It's Seven for Surrey
click image for larger view Virgin
Active Surrey claimed a seventh PSL title as they beat local rivals
9 Telecom St George's Hill five-nil in tonight's final, played out
at St George's Hill in front of a packed crowd.
Neither team were able to field their strongest lineup, but while St
George's were hoping that home advantage would tell as they aimed to
take a first title having lost out in the 2011, 2012 and 2015
finals, Surrey started favourites to make it seven wins out of seven
appearances in the final.
Alison Waters got Surrey off to the ideal start as she accelerated
away after taking a close opening game against Dominique
Lloyd-Walter.
Meanwhile Bradley Masters let a two game lead slip against Paul
Rawden before reasserting in the fifth to put Surrey two up.
In the second match on the glass court Charles Sharpes dealt the
winning blows for Surrey as he beat Charlie Lee in three close games
to settle the match.
Surrey's Piedro Schweertman made it four-nil after Phil Nightingale
was forced to retire with a hamstring injury early in their second
game, and Ali Farag put the icing on the cake as he beat Tom
Richards in an entertaining three games on the glass court.
"It's and incredible achievement to win this seven times," said a
delighted Surrey Manager Pete Smith, "the players have done us proud
again. It's been a tough season, we've had some great battles and a
few losses but to come through again in the final is a tribute to
everyone involved with the team.
"Seven wins in eleven PSL seasons isn't a bad record!"
9 Telecom St George's Hill 0-5
Virgin Active Surrey
Tom Richards 0-3 Ali Farag 9/11, 9/11, 9/11 (27m)
Charlie Lee 0-3 Charles Sharpes 9/11, 8/11, 5/11 (36m)
Phil Nightingale 0-3 Piedro Schweertman 2/11, 0/4 rtd (14m)
Paul Rawden 2-3 Bradley Masters 6/11, 6/11, 11/9, 11/7, 6/11 (62m)
Dom Lloyd-Walter 0-3 Alison Waters 10/12, 6/11, 3/11 (24m)
It will be an all-Surrey PSL final next
week after Virgin Active Surrey and 9 Telecom St George's Hill won
two nailbiting semi-finals which both went down to deciding matches.
Six-time champions Surrey travelled to Division A winners Everards
Leicester, in just their second season in the league, and quickly
took the lead through Alison Waters, just back from helping England
win another European Team title in Warsaw.
Ben Coleman put Leicester level with an
impressive win over Peter Barker, but Charles Sharpes came from 1-2
down to beat Angus Gillams and restore Surrey's lead. Leicester
number one Daryl Selby set up the decider as he beat Egyptian Karim
Abdel Gawad in straight games, but it was Surrey's Lyell Fuller who
settled the match as he beat Leicester skipper Darren Lewis in four
games.
Division B winners St George's hosted
defending champions Benz Bavarian Duffield in a repeat of last
year's final, and as in the other match it was the visitors who took
the lead via the women's match, Duffield's Laura Massaro easing past
Dom Lloyd-Walter in three.
Local favourite Charlie Lee drew St Goerge's level, but in the
second string match Duffield's Declan James put in a great
performance to beat Tom Richards in three to put Duffield back in
front. St George's Dutchman Dylan Bennett levelled the match to set
up a decider between top strings Borja Golan and Chris Simpson.
In front of a full-house crowd this went the distance too, but
ultimately it was St George's Golan who gained some revenge for last
year's final disappointment as he won a see-saw encounter to
dethrone Duffield and put the home side back into the final.
The final takes place at St George's on Tuesday 17th May.
RESULTS Everards Leicester 2-3 Virgin Active Surrey
Daryl Selby 3-0 Karim Abdel Gawad 11-3, 11-2, 11-6.
Ben Coleman 3-0 Peter Barker 11-6, 11-8, 13-11
Angus Gillams 2-3 Charles Sharpes 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 7-11,1 -11
Darren Lewis 1-3 Lyell Fuller 4-11, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11
Emily Whitlock 0-3 Alison Waters 5-11 , 8-11, 5-11
9 Telecom St George's Hill 3-2 Benz Bavarian Duffield
Borja Golan 3-2 Chris Simpson 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5
Tom Richards 0-3 Declan James 6-11, 9-11, 9-11
Dylan Bennett 3-0 Joel Hinds 11-6, 12-10, 11-3
Charlie Lee 3-1 Julian Tomlinson 11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8
Dom Lloyd-Walter 0-3 Laura Massaro 6-11, 5-11, 1-11
In the final round of league action
semi-final places were up for grabs in both divisions, but at the
end of play the four teams who started the day in the top positions
recorded the wins they needed to claim their places in the playoffs.
In Division A just two points separated
the top three teams, but long-time leaders Everards Leicester and
reigning champions Benz Bavarian Duffield both recorded the 5-0 wins
they needed to progress. Leicester's win away to neighbours Air-IT
Nottingham condemned the home side to bottom place; Duffield's home
win against Pontefract left the still one point behind Leicester;
University of Birmingham Lions' 4-1 win at Coolhurst London left
them in thrid place, just outside the playoff positions.
In Division B the top two of 9 Telecom
St George's Hill and Virgin Active Surrey had simpler tasks - any
sot of wins would do for them and they duly delivered. St George's
beat playoff hopefuls Team Chichester 4-1 to clinch top spot;
six-time champions Surrey needed to win the deciding match away to
UWE/Elite Squash Bristol, which they did courtesy of a 3-2 win for
Karim Abdel Gawad over in-form Marwan Elshorbagy; Clubnet Winchester
squeezed out a narrow home win over Exeter Diamonds but remain in
bottom place.
The semi-finals will be Leicester v
Surrey and - in a repeat of last year's final - St George's v
Duffield.
