harborough player.  However, there the similarity ended!  Tim Arthur at 1st string was up against another youngster, Luc Elsby, and the boys played some fantastic squash to entertain spectators with their superb effort and quality shots. The match was very even and at the end Tim was just pipped to it losing 10-8 in the 5th.  Lin Leach and her opponent tried just as hard but couldn't claim to match the quality!  Lin lost the first two before a word of advice from coach Avil (thanks Steve) set her up for a fight back and the match was finely balanced to the last game when she lost focus and let a good lead slip away to lose 9-7.  Sandy Lane at no 4 found her usually successful lobs reached by a tall opponent who was very effective in the air and she lost 3-0 without really getting into the match.  Our hopes were then pinned on Kean Williams and Kev Loomes, both playing one down from their usual positions courtesy of Tim turning out for us at no 1.  Kean played Phil Drage, an experienced and wily player, and didn't seem quite as quick as usual to the front of court where Phil's shots were very accurate.  Losing the first two games Kean then dominated the 3rd and seemed set to take control but sadly Phil had other thoughts and ran out the winner 3-1.  Kev started well against Lloyd Riseley, the Club Diana captain, with a convincing first game but then he too couldn't find his usual form, making some uncharacteristic errors and losing 3-1.  So ended the first match when all 5 Harborough players have lost!  Still, an enjoyable evening's squash played in good spirit, excellent winter warming food from Sandy and one more match before Christmas to salvage our reputation (what reputation?) and a win.