Round EIGHT – 11th March

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With just three rounds of league action to go, tonight’s eighth round had the potential of seeing some teams confirming their place in the semi-finals while others could see their playoff hopes dashed, and with five of the six matches finishing 3-2 the drama was played out right up to midnight!

Duffield squeeze into semis

In Group A league newcomers Coolhurst travelled to struggling Pontefract and came away with a 5-0 win that keeps their playoff hopes very much alive as they moved to 107 points.

Leaders Duffield were tested by visitors Chapel Allerton, who recovered from two down to force a decider, but it was Duffield’s Nick Matthew who clinched the points with a 3-1 win over Daryl Selby.

Meanwhile Birmingham hosted Nottingham in a 3rd v 4th match that both needed to win. That went to a decider too with Nottingham’s Alan Clyne winning at top string to put them just one point behind Birmingham.

With Duffield on 136 points and their nearest challengers still to play each other, they are sure to feature in the semi-finals, but the second spot is still up four grabs with four teams separated by just 13 points.

Exeter & Surrey almost there

In Group B leaders – by one point – Exeter won a hard-fought 3-2 tie against Winchester, while defending champions Surrey went top by a single point with a comeback 3-2 win at St George’s.

That all but ended St George’s playoff hopes, and Chichester also suffered a setback as they lost 3-2 at Bristol.

With almost 20 points in hand Exeter and Surrey – who meet next week – are strong favourites for the semi-finals, while it really is last-chance saloon for the other contenders.

Group A:

Duffield (121+15) 3-2 Chapel Allerton (93+7)

Nick Matthew 3-1 Daryl Selby  11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 13-11
Joel Hinds 0-3 Chris Simpson  12-14, 7-11, 8-11
Andy Whipp  1-3 Shaun Le Roux  14-12, 6-11, 4-11, 1-11
Aqeel Rehman 3-0 Simon Parke  12-10, 11-6, 11-9
Laura Massaro 3-0 Carrie Ramsey  11-6, 11-5, 11-2

Pontefract (27+3) 0-5 Coolhurst (87+20)

Chris van der Salm 0-3 Omar Abdel Meguid   5-11, 8-11, 6-11
David Campion 0-3 Ben Coleman  4-11, 6-11, 7-11 (42m)
Alex Hodgetts 1-3 Adam Auckland  3-11, 11-9, 4-11, 3-11
Taminder Gata-Aura 2-3 Steve London  8-11,  11-7,  7-11,  11-7,  5-11 (58m)
Sarah Kippax 0-3 Nicolette Fernandes  9-11, 15-17, 10-12

Birmingham (88+7) 2-3 Nottingham (80+14)

Chris Ryder 1-3 Alan Clyne 11-8, 11-13, 10-12, 2-11
Jaymie Haycocks 3-0 Eddie Charlton  11-7, 11-9, 11-9
Peter Creed 3-0 Lewis Walters  11-3, 11-3, 15-13
Nathan Lake 0-3 Chris Fuller  10-12, 5-11, 12-14
Chloe Mesic 0-3 Emma Beddoes  1-11, 6-11, 2-11

Standings:
Duffield 136, Coolhurst 107, Chapel A 100, Birmingham 95, Nottingham 94, Pontefract 30

Remaining Fixtures:
Wk9:   
Nottm v Duffield, Chapel A v Ponte, C’hurst v Bham
Wk10:  
Ponte v Nottm, Duffield v Bham, C’hurst v Chapel A

Group B:

Bristol (64+15) 3-2 Chichester (84+8)

Lucas Serme 1-3 Jonathan Kemp  13-11, 5-11, 6-11, 6-11
David Evans 3-0 Robbie Temple   11-7, 15-13, 11-5
Tom Ford 0-3 Ollie Pett   6-11, 8-11, 10-12
Mike Harris 3-2 Anthony Graham   9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 (67m)
Yathreb Adel 3-0 Lauren Briggs  11-5, 11-5, 12-10

Exeter (105+16) 3-2 Winchester (35+9)

Omar Mosaad 2-3 Marwan El Shorbagy  11-9, 9-11, 4-11, 11-4, 8-11 (72m)
Olli Tuominen 3-1 Abdulla Al Tamimi  11-6, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8 (46m)
Tim Vail 3-1 Robert Downer   11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5 (45m)
James Snell 3-1 Scott Fitzgerald   11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9 (50m)
Aisling Blake 0-3 Emily Whitlock  8-11,  6-11, 5-11 (32m)

St George’s (95+8) 2-3 Surrey H&R (104+18)

Borja Golan 1-3 Peter Barker  7-11, 11-7, 5-11, 2-11
Tom Richards  1-3 Adrian Grant  11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 9-11
Joe Lee  3-2 Greg Marche  5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7
Henrik Mustonen 3-2 Adrian Waller  10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 12-10
Dom Lloyd-Walter 0-3 Alison Waters  4-11, 4-11, 5-11

Standings:
Surrey 122, Exeter 121, St George’s 103, Chichester 92, Bristol 79, Winchester 44

Remaining Fixtures  
Wk9: Chich v StGge, Surrey v Exeter, Winch v Bristol
Wk10:  Exeter v Chich, StGge v Bristol, Winch v Surrey