Division A
Air-IT Nottingham 0-5 Everards Leicester (3-20) Eddie Charlton 1-3 Daryl
Selby 9-11, 11-9, 6-11 9-11
Chris Fuller 1-3 Shaun Le Roux 11-9, 6-11, 4-11, 10-12
Mark Fuller 1-3 Ben Coleman 10-12, 7-11, 11-7, 6-11
Matthew Broadberry 0-3 Angus Gillams 4-11, 0-11
Janice Lam 0-3 Emily Whitlock 6-11, 2-11, 4-11
Benz Bavarian Duffield 5-0 Pontefract (20-3) Chris Simpson 3-1 Evan Williams 11-3, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8
Declan James 3-1 Patrick Rooney 6-11, 11-6, 19-17, 13-11
Richie Fallows 3-0 Alex Hodgetts 11-7, 12-10, 11-4
Adam Murrills 3-1 Taminder Gata-Aura 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2
Laura Massaro 3-0 Hollie Naughton 11-5, 11-1, 11-6
Coolhurst London 1-4 University of Birmingham Lions (6-18) Cameron Pilley 3-1 Steve Coppinger 14-16, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
Joe Green 1 -3 Jaymie Haycocks 8-11, 5-11, 11-8,8-11
Nick Mulvey 0-3 Peter Creed 10-12, 4-11, 11-13
Steve London 0-3 Joel Makin 7-11, 3-11, 7-11
Donna Urquhart 2-3 Sarah-Jane Perry 11-7, 1-11, 11-8, 4-11 11-13
Division B
9Telecom St George's Hill 4-1 Team Chichester 18-4) Borja Golan 3-0 Adrian Waller 11-6, 11-6, 11-8
Tom Richards 3-1 Robbie Temple 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8
Henrik Mustonen 3-0 Nathan Lake 11-8, 11-8, 11-9
Charlie Lee 3-0 Kyle Finch 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
Dom Lloyd-Walter 1-3 Lauren Briggs 11-5, 8-1, 12-14, 6-11
The penultimate round
of the Premier Squash League was a tense affair for many of the
twelve teams, with three Division A clubs having changes of making
the playoffs, four Division B clubs all within six points of each
other, while some were aiming to avoid finishing bottom which could
see them replaced next season.
There were no
nailbiting finishes tonight though, and no definite decisions made
with all four semi-final places still undecided with just one round
left.
Division A leaders
Everards Leicester were playing their last
home match against defending champions Benz Bavarian Duffield,
who started 11 points adrift. The home team knew that a 5-0 win
would guarantee them a place in the semi-finals, and with Duffield
again missing Nick Matthew a home win looked on the cards. It was
Duffield's renowned fighting spirit that prevailed though as they
took a 4-1 win to close the gap to a single point.
Starting just a point behind Duffield, University of Birmingham Lions
took advantage of the visit of bottom club
Air-IT Nottingham
as they won the first three rubbers to clinch victory, rounding off
a 4-1 win that leaves them still one point behind Duffield!
Coolhurst
London,starting
just a point ahead of Nottingham, also took advantage of a Pontefract team which lost its top
players late on, recording a thumping 5-0 win to ease those
'relegation' worries as they overtook Pontefract to move into fourth
place.
Division B leaders 9 Telecom St George's Hill had a long trip to
Exeter
Diamonds,
and after narrowly losing the women's match their four men quickly
wrapped up the win which keeps them top of the table and looking
good for a return to the playoffs.
Neighbouring Virgin Active Surrey,
three points behind in second place at the start, had a shorter trip
to bottom placed
ClubNet Winchester
and quickly wrapped up their win with victories in the opening pairs
of matches. Winchester's Gregory Gaultier beat Karim Abdel Gawad 3-2
in the final match giving Surrey 19 points to maintain close order
with St George's.
Team
Chichester
were at home to UWE/Elite Squash Bristol,
both knowing that defeat could put a serious dent in their playoff
prospects. In the event it was the home side who prevailed, taking
the three middle-order matches while Bristol won at first and fifth
strings to limit the damage.
RESULTS
Division A Everards Leicester 1-4
Benz Bavarian Duffield (7-17)
Daryl Selby 2-3 Chris Simpson 11-5, 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12
Nafiizwan Adnan 1-3 Declan James 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 5-11
Shaun Le Roux 0-3 Richie Fallows 8-11, 7-11, 8-11
Ben Coleman 3-0 Adam Murrills 11-3, 11-9, 11-6
Coline Aumard 1-3 Laura Massaro 7-11, 11-5, 4-11, 6-11
University of Birmingham Lions 4-1 Air-IT Nottingham (17-4)
Jaymie Haycocks 0-3 Eddie Charlton 5-11, 10-12, 4-11
Peter Creed 3-1 Chris Fuller 13-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7
Chris Ryder 3-0 Matthew Broadberry 11-4, 11-8, 11-9
Joel Makin 3-0 Owain Taylor 11-4, 11-9 , 11-5
Sarah-Jane Perry 3-0 Heidi Mather 11-4, 11-5, 11-6
Coolhurst London 5-0
Pontefract (20-3)
Greg Lobban 3-1 LJ Anjema 11-6, 13-11, 5-11, 11-7
Raphael Kandra 3-0 Patrick Rooney 11-4, 12-10, 11-8
Nick Mulvey 3-1 Taminder Gata-Aura 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8
Steve London 3-0 Lewis Doughty 11-9, 11-7, 11-2
Donna Urquhart 3-1 Fiona Moverley 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2
Division B Team Chichester 3-2 UWE/Elite
Squash Bristol (17-8)
Adrian Waller 2-3 Marwan Elshorbagy 11-7, 9-11, 14-12, 5-11, 13-15
Paul Coll 3-1 Tom Ford 7-11, 11-5 , 11-5, 11-9
Robbie Temple 3-0 Mike Harris 11-8,11-6, 11-8
Kyle Finch 3-1 David Haley 6-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-3
Lauren Briggs 1-3 Tesni Evans 11-5, 5-11, 5-11, 13-15
Exeter Diamonds 1-4 9
Telecom St George's Hill (5-19)
Olli Tuominen 0-3 Borja Golan 4-11, 6-11, 7-11
Ollie Pett 1-3 Tom Richards 14-12, 8-11, 7-11, 8-11
Tim Vail 0-3 Joe Lee 7-11, 4-11, 2-11
David Evans 1-3 Henrik Mustonen 6-11, 12-10, 4-11, 7-11
Natalie Lawrence 3-2 Rawan Elkalaawy 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7
Leicester open up a gap as Surrey pair creep ahead in Division B The eighth round
of PSA league action saw Division A leaders Everards
Leicester emulate
their football neighbours as they opened up a gap at the top of
Division A with a 4-1 win away to
Pontefract.
Fiona Moverley put the Yorkshire side ahead, but Leicester bounced
back with wins in all four men’s strings, Daryl Selby rounding out
the win with an entertaining five game win over LJ Anjema.
Benz Bavarian Duffield started
the day only a point behind Leicester, but the defending champions
couldn’t find their customary escape route as visitors University of Birmingham Lions
came away with a 3-2 win and only two points dropped. The match came
down to a decider in which Birmingham’s Steve Coppinger beat Chris
Simpson 3-1, putting Birmingham just one point behind Duffield, who
are now 11 points behind Leicester.
The self-billed “relegation decider” at the bottom of the table also
went to a deciding tie, with Coolhurst London
taking the spoils over
Air-IT Nottingham
courtesy of a straight games win by Greg Lobban at the top string,
listing them off the bottom of the table - by a single point.
With two rounds to go the Division still looks like a three-way
battle, but it may be more about who joins Leicester in the
playoffs.
