Semis: Pontefract dethrone St George’s, RAC return to final

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Thursday : Trads dash WarKens final hopes

Last year’s runners-up Tradition@RAC returned to the final as they beat Northern Division winners Warwick / Kenilworth in a tense 3-2 showdown.

Trads went ahead thanks to Ben Coleman but Sarah-Jane Perry levelled the match, saving match balls in the third as she beat Alison Waters. George Parker put the visitors back in front, then with WarKens’ Mahesh Mangaonkar on match ball Daryl Selby injured himself and the number ones went on court while he recovered.

Paul Coll clinched the semi-final spot for Trads as he beat Iker Pajares, leaving Selby to concede his match and the final score a 3-2 away win.

Tradition@RAC face Pontefract on 1st June at St George’s Hill with the PSL title on the line between the two divisional runners-up.

WARKENS 2-3 TRADS@RAC 

 Iker Pajares 0-2 Paul Coll                                   5-11, 5-11
Mahesh Mangaonkar 2-0 Daryl Selby     12-10, 10-x rtd
Daniel Mekbib 1-2 George Parker              7-11, 11-7, 8-11
Mark Fuller 0-2 Ben Coleman                             9-11, 5-11
Sarah-Jane Perry 2-1 Alison Waters        6-11, 11-1, 12-10

Tuesday : Pontefract dethrone St George’s

Defending champions Luxfords St George’s Hill were sensationally beaten in the first semi-final as Team Pontefract travelled to the the Southern Division Champions’ home turf in Surrey and took the first three matches to reach the PSL final for the first time.

Abhay Singh edged past Robbie Temple and Patrick Rooney beat Borja Golan, both in straight games, in a perfect start for the away team. Joelle King started the home comeback by taking the the first game against Laura Massaro, but Massaro fought back for a 2-1 win to take Pontefract into the final.

Mohamed ElShorbagy pulled one back for St George’s but Chris Simpson dealt the final blow as he beat Tom Richards to make it 4-1 to Pontefract.

ST GEORGE’S 1-4 PONTEFRACT 

Mohamed ElShorbagy 2-1 James Willstrop  4-11, 11-4, 14-12
Tom Richards 1-2 Chris Simpson                     11-7, 6-11, 14-16
Borja Golan 0-2 Patrick Rooney                                9-11, 12-14
Robbie Temple 0-2 Abhay Singh                                  7-11, 9-11
Joelle King 1-2 Laura Massaro                          11-6, 6-11, 7-11

PSL Semi-Finals History