Manchester-Pontefract claim narrow victory to end Duffield's play off hopes
League leaders Manchester-Pontefract won their last league match of the season 3-2, against play off hopefuls Duffield to secure the leagues only 100% record of the season.
With the play offs already ensured, the home side could afford to be without Marcus Berrett and Vanessa Atkinson against a Duffield side that still carried faint play offs aspirations, but were forced to rest Cassie Jackman, to comply with the under 23 women rule. The maths were complicated but effectively Duffield had to do better than Edgbaston, who were at home against an injury hit Wolverhampton.
The Duffield squad arrived more in hope than expectation but as events unfolded on court, a surprise win looked possible. Paul Hargrave battled with Nick Taylor through to a fifth game and with Vicky Lankester doing likewise on the second court, two turn ups were on the cards. As it turned out, Vicky Lankester managed to close out a tight fifth but Nick Taylor proved too experienced to let Hargrave match her valiant efforts.
One all quickly became 2-1 to Duffield as Joey Kemp made short work of Manchester's Andy Whipp, following a close first game.
Next up was the World Team Championships re match - Willstrop v Lavigne. Willstrop started slowly, with the tenacious Frenchman taking advantage of a series of errors. As the match progressed though, Willstrop began to exert his greater control and ended up claiming a 3-1 victory to set up the decider.
So it came down to Lee Beachill v Nick Matthew, fellow England Internationals and now both in the world's top ten. The tie was even up to the pivotal third game, where Matthew held game balls for a 2-1 lead, before Beachill squeezed out that game and then took the fourth to ensure his sides tenth win of the season.
With another 3-2 win secured, we can look forward to the play offs against Chichester, but what a brave fight Duffield put up! They probably knew the game was up once they had lost the last match to Edgbaston, but every player showed commitment to the cause and were a credit to their manager, Brian Hargrave.
Footnote
It had been suggested in some quarters that I should field a weakened team, to allow Duffield a win at the expense of the dangerous Edgbaston! - a suggestion I never seriously considered, but I guess would have been within the rules!. I did however, notice that Edgbaston assistant team manager, Nick Hynes was in attendance, perhaps to ensure proceedings were all above board and to relay updates to Matt Suckling in Birmingham!