Division B started - and ended - the evening as a four-way tussle
for playoff places, but big wins by neighbours 9 Telecom St George’s Hill and Virgin Active Surrey
may have made them slight favourites for the top positions.
St George’s stormed to a 5-0 home win over struggling ClubNet Winchester
while Surrey, also at home, dropped just one point as they beat
fellow contenders Team Chichester 4-1. Surrey’s recently retired Peter
Barker, playing at number two for the first time, went down 2-3 to
Robbie Temple for Chichester’s only win, although Piedro Schweertman
had to save match balls in the fourth before completing the match
with a win over Nathan Lake.
The West Country derby went the way of home side UWE/Elite Squash Bristol
as they kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over
Exeter Diamonds.
With Bristol, leading 3-1 the final match saw ElShorbagy brothers
Marwan and Mohamed clash in the top string, with Bristol's Marwan
winning in five - as he did in the first half.
Results
Division A Pontefract 1-4
Everards Leicester (5-17)
Laurens Jan Anjema 2-3 Daryl Selby 11-5, 9-11, 13-11, 9-11, 6-11
Simon Parke 0-3 Nafiizwan Adnan 6-11, 5-11, 4-11
Lee Beachill 0-3 Angus Gillams 2-11, 6-11, 5-11
Sam Wileman 0-3 Darren Lewis 6-11, 3-11, 10-12
Fiona Moverley 3-0 Coline Aumard 11-9, 11-8, 11-3
Air-IT Nottingham
2-3 Coolhurst London (6-16)
Eddie Charlton 0-3 Greg Lobban 3-11, 4-11 , 11-13
Chris Fuller 3-2 Joe Green 11-5, 6-11, 11-13, 11-3, 11-7
Mark Fuller 0-3 Rui Soares 5-11, 5-11, 6-11
Matthew Broadberry 3-0 Nick Mulvey 11-7, 11-2, 12-10
Hana Ramadan 0-3 Donna Urquhart 7-11, 9-11 , 6-11
Benz Bavarian
Duffield 2-3 University of Birmingham Lions (7-18)
Chris Simpson 1-3 Steve Coppinger 4-11, 11-0, 4-11, 4-11
Richie Fallows 3-2 Jaymie Haycocks 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9
Joel Hinds 0-3 Chris Ryder 8-11, 6-11, 7-11
Adam Murrills 3-2 Jan Van Den Herrewegen 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11,
11-1
Millie Tomlinson 0-3 Sarah-Jane Perry 4-11, 6-11, 6-11
Division B
Virgin Active Surrey 4-1 Team Chichester (19-7)
Ali Farag 3-1 Adrian Waller 6-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Peter Barker 2-3 Robbie Temple 11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 11-5, 8-11
Piedro Schweertman 3-2 Nathan Lake 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11, 11-7
Lyell Fuller 3-1 Kyle Finch 10-12, 11-8, 14-12, 11-3
Alison Waters 3-0 Lauren Briggs 11-4, 11-4, 11-1
9
Telecom St George's Hill 5-0 ClubNet Winchester (20-2)
Borja Golan 3-1 Nicolas Mueller 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3
Tom Richards 3-0 Scott Handley 11-9, 11-6, 11-2
Dylan Bennett 3-0 Adam Corcoran 11-9, 12-10, 11-7
Charlie Lee 3-1 Robbie Keefe 10-12 , 11-2, 11-4, 11-8
Dom Lloyd-Walter 3-0 Gina Kennedy 11-8, 11-5, 11-2
UWE/Elite Squash Bristol 4-1
Exeter Diamonds (17-10)
Marwan Elshorbagy 3-2 Mohamed Elshorbagy 11-5, 4-11, 8-11, 11-5,
11-7
Tom Ford 3-2 Tim Vail 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5
David Haley 0-3 David Evans 4-11, 5-11, 3-11
Abdelrahman Soliman 3-1 Sam Ellis 12-10, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9
Ellie Epke 3-2 Amelia Henley 7-11, 11-9, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9
Leicester hold on to top spot asChichester
rise in Division B
After last week’s
British Nationals it was down to League business for many of the
competitors in Manchester as the PSL season continued with the
seventh round of matches.
In Division A
champions Benz Bavarian Duffield
were able to field both National Champions, Nick Matthew and Laura
Massaro, and a heavy victory looked on the cards against visitors
Coolhurst
London.
In the end Duffield collected 19 points in a 4-1 win, but were made
to work hard for it - in the first two matches as Massaro edged past
Donna Urquhart 11-9 in the fifth and Ashley Davies lost out in five
to Nick Mulvey, and while Matthew, Chris Simpson and Declan James
all won ion straight games, they were all close.
Leaders
Everards Leicester
were at home to fellow playoff contenders University of Birmingham Lions,
who travelled with a depleted lineup. Sarah-Jane Perry shrugged off
her Nationals disappointment to beat Emily Whitlock in straight
games to put Birmingham ahead, but Leicester took all four men’s
matches to notch up a 4-1 win, stayi ng top of the table by a single
point.
Pontefract
were able to field their strongest side, which proved too strong for
visitors
Air-IT Nottingham,
the Yorkshire side winning 4-1 to leapfrog Nottingham in the table.
In Division
B
there were home wins for UWE/Elite Squash Bristol.
Virgin
Active Surrey
and Team
Chichester,
leaving four clubs still in close proiximity at the top of the
table.
Bristol beat visitors ClubNet Winchester
4-1 with newly-crowned National U21 champion Gina Kennedy taking the
only win for the visitors.
Surrey beat leaders and neighbours 9 Telecom St George’s Hill 4-1, but
it was a closer match than the lineups seemed to indicate, Karim
Abdel Gawad coming from two games down against Joe Lee in the final
match to round off the win for Surrey.
Team Chichester were at home to Exeter Diamonds
and needed wins from the top three in the order to take the win as
Amelia Henley and Micah Franklin won at four and five for the
visitors.
Chichester go top of the table by seven points, but St George’s,
Bristol and Surrey are all in close order just behind.
