Sandys Boat Club tightened their grip on the Mike Zimmerman Team Challenge Cup after coming away with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Royal Artillery Association in the final at Warwick Workmen’s Club on Wednesday night.

Team captain Martin Siese, Richie Beale and Paul Fedden all prevailed in their singles frames as the defending champions retained their title with two frames to spare.

“We are very pleased to retain our title,” an elated Siese told The Royal Gazette.

“We have had some good games against RAA this year and they knocked us out of the Island Construction Cup in the semi-final, so it was nice to get one back over them in the final. Any time we are in a final we’re hoping and wanting to win it.

“In each game our players got off to quicker starts than our opponents and sort of developed a little lead which then allows you to play a little bit different tactics. When you’ve got that lead already then you can play a little bit more defensively, a little bit more safely, and just wait whereas once you are behind you sometimes have to play a bit more attacking to try and reduce that point difference.

“For all three games we all got in a little bit of a lead and it was really only in the last game RAA’s Kyle Williams made a good comeback and actually even got ahead of Richie Beale before Richie had a late surge to finish it off. Richie did a good job of closing it out.”

Leading by example, captain Siese defeated RAA’s Aaron Bean 64-29 to provide his team with early momentum.

“I actually played one of my better games and unfortunately Aaron played well below his normal standard, so I caught him on a bad night,” Siese said.

Fedden then put his team in the driver’s seat and on the brink of clinching the best-of-five series when he toppled rival Keino Zuill 53-32 in the second frame.

“Kieno was up against a real tough guy in our Paul Fedden who is one of the better players in the league, so Paul kept him in check and did a good job,” Siese added.

Beale then completed the sweep with a hard-fought 53-32 win against a battling Williams in the third frame.

“They [RAA] almost got a point but Richie, in a really tight game, came on really strong at the end to take it,” Siese said.

Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Warwick Workmen’s Club II came from behind to beat hosts Spanish Point Boat Club I 3-1 in the Island Construction Cup semi-final.

Henryk Marszalek, Stephen Tucker and Zane DeSilva all recorded wins for the victors while Alan Smith tallied for the home team.

Warwick Workmen’s Club II will now face RAA in the final on a date yet to be announced.

A new champion will be crowned in the tournament this year after RAA eliminated holders Sandys Boat Club in the semi-final.