Hamilton make history with dramatic cup win

The Melton players travelled to Ashby Castle to play their hosts in the final.

And with the teams level it took a sensational victory by the pairing of Ryan Parmar and Amelia Coltman.

They were 9-4 down in their decisive third set tie-break and had to save five match points.

The duo then amazingly won seven consecutive points to clinch the breaker 11-9 and seal overal victory for Hamilton.

The Mercury Cup is a knockout competition for mixed teams in Leicestershire which was first competed for in 1920.

Hamilton had made it to the final for the second year running, having beaten Hinckley, Loughborough Town, in a very close match, and Oadby Granville.

Under skipper Charlotte Griffin, the Melton club started well in the first round, with the pairings of James Rowe with Corrine Blythe and Ryan with Amelia winning both their matches in straight sets.

Tom Rowe and Charlotte Griffin lost on a third set tie-break but Hamilton led 2-1.

In the second round, Tom and Charlotte won in straight sets while Ryan with Amelia lost by a similar score. Hamilton’s top pair of James and Corrine lost a very tight match on a third set tie-break to bring the match scores to 3-3.

The last round saw Hamilton edge in front when Tom and Charlotte won in straight sets.

James and Corrine reached one set all and everything looked as if the cup would depend on their third set tie-break but Ryan and Amelia’s heroics ensured the Melton club would lift the trophy for the first time.

Other Hamilton members who played in the earlier rounds were Jess Gadsby, Sibella Chew, Ben MacTaggart, Jack Elliss and Tom Elliss.

l In league action, the Hamilton ladies 1st team look to have relinquished their hold on the title after losing 5-4 to Loughborough.

Charlotte Griffin and Corrine Blythe led the team with a maximum three sets, Georgie Ashmore and Sibella Chew won one set 9-7 but Amelia Coltman and Beth Lowe just lost 9-7 against the same couple to miss out on victory.

Results: Charlotte Griffin/Corrine Blythe W 9-3, 9-6, 9-4; Georgie Ashmore/Sibella Chew W 9-7, L 0-9, 2-9; Amelia Coltman/Beth Lowe L 7-9, 0-9, 1-9.

The men’s 1 st team won 6-3 against Market Bosworth 1sts. Ryan Parmar and Tom Elliss and Daniel Blackburn and Luke Smith gained maximum three sets each.

The men’s 2nd team won 5-4 against Ashby Castle 3rds with the match result hinging on two tie-break sets which were both won by Hamilton. Ben Catlin and Oliver Aley and Joe Jackson and Mike Crane won two sets each and Doug Hacking and Alex Lunn won one tie-break set for the win.

The ladies’ 3 rd team won 5-4 against Loughborough Greenfields 1sts.

Margaret Heggs and Margaret Shufflebotham and Sue Corfield and Rosie Gildove won two sets each and Cindy Coulter and Sue Harrison won one set for victory.

The men’s 5th team won 9-0 against Birstall Watermead 4ths with maximum three sets all round for Selwyn Carter with Graham Hall, Edwin Shufflebotham with Keith Galloway and Fraser Rabbit-Dalby with Steve Plaistow.

The men’s 4th team lost 6-3 to Leicester Forest East 6ths. Will Harrisonand Nigel Crymble won two sets and Craig Tracey and Matt Daniel won one.

The ladies’ 2nd team lost 7-2 to Syston Northfields 1sts when Nicky Kennedy-Maggs and Carol Gilchrist and Laura McMullen and Jo Heggs won one set each.

The ladies’ 4th team lost 9-0 to Roundhill 2nds and the men’s 3rd team lost to unbeaten Knighton, both by a 9-0 scoreline.