RESULTS
Division A Benz Bavarian Duffield 4-1
Coolhurst London (19-5)
Nick Matthew 3-0 Greg Lobban 13-11, 11-8, 11-6
Chris Simpson 3-0 Joe Green 11-7, 12-10, 12-10
Declan James 3-0 Ondrej Uherka 11-8, 12-10, 11-7
Ashley Davies 2-3 Nick Mulvey 4-11, 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 3-11
Laura Massaro 3-2 Donna Urquhart 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9
Pontefract 4-1 Air-IT Nottingham
(19-4)
James Willstrop 3-0 Eddie Charlton 11-4, 11-7, 11-7
Laurens Jan Anjema 3-0 Chris Fuller 11-4, 11-6, 11-9
Aqeel Rehman 2-3 Mark Fuller 11-7, 6-11, 1-11, 11-5, 7-11
Patrick Rooney 3-1 Matthew Broadberry 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3
Fiona Moverley 3-0 Hana Ramadan 11-5, 12-10, 11-9
Everards Leicester
4-1 University of Birmingham Lions (17-4)
Daryl Selby 3-1 Joel Makin 11-6, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9
Nafiizwan Adnan 3-0 Miles Jenkins 11-8, 11-3, 11-8
Ben Coleman 3-0 Emyr Evans 11-6, 12-10, 11-7
George Parker 3-0 Tom Power 11-9, 11-7, 11-5
Emily Whitlock 0-3 Sarah-Jane Perry 8-11, 6-11, 3-11
Division B UWE/Elite Squash
Bristol 4-1 ClubNet Winchester (18-3)
Tom Ford 3-0 Robert Downer 11–8, 11-3, 11-7 (31m)
Josh Masters 3-0 Scott Handley 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (22m)
Youssef Soliman 3-0 Rory Pennell 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (27m)
Mike Harris 3-0 Adam Corcoran 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (20m)
Ellie Epke 1-3 Gina Kennedy 12-10, 8-11, 4-11 , 7-11 (25m)
Virgin Active
Surrey 4-1 9 Telecom St George’s Hill (18-7)
Karim Abdel Gawad 3-2 Joe Lee 3-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7,11-6
Gregoire Marche 1-3 Dylan Bennett 10-12, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11
Lyell Fuller 3-0 Phil Nightingale 11-5, 11-3, 11-8
Ben Ford 3-1 Paul Rawden 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 13-11
Alison Thomson 3-1 Rawan Elkalaawy 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-5
Team Chichester
3-2 Exeter Diamonds (16-6)
Paul Coll 3-0 Tim Vail 14-12, 12-10, 11-3
Robbie Temple 3-0 David Evans 11-9, 11-6, 11-9
Nathan Lake 3-0 James Peach 11-3, 11-9, 11-5
Brandon Hanley 2-3 Micah Franklin 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 4-11, 10-12
Lauren Briggs 0-3 Amelia Henley 7-11, 7-11, 2-11
The second half of the
PSL season started with reverse fixtures from the opening round last
October.
It was tight at the top of both Divisions with Leicester, Duffield
and Birmingham separated by just two points in Division A, while in
Division B there was a four-way tussle for playoff places with St
George’s, Bristol, Chichester and Surrey all within five points of
each other - and tonight’s results mean that both divisions remain -
tight at the top!
University of Birmingham Lions
roared to the top of the table - on ties difference - with a
resounding 5-0 win over Pontefract, although Jaymie
Haycocks had to come from two games down against Saurav Ghosal to
clinch maximum points for the home side.
Everards Leicester continued their impressive run
in their second season in the league, going 3-0 up away to
Coolhurst London. Simon Rosner beat Daryl Selby at the top
string to put the home side on the board, but Leicester favourite
George Parker rounded off the 4-1 win to put Leicester level with
Birmingham on 94 points.
The late withdrawal of number one Chris Simpson was bad news for
reigning champions Benz Bavarian Duffield as they
travelled to neighbours Air-IT Nottingham for a
match that looked finely balanced before that withdrawal. The tie
wend the distance in front of a sellout home crowd, but it was
Declan James - formerly a Nottingham player - who produced yet
another narrow win for Duffield as he beat Alan Clyne 3-1 in the
decider to put Duffield on 91 points.
In Division B leaders 9 Telecom St George’s Hill
maintained their top placing with a 4-1 home win over UWE/Elite
Squash Bristol, for whom British Junior Open champion
Youssef Soliman made a winning debut.
Team Chichester piled the pressure on though with
and emphatic 5-0 away win at ClubNet Winchester,
all five matches finishing 3-0, as they moved to 91 points, just 2
behind St George’s.
Six-time champions Virgin Active Surrey travelled
to Exeter Diamonds with the home side yet to record
a win this season. David Evans and Amelia Henley got Exeter off to a
great start but Charles Sharpes and Omar Abdel Meguid levelled the
match for Surrey. In the decider the home crowd urged Olii Tuominen
on to a 3-1 win over Peter Barker.
Surrey earned enough points to move to 81, two ahead of Bristol, but
both will be looking for good results in the next round on 16th Feb
to prevent the gap to the top two growing.
RESULTS
Division A Coolhurst London 1-4
Everards Leicester (5-18)
Simon Rosner 3-1 Daryl Selby 11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9
Mahesh Mangaonkar 1-3 Nafiizwan Adnan 11-7, 6-11, 4-11, 9-11
Adam Auckland 1-3 George Parker
Joe Green 0-3 Angus Gillams 6-11, 9-11, 6-11
Judith Allgrove 0-3 Coline Aumard 1-11, 2-11, 4-11
Air-IT Nottingham 2-3
Benz Bavarian Duffield (9-16)
Alan Clyne 1-3 Declan James 10-12, 5-11, 11-9, 6-11
Eddie Charlton 3-2 Richie Fallows 12-10, 5-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8
Chris Fuller 1-3 Adam Murrills 6-11, 11-9, 9-11, 2-11
Mark Fuller 3-0 Julian Tomlinson 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
Hana Ramadan 1-3 Laura Massaro 8-11, 10-12, 11-9, 10-12
University of Birmingham
Lions 5-0 Pontefract (20-5)
Jaymie Haycocks 3-2 Saurav Ghosal 5-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8
Chris Ryder 3-2 Eain Yow Ng 9-11, 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7
Joel Makin 3-0 Patrick Rooney 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
Miles Jenkins 3-1 Sam Wileman 11-6, 11-2, 10-12, 11-9
Sarah-Jane Perry 3-0Katie Smith 11-1, 11-2, 11-3
Division B ClubNet
Winchester 0-5 Team Chichester (0-20)
Zahed Mohamed 0-3 Adrian Waller 5-11, 9-11, 8-11
Robert Downer 0-3 Paul Coll 4-11, 10-12, 4-11
Scott Handley 0-3 Robbie Temple 9-11, 9-11, 12-14
Adam Corcoran 0-3 Nathan Lake 11-13, 0-11, 2-11
Sachika Ingale 0-3 Lauren Briggs 7-11, 6-11, 4-11
9 Telecom
St George’s Hill 4-1 UWE/Elite Squash Bristol (17-5)
Borja Golan 3-0 Marwan Elshorbagy 11-9, 11-9, 11-6
Tom Richards 3-0 Tom Ford 11-7, 11-4, 11-4
Joe Lee 3-2 Josh Masters 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 11-2
Phil Nightingale 0-3 Youssef Soliman 4-11, 4-11, 4-11
Yathreb Adel 3-0 Ellie Epke 11-9, 11-8, 11-9
Exeter
Diamonds 3-2 Virgin Active Surrey (17-10)
Olli Tuominen 3-1 Peter Barker 11-5. 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 (46m)
Tim Vail 1-3 Omar Abdel Meguid 11-5, 5-11, 5-11, 8-11 (33m)
James Snell 2-3 Charles Sharpes 3-11, 13-11, 11-7, 5-11, 4-11 (51m)
David Evans 3-2 Piedro Schweertman 11-4, 12-10, 10-12, 5-11, 11-6
(56m)
Amelia Henley 3-1 Alison Thomson 11-8, 11-2, 11-3 (25m)
Three-two results abound as the points gaps narrow The first half of the
PSL season concluded with a series of close finishes as the points
gaps in both tables narrowed, setting up an exciting second half of
the season.
