Wanganui retained the lead in the Central Districts Premier Squash championship on Tuesday night even without No1 player Rod Bannister who was sidelined with an ankle injury.
Harvey Round Motors Wanganui lead the competition with 32 points, but just four points in arrears are Tararua on 28 after round three
in the River City on Tuesday night.
Wanganui played third-placed Rangitikei and first up was replacement Arno Benadie who cleaned out Warren Mant in three sets - 11-6, 11-3, 11-2.
Ant Rountree made no match of it with junior Jake Tasker also winning in three sets - 11-5, 11-6, 11-5. Steven Bennett, moving up to play in Bannister's No1 spot, came up against A-grader Ben Calvert. This was a close match with Bennett taking the first set 14-12, but lost the next three 11-4, 11-9, 11-7.
Last up for Harvey Round Motors Wanganui was Matt Ratcliffe against top B-grader Dylan Tasker. The match was a real battle and the game of the night with Ratcliffe coming out on top 12-10 in the fifth set. The scoreline told the story - 11-7, 4-11, 11-5, 5-11, 12-10 giving Wanganui a 3-1 victory.
