Duffield gained revenge against Nottingham to put their play-off chances into their own hands ...
thanks to Jonah and Miles for the advice
FPD Savills Nottingham lost to Benz Bavarian Duffield 1 - 4
John White lost to Nick Matthew 9/5 6/9 8/10 7/9
Simon Parke lost to Dan Jenson 2/9 11/9 5/9 2/9
David Evans beat Paul Hargrave 5/9 9/4 9/6 9/4
Sam Miller lost to Jonathan Kemp 5/9 9/6 6/9 7/9
Natalie Grinham lost to Cassie Jackman 7/9 7/9 0/9
East Midlands Local Derby Goes West
The whole team did the Club proud. Over 30 supporters made the short journey along the A52 and they were fantastic finally out shouting the home supporters who understandably went quiet as the results went Duffield's way. The result was sweet revenge for the 4-1 defeat suffered earlier in the season and Duffield are no longer looking for favours from elsewhere for the final play off place in group A. It is now in our own hands.
The number 3 and 4 strings were first on the two adjacent courts. Jonathan Kemp always just having the edge over a rapidly improving Sam Miller. Kemp's tactic was to keep the ball particularly tight on his left-handed forehand. Miller fought well, taking the second 9/6 and threatened an upset in the third and fourth games. However, the higher ranked world player stayed cool and continued his recent good form to finally ran out a 3-1 winner in 45 minutes to get the visitors' off to the best possible start.
Paul Hargrave played an inspired first game before going down 3-1 bowing to the superior fitness of David Evans as the former British Open champion levelled the scores. Hargrave's tactic was to take the ball early and try to twist and turn his taller opponent with some cross court shots. This tactic worked well in the first game but as the part-timer began to slow the Welshman took control showing some delightful touches and demonstrating that if he can keep clear of injuries he could still threaten the world top players.
The scores were level and the tie was going to script with the stage managers moving the capacity crowd to the new show court for the three crucial encounters. Phil Songhurst had earlier sportingly decided to play 3 rubbers on the show court even though this meant that Simon Parke would not be playing on his favourite court.
The decision was rewarded with one of the finest NL rubbers seen by your truly in 11 years. Jenson, the former world No 5 is on the come back trail after a series of back and knee injuries. Parke thrives on such challenges. This was a fantastic nail biting match with both players giving their all. Jenson looked comfortable in the first game but gradually Parke's unbelievable amount of retrieving, getting to balls seemingly dead & buried, hauled him back into contention. The game became a fascinating tussle with the lob used to great effect by both players. Parke built a 8-5 lead in the second but Jenson hit back to lead 9-8 and we thought it was all over. Parke dug deep and clenched his fist as he took the game 11-9. Jenson steadied and the noise of the supporters gradually reflected the way the rubber was going and the Australian responded to the Duffield cheers. Jenson was just the steadier throughout and retained his concentration even when a mobile phone rang out in the middle of a rally in the crucial third game. The offending red faced visiting supporter has volunteered to attend a course to learn how to switch the phone off. In the third and fourth games Jenson moved Parke around until he could run no longer. Parke's retrieving was unbelievable as he fought like a tiger right to the end to keep his team's play off hopes alive. It was a pity one player had to lose. Dan Jenson had put the visitor's 2-1 ahead in 55 minutes with a very impressive display.
However, it was far from over even though Duffield needed just one more win to move into the coveted second spot and with newly crowned World No. 1, Cassie Jackman taking to the court -was this the time for the manager to relax?. Nottingham's Natalie Grinham had other ideas.
Jackman had a slow tiring journey from Norwich and a wait of 4 hours before she went on court appeared to have taken its toll and she was not moving as freely as usual. The new world number one was never going to have it easy against the quick silver Natalie Grinham. Jackman built a 5-1 lead in the first but just as quickly found herself trailing 7-5 after tinning a few shots. Tension was building and the tie was on a knife edge but Jackman held on and somehow squeezed the game 9-7 after hitting a couple of hard cross-court winners.
Grinham built 6-3 and 7-6 leads in the second but again Jackman managed to edge it 9-7. Finally she found the rhythm which has returned her to the world number one spot and she delighting her mum, Banno and her Duffield fan club with a series of non returnable blistering winners in the third taking it without dropping a point.
Cassie, who is very much aware that when you are No 1 you are there to be shot said "The hard part now is holding onto it but I am looking forward to the challenge." Cassie and the Duffield supporters knew the importance of her win as the news filtered through that Edgbaston had suffered a whitewash against Manchester- Pontefract
So Duffield had clinched the match and second spot in the league before the number 1's took to the court at 10.40pm. The majority of the crowd including the Duffield contingent crowd stayed to see world No 3, John White take on Nick Matthew, world No 12. A relaxed humorous White enjoyed banter with the referees as he stepped up the pace to take the first game 9-5 with his usual array of outstanding winners. Matthew settled into the pace taking the second 9-6 to level after taking advantage of his opponent's errors. A determined Matthew then fought hard to lead 8-6 in the third only for White to make it 8 all but the Englishman scraped home 10-8. The fourth followed a similar pattern and the Duffield No 1 won 9-7 at exactly 11.25pm maintaining his 100% record and adding another big scalp to his belt. Matthew has come of age this year and his work rate and determination combined with ever increasing range of winning shots has endeared him to the Duffield supporters.
Nottingham manager Phil Songhurst said "It is great to see another young Englishman who can live with the world's top players. He proved this and it was great outcome for Duffield".
Jonah Barrington once likened squash to fox hunting after he had watched me beat Andrew Shelley in a special challenge match. Bewildered by the respective lack of skills of both would be players he offered the following advice "hunt your opponent down and then go in for the kill". The players on the wrong end last night all displayed an abundance of skill and running but some must have known how that poor fox feels.
Duffield move into second position 2 points clear of Edgbaston who travel to Duffield on 17 February with the likely reward for the winner a play off spot against Group B high fliers TVS Broxbourne. Duffield's final tie is against 100% group leaders Manchester - Pontefract on 9 March just 3 days before Cassie gets married.
Duffield hope to be at full strength against Edgbaston with the only change being the charismatic Frenchman Renan Lavigne, world 20, replacing the unavailable in form Dan Jenson.
Words of inspiration from International Motivational Speaker and blind club member Miles Hilton- Barber have inspired the Duffield players. Despite being totally blind Miles has climbed Himalayas mountains, flown a plane, run 150 miles across Sahara desert, dragged a sledge 400 miles over the Antarctica and travelled around the world in over 80 different ways over 93 days. etc etc. (see website mileshilton-barber.com)
"There is only one real failure in life that is possible, and that is not to be true to the best one knows." (John Farrar)
Thanks To Phil and Bob and all at Nottingham for your hospitality - the tie and presentation was a great advert for NL squash.