In Division A Birmingham were quickly out of the
blocks as they beat visitors
Coolhurst
3-0 in the first four tie before Peter Creed rounded off a 5-0 win
as he beat James Earles in five games.
That put the Lions top of the table on 74 points, but they left
sweating on the results of the other two matches in the division,
both of which went the distance.
Champions Duffield
travelled to Pontefract without their top
players Nick Matthew and Laura Massaro, but Millie Tomlinson and
Richie Fallows won for Duffield to cancel out Pontefract victories
for Patrick Rooney and LJ Anjema. In the top string decider
Duffield’s Chris Simpson came from a game down to beat James
Willstrop, putting Duffield just ahead of Birmingham on 75 points.
Level with Duffield at the start of the evening, Leicester were at home to bottom
of the table Nottingham but also found
themselves needing to win the last match. Hana Ramadan beat Emily
Whitlock 3-2 to give Nottingham a great start, and Nottingham
skipper Mark Fuller also won in five against George Parker. Ben
Coleman and Angus Gillams won for the home side, and in the top
string decider Daryl Selby edged past Alan Clyne in five to put
Leicester on 76 points and top of the table for Christmas.
In Division B all three matches finished 3-2 with two of them going
down to a deciding match. Exeter and Winchester were both looking for
their first wins, and after the first four matches were shared it
was Winchester’s Mohamed Abouelghar who took the spoils as he beat
Olli Tuominen in the #1 deciding match. Winchester stay bottom
though, still 8 points behind Exeter.
Surrey were looking to get
their bid to regain the title back on track, and wins for Charles
Sharpes and Alison Waters - who needed all five games to get past
Tesni Evans - put them in command against visitors Bristol.
Mike Harris pulled one back for Bristol as he recorded a fine win
over Adrian Grant but Ali Farag clinched the win for Surrey. In the
top string match Peter Barker, who played his last PSA match againt
Mohamed Elshorbagy ast week in Hong Kong, faced the younger
Elshorbagy, Marwan. Barker fought back from two-nil down but it was
the Egyptian who took the decider.
Chichester welcomed the visit of
unbeaten leaders St George’s Hill
and the match swung one way then the other - Lauren Briggs put
Chichester ahead, Jo Lee levelled. Kyle Finch put Chichester back in
front, Tom Richards levelled it again. In the decider Paul Coll,
just back from his win in the London Open, came from a game down to
record a great 3-1 win over Borja Golan.
Chichester are still in fourth place on 71 points and St George’s
still top on 76, but with just five points between the top four
teams the two playoff positions are very much up for grabs in the
second half.
RESULTS
Division A Everards Leicester 3-2 Air-IT Nottingham (18-9)
Daryl Selby 3-2 Alan Clyne 8-11, 11-x, 11-x, 10-12, 11-6
Ben Coleman 3-1 Chris Fuller 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
George Parker 2-3 Mark Fuller 7-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11
Angus Gillams 3-0 Matthew Broadberry 11-5, 11-3, 11-4
Emily Whitlock 2-3 Hana Ramadan 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11
Pontefract 2-3 Benz Bavarian Duffield (7-17)
James Willstrop 1-3 Chris Simpson 11-9, 6-11, 9-11, 7-11
Laurens Jan Anjema 3-2 Declan James 11-5, 5-11, 11-3, 4-11, 11-8
Simon Parke 0-3 Richie Fallows 5-11, 4-11, 6-11
Patrick Rooney 3-1 Ashley Davies 13-15, 11-9, 15-13, 11-5
Fiona Moverley 0-3 Millie Tomlinson 6-11, 5-11, 14-16
University of Birmingham Lions 5-0 Coolhurst London (20-2)
Peter Creed 3-2 James Earles 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9
Chris Ryder 3-0 Rui Soares 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
Joel Makin 3-0 Joe Green 11-3, 11-6, 11-5
Miles Jenkins 3-0 Paddy Harrison 11-7, 11-8, 11-3
Sarah-Jane Perry 3-0 Selina Sinclair 11-0, 11-2, 11-2
Division B Team Chichester 3-2 9 Telecom St George's Hill (16-7)
Paul Coll 3-1 Borja Golan 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13 (68m)
Robbie Temple 1-3 Tom Richards 11-8, 3-11, 4-11, 13-15
Nathan Lake 1-3 Joe Lee 11-4, 8-11, 4-11, 4-11
Kyle Finch 3-0 Charlie Lee 11-7, 11-9, 11-7
Lauren Briggs 3-0 Dom Lloyd-Walter 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (24m)
Virgin Active Surrey 3-2 UWE / Elite Squash Bristol (16-10)
Peter Barker 2-3 Marwan Elshorbagy 3-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7, 4-11
Ali Farag 3-1 Josh Masters 11-9, 11-8, 9-11 , 11-4
Adrian Grant 0-3 Mike Harris 4-11, 9-11, 15-17
Charles Sharpes 3-1 David Haley 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8
Alison Waters 3-2 Tesni Evans 8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9
Exeter Diamonds 2-3 ClubNet Winchester (8-15)
Olli Tuominen 1-3 Mohamed Abouelghar 10-12, 11-2, 7-11, 11-13 (44m)
Tim Vail 3-1 Robert Downer 14-12, 8-11, 11-9, 13-11 (54m)
James Snell 0-3 Scott Handley 7-11, 9-11, 7-11 (30m)
David Evans 3-0 Scott Fitzgerald 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (18m)
Tory Temple-Murray 1-3 Jenny Haley 11-9, 4-11, 1-11, 4-11 (21m)
The fourth round of the England Squash Premier Squash League
featured a number of close finishes, and a first defeat of the
season for the defending champions.
