A PACKED gallery witnessed a changing of the guard as two new players contested the Dartington Squash Club Championships.

Jasper Stevens (right) and Charlie Kellagher had battled their way through the rounds to face one another in the final on a court which was so hot it was like playing in a cauldron. The match started at a frenetic pace with both players charging around the court, hitting the ball with such force- 100mph ball speeds were commonplace.

The drives across court and down the side walls were hit with precision but the warm conditions allowed the ball to come off the back wall.

It was nip and tuck but Kellagher fell behind 6-9 in the first game before then winning five points in a row. He pressed home the advantage to take the first game 15-12.

In the second game, Kellagher, calf muscles bulging and his sweat already speckling the court, was in command winning 15-12 again.

This final could have been heading for a straight sets victory in the eyes of a neutral observer but Stevens is made of sterner stuff.

The third game was a classic with both combatants upping the tempo even more. Poised at 13 apiece, and with Kellagher serving Stevens somehow returned an iron-clad winner to take the lead himself, winning another point to make it 15-13.

Both players were already showing signs of exhaustion and doubled over at the end of this game breathing like cart horses, trying to get as much oxygen into their lungs as possible.

In the fourth game, a disastrous run of losing nine points in a row meant Kellagher was up against it. Stevens appeared to have found some energy reserves to take it 15-9 and set up a decider.

Kellagher raced into a 5-0 lead by attacking Stevens, brandishing his racket like a swordsman and smashing the ball to the back of the court.

For all the while, it looked as if Stevens had been bludgeoned out of contention at this point. He then began to risk some volley drops to the front left and right corners and they were executed with precision, proving very effective.

Clawing it back to 7-7, the next six rallies were stunning as these two athletic men tried everything within their powers to annihilate one another.

Kellagher with drives to the back and Stevens retrieving, whilst looking for his opportunities to volley drop.

These points were shared and with the score at 10-10, the match was reaching a crescendo, much to the excitement of the spectators. Both players were depleted of energy at this stage and were now burning muscle.

Stevens won three points in a row, two surprisingly from unforced errors by Kellagher. The momentum was with Stevens and he drove home the advantage, winning the final game 15-11 and the championship 3-2.

Deservedly so, the pair received a standing ovation from the spectators for the superb squash they displayed. There were only two let balls in the entire match which lasted 55 minutes of actual playing time.

At 18, Stevens is the youngest club champion since the founding of the club in 1962. Stevens’ success is a good augury for the future of the club and this combined with other youngsters coming through, means squash continues to thrive in Dartington & Totnes.