Tek Sing Lexden took on Team Chichester in the third round of the National Squash League in a fiery encounter.

The first match of the evening featured Tek Sing's Rebecca Macree, world ranked ten, and Chichester's Linda Charman, world ranked five, and fresh from the semi-finals of the Women's World Open championship.

The two players have always had an intense rivalry, and Macree has had the better of the last few encounters.

Charman stretched to a lead winning in the first game 4-9, but the tempers were already flaring on court.

The Chichester player entered into lively discussions with the referee at every opportunity.

The quality of squash played was high, but the match was dominated by the reactions of both players to a string of unpopular decisions from the officials.

Charman's temper snapped in the second game and her racket went flying into the ceiling of the court, the first conduct warning of the evening was awarded against her.

Macree kept her temper to much better effect, and took the second game 9-5.

The third game swung back towards the Chichester player, notwithstanding the award of a conduct point against her for persistent arguing, and the fourth game started in similar style.

Macree, again dealing with the pressure put on her by Charman's constant outbursts, stayed calm and charged to a good lead which her opponent was unable to pull back, and levelled the match at 2-2.

The fifth game saw Macree piling on the pressure with superbly accurate and powerful squash.

After yet another display of temper was directed at the officials by the Chichester player, the referee was left with no option but to award a conduct game against Charman, and the match deservedly went to Macree.

Published Wednesday November 6, 2002

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