Group A leaders Benz Bavarian Duffield,
strengthened by the availability Nick Matthew on his return from the
World Champs in Bellevue, took the lead as Laura Massaro beat Emily
Whitlock, but visitors Everards Leicester took the
next three men’s matches to inflict Duffield’s first defeat. Daryl
Selbe was leading 2-0 in the final match when Matthew retired
injured, giving Leicester enough of a gap to put them level with
Duffield on 58 points at the top of the table.
Univerity of Birmingham Lions visited
Air-IT Nottingham, with both teams looking for a win to
boost their playoff credentials, and after Alan Clyne had put
Nottingham ahead in the top string match, it was Birmingham who took
control, and the victory, with wins from Sarah-Jane Perry, Chris
Ryder and Joel Makin, with Jan Van Den Herrewegen making it 4-1
overall with a 3-2 win against Nottingham skipper Mark Fuller to
finish.
Pontefract and London Coolhurst
have both struggled so far this season, and their match went down to
the wire. The first four matches were shared, Patrick Rooney and
Lewis Doughty with 3-0 wins for Pontefract while Coolhurst’s Nick
Sutcliffe and Madeline Perry both edged home in five. In the decider
World semi-finalist James Willstrop found himself two games down
against James Earles, and match-ball down in the fourth before
finally winning the match in five to give Pontefract a first win of
the season.
In Group B leaders 9 Telecom St George’s
Hill kept their fine start to the season going as they
raced into a match-winning 3-0 lead against struggling
Exeter Diamonds, finishing it off 4-1 to stay at the top of
the table.
Neighbours Virgin Active Surrey kept in tough with
the leaders with a win at home to bottom of the table
ClubNet Winchester, but the visitors won the first and last
matches thanks to Gina Kennedy and Zahed Mohamed.
Second and third in the table UWE/Elite Squash Bristol
and Team Chichester met, with visitors Chichester
coming within an ace of victory. Lauren Briggs put Chichester ahead,
and with the visitors leading 2-1 Matt Hopkin held match ball only
to see Bristol’s Josh Masters fight back to take the fourth and
fifth games 13-11, 17-15. Marwan Elshorbagy made that count as he
came from a game down against Robbie Temple to clinch the win for
Bristol to keep them in second place.
RESULTS
Group A
Benz Bavarian Duffield 1-4 Everards Leicester (6-17)
Nick Matthew 0-3 Daryl Selby 7-11, 3-11, rtd
Declan James 1-3 Nafiizwan Adnan 11-8, 8-11, 10-12, 5-11
Richie Fallows 2-3 Shaun Le Roux 9-11, 14-16, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11
Danny Hockburn 0-3 Ben Coleman 6-11, 7-11, 6-11
Laura Massaro 3-0 Emily Whitlock 11-6, 11-2, 11-5
Air-IT Nottingham 1-4 University of Birmingham Lions (8-17)
Alan Clyne 3-0 Peter Creed 11-7, 11-4, 11-2
Eddie Charlton 0-3 Chris Ryder 4-11, 8-11, 6-11
Chris Fuller 2-3 Joel Makin 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 5-11
Mark Fuller 2-3 Jan Van Den Herrewegen 9-11, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 4-11
Hana Ramadan 1-3 Sarah-Jane Perry 6-11, 10-12, 12-10, 3-11
Pontefract 3-2 Coolhurst London(18-8)
James Willstrop 3-2 James Earles 8-11, 6-11, 11-8, 16-14, 11-4
Patrick Rooney 3-0 Adam Auckland 11-6, 11-9, 11-5
Alex Hodgetts 2-3 Nick Sutcliffe 11-5, 11-4, 11-13, 6-11, 6-11
Lewis Doughty 3-0 Paddy Harrison 12-10, 11-7, 11-4
Fiona Moverley 2-3 Madeline Perry 11-9, 9-11, 13-11, 9-11, 10-12
Group B
UWE/Elite Squash Bristol 3-2 Team Chichester (16-10)
Marwan Elshorbagy 3-1 Robbie Temple 8-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-9 (36m)
Steve Finitsis 3-1 Nathan Lake 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6 (43m)
Josh Masters 3-2 Matt Hopkin 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 13-11, 17-15 (57m)
Mike Harris 2-3 Kyle Finch 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11 (64m)
Emma Chorley 0-3 Lauren Briggs 8-11, 9-11, 7-11 (31m)
9 Telecom St George's Hill 4-1 Exeter Diamonds (18-5)
Tom Richards 3-1 Olli Tuominen 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7
Joe Lee 3-0 Ollie Pett 11-1, 11-6, 11-3
Henrik Mustonen 3-0 Tim Vail 11-9, 11-7, 11-3
Alex Ingham 1-3 James Snell 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 6-11
Yathreb Adel 3-1 Tory Temple-Murray 7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9
Virgin Active Surrey 3-2 ClubNet Winchester (16-6)
Peter Barker 1-3 Zahed Mohamed 11-9, 7-11, 4-11, 8-11 (32m)
Ali Farag 3-0 Robbie Downer 11-4, 11-6, 11-2 (17m)
Charles Sharpes 3-0 Scott Handley 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 (22m)
Piedro Schweertman 3-0 Adam Corcoran 11-5, 11-8, 11-5
Alison Thomson 1-3 Gina Kennedy 11-5, 9-11, 4-11, 2-11
Round Three of the England Squash &
Racketball Premier Squash League saw four of the twelve teams enter
tonight’s matches with unbeaten records to protect, but one of those
records was guaranteed to fall.
In Group A University of Birmingham Lions welcomed
the visit of defending champions Benz Bavarian Duffield,
with both teams at the top of the League with two wins and 33
points. Joel Hinds quickly put Duffield ahead, but Miles Jenkins
levelled the match with a fine 3-2 win over Richie Fallows.
Duffield’s strength showed though as Chris Simpson came from a game
down to win and Jessica Davies put the visitors 3-1 ahead. Playing
his first match in his 19th season in the league, Duffield’s Nick
Matthew wrapped up the 4-1 win for Duffield to take them 11 points
clear at the top.
Coolhurst London
were at home to Air-IT Nottingham, two teams with
playoff hopes, but it was Coolhurst quickly into their stride as
Madeline Perry and Nick Mulvey put them 2-0 ahead. Nottingham
skipper Mark Fuller came through a five-setter with Joe Green to
give the visitors hope, but James Earles was meanwhile coming from a
game down to beat Mark’s brother Chris to put Coolhurst 3-1 ahead.
Rory Birtwistle won the last match 3-0 for Nottingham who went away
with 7 points.
Everards Leicester took a 4-0 lead at home to
Pontefract - George Parker and Mari Taylor doing
the early damage, Ben Coleman sealing the win with a 3-2 victory
over Patrick Rooney and Shaun Le Roux taking the fourth - before
James Willstrop scored a point for the visitors at the top string.
