March 19, 2024

Round EIGHT – 19 Feb

Surrey back on top as Duffield suffer first defeat

With just three rounds of the regular season to play, and only the top two teams in each group going through to the semi-finals, there were some crucial clashes in tonight’s eighth round of the Premier Squash League, and some nailbiting finishes too.

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Group A:

MB NOTTINGHAM 3-2 BENZ-BAVARIAN DUFFIELD  (15-12)
Alan Clyne 0-3 Nick Matthew 11/13, 11/13, 7/11
Eddie Charlton 3-2 Joel Hinds  11/6, 9/11, 10/12, 11/8, 11/9
Declan James 1-3 Andy Whipp 7/11, 11/13, 11/4, 6/11
Greg Lobban 3-2 Chris Fuller   13/11, 11/9, 11/13, 7/11, 11/8 (106m)
Emma Beddoes 3-2 Laura Massaro   11/5, 5/11, 13/11, 7/11, 11/6

AJP PONTEFRACT 4-1 UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (17-6)
Saurav Ghosal 3-0 Peter Creed   11/7, 11/8, 11/6
Siddarth Suchde 3-2  Jaymie Haycocks  13/11, 12/10, 7/11, 6/11, 11/7
Lee Beachill 3-0 Nathan Lake   12/10, 11/5, 11/8
Taminder Gata-Aura  0-3 Chris Tasker-Grindley 5/11, 3/11, 2/11
Sarah Kippax 3-1 Sarah-Jane Perry  15/13, 4/11, 11/9, 117

CHAPEL ALLERTON 3-2 OXFORD H&F  (16-9)
Chris Simpson 3-1 Cameron Pilley   13/11, 11/6, 4/11, 11/5
Dylan Bennett 3-1 Scott Handley   11/5, 11/7, 5/11, 11/2
James Earles 1-3 Ben Coleman 8/11, 11/4, 8/11, 8/11
Matt Sidaway 1-3 Mark Cairns 8/11, 11/7, 4/11, 8/11
Jenny Duncalf 3-1 Madeline Perry    11/9, 11/6, 11/13, 17/15

Standings:
Duffield 131, Oxford 105, Nottingham 92, Chapel A 90, Pontefract 84, Birmingham 70

Round 9: Pontefract v Nottingham, Birmingham v Chapel A, Oxford v Duffield
Round 10: Duffield v Birmingham, Chapel A v Pontefract, Nottingham v Oxford

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Leaders beaten …

In Group A the top four teams were meeting, so something had to give.

Nottingham, needing a good run-in to give themselves a chance of making the semis, were at home to unbeaten leaders Duffield, and got off to a great start when Emma Beddoes beat world number three Laura Massaro 3-2 and Greg Lobban put them 2-0 up with a 106-minute win over Chris Fuller. Eddie Charlton sealed the match for Nottingham with a 3/2 win over Joel Hinds before Andy Whipp and Nick Matthew earned some consolation points for Duffield, who maintain a decent lead at the top of the table.

Second-placed Oxford travelled to Chapel Allerton, starting the night in fourth, where the home side forced the tie into a decider, in which Chris Simpson beat Cameron Pilley 3-1 to make it a genuine four-way battle for the playoff spots.

Pontefract hosted Birmingham, with both teams having only an outside chance of making the playoffs, and it was the Yorkshire side who triumphed, Siddarth Suchde staving off a comeback to beat Jaymie Haycocks in five at second string to put the Yorkshire outfit 3-1 up, Saurav Ghosal finishing off the visitors.

Standings:
Duffield 131, Oxford 105, Chapel Allerton 90, Nottingham 89, Pontefract 84, Birmingham 70

Round 9: Pontefract v Nottingham, Birmingham v Chapel A, Oxford v Duffield
Round 10: Duffield v Birmingham, Chapel A v Pontefract, Nottingham v Oxford

Despite tonight’s defeat Duffield stay clear favourites to make the semis, but any one of Oxford, Chapel A or Nottingham could still join them …

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Group B:

UWE BRISTOL 0-5 TEAM CHICHESTER  (4-20)
Mohamed El Shorbagy 2-3 Jon Kemp 12/10, 11/9, 8/11, 8/11, 8/11 (42m)
Lucas Serme 0-3 Nafiizwan Adnan 9/11, 6/11, 14/16 (43m)
David Haley 0-3 Robbie Temple 7/11, 5/11, 3/11 (29m)
Tom Ford 1-3 Anthony Graham 7/11, 8/11, 11/6, 5/11 (48m)
Emma Chorley 1-3 Lauren Briggs 6/11, 9/11, 12/10, 3/11 (35m)

INTEGRITY SURREY H&R 5-0 EXETER DIAMONDS (20-2)
Adrian Grant 3-2 Laurens Jan Anjema
Karim Abdel Gawad 3-0 Olli Tuominen   11/7, 11/7, 8/3 rtd
Gregoire Marche 3-0 Joey Barrington  11/3, 13/11, 11/4
Adrian Waller 3-0 Tim Vail 11/6, 11/4, 11/2
Alison Waters 3-0 Victoria Temple-Murray 11/3, 11/1, 11/5

WINCHESTER H&F 1-4 TWP ST GEORGE’S HILL  (7-17)
Marwan El Shorbagy 2-3 Daryl Selby 11/4, 6/11, 11/4, 8/11, 5/11
Stacey Ross 3-0- Tom Richards   11/1, 4/3 rtd
Robert Downer 0-3 Joe Lee 5/11, 5/11, 6/11
Adam Auckland 2-3 Charles Sharpes 11/6, 8/11, 9/11, 11/6, 5/11
Rachel Willmott 0-3 Dominique Lloyd-Walter 8/11, 7/11, 9/11

Standings:
Surrey 127, Chichester 119, Exeter 117, St George’s 97, Winchester 57, Bristol 37

Round 9: Surrey v Bristol, Exeter v Winchester, St George’s v Chichester
Round 10: Chichester v Exeter, Winchester v Surrey, Bristol v St George’s

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Surrey take charge …

In Group B leaders Exeter travelled to reigning champions Surrey, and the home side stormed into a quick 3-0 lead, finishing off the match 5-0 as Adrian Grant came from two-nil down to beat LJ Anjema in the top string match to put Surrey back on top of the table, leaving Exeter still sweating on making the semis.

Third-place Chichester kept up the pressure with a 5-0 away win at Bristol that moved them up to second place, Jon Kemp stunning Mohamed El Shorbagy at number one, and St George’s Hill also took advantage with a 4-1 win at Winchester that kept their slim hopes of progression alive.

Standings: Surrey 127, Chichester 119, Exeter 117, St George’s 97, Winchester 57, Bristol 37

Round 9: Surrey v Bristol, Exeter v Winchester, St George’s v Chichester
Round 10: Chichester v Exeter, Winchester v Surrey, Bristol v St George’s

With Surrey still to play the bottom two teams it would be a surprise if they were not to stay top, and it could well come down to Chichester v Exeter in the final round to determine the other semi-finalist.