It was another disappointing week for Cromer Squash Club as once again both teams were well beaten in their Norfolk League matches.

This week the first team travelled into Norwich to take on East Anglia IV in a Division One match and although the hosts are themselves in danger of being involved in the relegation play-offs they were too strong for bottom of the table Cromer, winning 17-6.

The second team meanwhile were entertaining top of the table Fakenham in a Division Three match and it was no great surprise that the team only managed to pick up one game in a 20-1 defeat.

Cromer travelled to Norwich hopeful of being able to record their first win of the season and for only the third time captain Henri Paul was able to call upon the services of Matt Copeman, who was runner-up in the club championships, to play the third string match. As usual Copeman turned in a competitive performance but luck wasn't on his side as he went down to a 3-2 defeat.

Alec Burrows lost the fifth string match 3-1 but Paul gave his team some hope as he won his fourth string match in straight games.

These however were Cromer's only points of the evening as No.2 Ben Herrieven was again beaten 3-0 and club champion Richard Keeble also lost in straight games.

Paul said afterwards: 'We have got one match left to play but at the end of the day we have just not been good enough. Our top two players have come up against some very good opponents and as a team we have only managed 10 individual wins between us and lost 45. That, sadly, tells its own story.'

Results: Richard Keeble lost to Jack Pearse 0-3, Ben Herrieven lost to Nick Stringer 0-3, Matt Copeman lost to David Marler 2-3, Henri Paul beat Jonny Lawes 3-0, Alec Burrows lost to Paul Harvey 1-3.

Both technical director Barry Starling and the Fakenham captain agreed that the current Fakenham team are too strong for the division they are in so it was only to be expected that the second team would lose, although Starling was disappointed that they capitulated so easily. With just one match remaining – away to Fakenham – the team are just nine points off the bottom but the bottom club UEA II do have two matches in hand.

In an attempt to inspire his team Starling moved from the technical director's chair into the fifth string position but was unable to put his theory into practice. He went down to a straight game defeat as did Martin Braybrook, Kim Payne and Martin Sanville and it was left to the team's oldest player, veteran John Chandler, to prevent a complete whitewash as he took the third game of his second string match.

Afterwards Starling said: 'It has been a hard season. On paper we have got a strong experienced team but in the summer I think I will have to give some of the club's younger players a chance.'

Results: Martin Sanville lost to Adam Sinkins 0-9 0-9 8-9, John Chandler lost to Nicky Green 2-9 3-9 9-2 5-9, Kim Payne lost to Nick Todd-Hunter 2-9 1-9 4-9, Martin Braybrook lost to Bruce Bushell 2-9 1-9 4-9, Barry Starling lost to Ian Raisbury 4-9 0-9 4-9.