Leicester move into second place, Pontefract are at the bottom, the
only team yet to win a match.
In Group B table-toppers Team Chichester took on
visiting Virgin Active Surrey, the five-time
champions. Lyell Fuller beat Kyle Finch in five to put Surrey ahead,
but Matt Hopkin leveled with a fine 3-0 win over Charles Sharpes.
Lauren Briggs restored Chichester’s lead but Gregoire Marche put
Surrey level again to set up the only decider in tonight’s matches.
Surrey’s Karim Abdel Gawad saw a two-game advantage over Paul Coll
in the top string disappear before taking the fifth to give Surrey
the win and the bonus points - the match finishing 10-all in games.
It’s Surrey’s neighbours 9Telecom St George’s Hill
who are top of the table though, coming away from Winchester with an
impressive 5-0 win. The home side’s Daniel Poleshchuk impressed on
his debut, going 2-1 up against Henrik Mustonen before the Finn
recovered to win in five.
In the West, UWE/Elite Squash Bristol travelled to
Exeter Diamonds, again both teams with hopes of making the
playoffs this season. The opening matches were shared, Amelia Henley
winning in five for Exeter, Mike Harris in three for Bristol. Josh
Masters put Bristol ahead coming from 1-2 down to beat Tim Vail, and
Lucas Serme sealed the win for Bristol with a 3-0 win at second
string. So, the much anticipated clasf of the Elshorbagy Brothers -
Mohamed for Exeter and Marwan for Bristol - wasn’t to be a match
decider, but still provided a great spectacle for the packed crowd
as Marwan came from two games down to beat his older brother - the
world #1 and Qatar Classic champion - in five games to give Bristol
a 4-1 win and second place in the table.
RESULTS
Group A Everards Leicester 4-1 Pontefract (17-7)
Nafiizwan Adnan 0-3 James Willstrop 6-11, 12-14, 5-11
Shaun Le Roux 3-0 Simon Parke 11-4, 12-10, 11-6
Ben Coleman 3-2 Patrick Rooney 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7
George Parker 3-1 Taminder Gata-Aura 5-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7
Mari Taylor 3-1 Katie Smith 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11 -6
Coolhurst London 3-2 Air-IT Nottingham (16-7)
James Earles 3-1 Chris Fuller 6-11, 12-10, 11-2, 11-3
Joe Green 2-3 Mark Fuller 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-5, 8-11
Nick Mulvey 3-0 Ollie Holland 11-2, 11-8, 11-6
Nick Sutcliff 0-3 Rory Birtwistle 9-11, 9-11, 9-11
Madeline Perry 3-0 Hana Ramadan 11-9, 11-9, 11-8
University of Birmingham Lions 1-4 Benz Bavarian Duffield
(4-19)
Jaymie Haycocks 0-3 Nick Matthew 5-11, 12-14, 9-11
Chris Ryder 1-3 Chris Simpson 9-11, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11
Joel Makin 3-2 Richie Fallows 8-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6
Miles Jenkins 0-3 Joel Hinds 9-11, 8-11, 9-11
Katrina Burrows 0-3 Jessica Davis 8-11, 1-11, 9-11
Group B Team Chichester 2-3 Virgin Active Surrey (10-15)
Paul Coll 2-3 Karim Abdel Gawad 14-16, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 6-11
Robbie Temple 0-3 Gregoire Marche 7-11, 5-11, 8-11
Matt Hopkin 3-0 Charles Sharpes 11-8, 13-11, 12-10
Kyle Finch 2-3 Lyell Fuller 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 3-11, 6-11
Lauren Briggs 3-1 Nada Elkalaawy 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6
ClubNet Winchester 0-5 9Telecom St George's Hill (4-20)
Nicolas Mueller 1-3 Tom Richards 11-9, 4-11, 9-11, 7-11
Daniel Poleshchuk 2-3 Henrik Mustonen 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 4-11, 4-11
Scott Handley 1-3 Dylan Bennett 7-11, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11
Robbie Keefe 0-3 Charlie Lee 8-11, 3-11, 4-11
Jenny Haley 0-3 Dominique Lloyd-Walter 3-11, 10-12, 5-11
After a two-week break some of the world's
top players returned to PSL action for the second of ten rounds of
league matches, and four of tonight's six matches finished
3-2.
In Group A it was University of Birmingham Lions
who ended the day joint top of the table as they beat
Everards Leicester 4-1 to record a second win. The home
side went 4-0 up but in the top string the Lions' Peter Creed lost
out in five to Daryl Selby.for a 19-point haul.
The other two matches both went to deciding ties.
Air-IT Nottingham's Hana Ramadan and Owain Taylor won at
four and five before Pontefract levelled through
top strings James Willstrop and LJ Anjema, leaving Nottingham
captain Mark Fuller to beat Pontefract's Patrick Rooney to give the
home team the spoils
Champions Benz Bavarian Duffield went two-nil up at
London Coolhurst with wins from Julian and Millie
Tomlinson (no relation) only for the home side to hit back with wins
from Nick Mulvey and birthday-boy Cameron Pilley. The decider went
down to its own decider, and it was Duffield, who last season
mastered the art of squeezing out narrow victories, did it again
with Declan James beating James Earles 11-9 in the fifth. "Gutting,"
was the final Coolhurst tweet.
In Group B, Team Chichester followed up their
opening win with an impressive away victory at Exeter
Diamonds - whose innovative poster declared they would be
going 'one step beyond' this season. The visitors stormed into a 3-0
lead before Exeter's top Egyptian duo Mohamed Elshorbagy and Mazen
Hesham restricted Chichester to a 3-2 win.
The Surrey derby also finished 3-2, but here home side 9
Telecom St George's Hill, last season's finalists, saw
their two-nil lead disappear as Virgin Active Surrey,
looking to reclaim the title they won in the previous five seasons,
forced a decider. After taking the first game 15-13 St George's #1
Borja Golan sealed the win as he beat Peter Barker 3-0 to put the
home side second in the table.
UWE/Elite Squash Bristol enjoyed their trip to
ClubNet Winchester, coming away with a 4-1 win.
Gina Kennedy, the European Junior Champion, was the home side's only
winner, a fitting celebration for her acceptance to Harvard
University, while Bristol's Marwan Elshorbagy was awarded the "MVP"
award after his top-string win over fellow-Egyptian Zahed Mohamed.
