Round ONE – Tue 21st Oct
Favourites off to flyers in PSL openers
Last season’s finalists Surrey and Duffield both got off to flying starts as the 2014/15 PSL season got under way with six matches around the UK all featuring big crowds, with Exeter suffering a surprise home defeat to St George’s and Pontefract ending a long losing streak at newcomers Leicester. Coolhurst and Chichester both start well …
Division B
Six-time and defending champions Surrey lost their number one Peter Barker as visitors Bristol were heading East for the match, but still took a 2-0 lead with wins from Alison Waters and late replacement Ben Ford – who was wearing a Barker shirt! Josh Masters pulled one back for Bristol but Surrey new recruits Piedro Schweertman and Fares Dessouki both won in straight games to give Surrey a 4-1 start.
Having signed new world #1 Mohamed Elshorbagy pre-season, Exeter Diamonds attracted a big crowd as they started their bid to reach the playoffs, but found themselves 3-0 down to St George’s, who suffered from slow starts in the previous two seasons. Not so tonight as Yathreb Adel, Tom Richards and Henrik Mustonen gave the visitors a winning advantage before Tim Vail and Elshorbagy reduced the damage for Exeter.
Chichester recorded their official attendance at 115, and the big crowd was delighted to see the home team storm into a 2-0 lead over visitors Winchester thanks to Lauren Briggs and Anthony Graham. Steve Wykes pulled one back for Winchester, but the home win was sealed when Anthony Graham won a see-saw five setter against Robbie Downer, and Chichester’s new #1 Adrian Waller put the icing on the cake for a 4-1 win.
Division A
In Division A Duffield’s traditional packed-to-the-rafters crowd saw them storm to a 5-0 win over local rivals Nottingham. Recently-crowned World University Champion Millie Tomlinson set the ball rolling for Duffield, and new signing Chris Simpson – playing at #1 with Nick Matthew being absent – wrapped up proceedings.
It was a great start too for Coolhurst, spearheaded by European stars Simon Rosner and Nicolas Mueller, as they got their second season in the league off to a 5-0 winning start over visitors Birmingham.
It wasn’t a happy debut for newcomers Leicester though as they lost out 2-3 to visitors Pontefract, who failed to win a single match all last season. Alex Hodgetts and Simon Parke put Pontefract 2-0 up, and Sarah Kippax clinched the win before Leicester took the top two ties thanks to Ben Coleman and George Parker.
Division A
Benz Bavarian Duffield 5-0 Air-IT Nottingham (20-2) MATCH REPORTS
Chris Simpson 3-0 Chris Fuller 11-3, 12-10, 11-8.
Joel Hinds 3-1 Dougie Kempsell 11-7, 12-14, 11-8, 11-4
Declan James 3-0 Oliver Holland 11-5, 11-9, 11-4
Andrew Whipp 3-0 Chris Longman 11-9, 11-4, 11-1
Millie Tomlinson 3-1 Amanda Landers-Murphy 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 14-12
Coolhurst London 5-0 Birmingham Lions (20-5)
Simon Rosner 3-1 Chris Ryder 11-2, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9 (48m)
Nicolas Mueller 3-0 Joel Makin 11-5, 11-7, 15-13 (50m)
Angus Gillams 3-0 Jonny Harford 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (44m)
Joe Green 3-2 Miles Jenkins 11-7, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9 (76m)
Selina Sinclair 3-2 Katrina Burrows 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7 (58m)
Everards Leicester 2-3 Pontefract (8-14) MATCH REPORT
Ben Coleman 3-0 Ben Grindrod 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (33m)
George Parker 3-0 Lee Beachill 11-5 11-2 11-8
Darren Lewis 0-3 Simon Parke 8-11, 9-11, 8-11
Josh Taylor 1-3 Alex Hodgetts 11-7, 8-11, 9-11 , 6-11
Tania Bailey 1-3 Sarah Kippax 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 6-11
Division B
Exeter Diamonds 2-3 Luxford / 9 Group St George’s Hill (9-15)
Mohamed Elshorbagy 3-1 Joe Lee 4-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
Olli Tuominen 0-3 Tom Richards 2-11 rtd
Olli Pett 2-3 Henrik Mustonen 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-13
Tim Vail 3-0 Charles Sharpes 12-10, 11-4, 11-9
Aisling Blake 1-3 Yathreb Adel 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 3-11 (28m)
Virgin Active Surrey HRC 4-1 UWE / Elite Bristol (18-3) MATCH REPORT
Fares Dessouki 3-0 David Evans 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Piedro Schweertman 3-0 Mike Harris 11-9, 11-3, 11-6
Lyell Fuller 1-3 Josh Masters 13-15, 11-6, 6-11, 8-11
Ben Ford 3-0 Jim Bamber 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
Alison Waters 3-0 Tesni Evans 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
Team Chichester 4-1 Winchester Racquets & Fitness (18-7) MATCH REPORT
Adrian Waller 3-0 Scott Handley 11-6, 11-4, 11-2 (28m)
Robbie Temple 3-2 Robert Downer 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9
Anthony Graham 3-2 Scott Fitzgerald 11-7, 9-11, 12-14, 11-1, 11-6
Alex Gough 1-3 Steve Wykes 12-14, 5-11, 12-10, 2-11 (49m)
Lauren Briggs 3-0 Georgina Kennedy 11-6, 11-7, 11-9
MVP Award: Sarah Kippax, for delivering Pontefract’s first win in 12 outings