Group A
Coolhurst London 2-3 Benz Bavarian Duffield (11-16)
Cameron Pilley 3-1 Chris Simpson 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 13-11
James Earles 2-3 Declan James 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-1, 9-11
Nick Mulvey 3-1 Joel Hinds 11-9, 6-11 , 11-5, 11-3
Nick Sutcliffe 1-3 Julian Tomlinson 11-6, 5-11, 9-11, 5-11
Madeline Perry 2-3 Millie Tomlinson 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11
Air-IT Nottingham 3-2 Pontefract (14-7) Eddie Charlton 0-3 James Willstrop 5-11, 8-11, 8-11
Chris Fuller 0-3 Laurens Jan Anjema 5-11, 9-11, 3-11
Mark Fuller 3-0 Patrick Rooney 11-7, 11-8, 11-7
Owain Taylor 3-1 Alex Hodgetts 15-13, 7-11, 14-12, 11-3
Hana Ramadan 3-0 Katie Smith 11-1, 11-4, 11-3
University of Birmingham Lions 4-1 Everards Leicester (19-4) Peter Creed 2-3 Daryl Selby 11-6, 6-11, 4-11, 11-8, 5-11
Chris Ryder 3-1 George Parker 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9
Joel Makin 3-0 Angus Gillams 11-8, 11-6, 11-2
Jan vd Herrewegen 3-0 Darren Lewis 11-5, 11-3, 11-9
Sarah-Jane Perry 3-0 Mari Taylor 11-1, 11-6, 11-5
Group B
ClubNet Winchester 1-4 UWE/Elite Squash Bristol (5-18)
Zahed Mohamed 1-3 Marwan Elshorbagy 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-14
Robert Downer 1-3 Lucas Serme 12-10, 3-11, 2-11, 2-11
Scott Handley 0-3 Tom Ford 6-11, 2-11, 5-11
Adam Corcoran 0-3 Josh Masters 4-11, 5-11, 5-11
Gina Kennedy 3-1 Emma Chorley 11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8
9Telecom St George’s 3-2 Virgin Active Surrey (15-7) Borja Golan 3-0 Peter Barker 15-13, 11-2, 11-7
Tom Richards 1-3 Karim Abdel Gawad 10-12, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11
Alex Ingham 0-3 Piedro Schweertman 8-11, 8-11, 11-13
Charlie Lee 3-1 Bradley Masters 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-2
Yathreb Adel 3-0 Nada Elkalaawy 11-3, 11-3, 11-9
Exeter Diamonds 2-3 Team Chichester (9-15) Mohamed Elshorbagy 3-1 Adrian Waller 11-8, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7
(46m)
Mazen Hesham 3-0 Paul Coll 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 (34m)
Tim Vail 1-3 Robbie Temple 11-9, 6-11, 7-11, 5-11 (51m)
Joey Barrington 0-3 Nathan Lake 4-11, 0-11, 5-11 (24m)
Victoria Temple-Murray 2-3 Lauren Briggs 11-8, 4-11, 11-3, 1-11,
9-11 (43m)
The new
season - the 32nd - of the England Squash & Racketball Premier
Squash League kicked off tonight in six clubs across England, with a
mixture of comfortable and nailbiting wins.
In Group A
defending champions
Benz Bavarian Duffield
welcomed Midlands
neighbours
Air-IT Nottingham,
who almost went home with a dramatic victory. Millie Tomlinson put
the home side ahead but Matthew Broadberry, on his debut, brought
Nottingham level with a 3-2 win over Ashley Davies, a late
replacement for Richie Fallows.
Chris Fuller then put Nottingham into the lead as he came from a
game down to beat Declan James, fresh from winning his fourth PSA
title in a row at the weekend. Then Fallows, drafted back in as a
last-minute replacement for the injured Joel Hinds, let a two-nil
lead against Nottingham captain Mark Fuller slip before levelling
the match to the home crowd’s relief.
With Nick Matthew down in London collecting his OBE, Chris Simpson
took on Eddie Charlton in the final match and saw Duffield home with
a three-nil win.
Everards
Leicester,
starting their second PSL season at home to last year’s
semi-finalists
Coolhurst London,
recorded a resounding 5-0 win that puts them, at this early stage,
at the top of the table.
Birmingham University
travelled to
Pontefract
and came away with a 3-2 win, Fional Moverley winning on her
Pontefract debut but Birmingham’s middle order sealed the win before
James Willstrop reduced the deficit in the final match.
In Group B
it was Team Chichester who registered the first win of the season as
they stormed to a home 5-0 win over Clubnet Winchester, dropping
just two games along the way.
The Surrey duo of
Virgin Active Surrey
and 9Telecom
St George’s Hill
both won 3-2. Surrey, who saw
their five-year reign as champions ended last season, went into a
three-nil lead at home too Exeter Diamonds, whose top Egyptian pair
of Mazen Hesham - with a tremendous 14-12 in the fifth win over
Karim Abdel Gawad -and world #1 Mohamed Elshorbagy took the final
two matches to narrow the points gap.
St George’s, last year’s runners-up, took a two-nil lead away to
UWE/Elite
Squash Bristol,
for whom Brian Byrne pulled a game back, but St George’s Joe Lee
came from 2-1 down against Tom Ford to clinch the win. In the final
match Bristol’s Marwan Elshorbagy, just elevated to the world’s top
ten, beat Tom Richards to make the final score 3-2 to St George’s.
After today's first round there is a
two week break, with the remaining first half rounds to be played on
27th Oct, 10th and 24th November and 8th December (all Tuesdays with
matches starting at 19.00).
After all ten rounds are completed (second half dated to be set
later in the year) the top two teams in each Group will contest the
semi-finals.
Round 1
Results
Group A : Everards
Leicester 5-0 Coolhurst London (20-4)
Daryl Selby 3-0 Joe Green 11-4, 11-3, 11-5
George Parker 3-2 Nick Mulvey
Angus Gillams 3-1 Ondrej Uherka
Darren Lewis 3-1 Nick Sutcliffe
Emily Whitlock 3-0 Madeline Perry
Benz Bavarian
Duffield 3-2 Air-IT Nottingham (17-8)
Chris Simpson 3-0 Eddie Charlton 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
Declan James 1-3 Chris Fuller 11-9, 6-11, 7-11, 8-11
Richie Fallows 3-2 Mark Fuller 11-5, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-8
Ashley Davies 2-3 Matthew Broadberry 7-11, 11-8, 13-15, 11-9, 6-11
Millie Tomlinson 3-0 Hana Ramadan 11-9, 11-8, 11-9
Pontefract 2-3
University of Birmingham (6-14)
James Willstrop 3-0 Jaymie Haycocks 11-8, 12-10, 11-7
Simon Parke 0-3 Chris Ryder 5-11, 5-11, 3-11
Alex Hodgetts 0-3 Joel Makin 6-11, 4-11, 6-11
Lewis Doughty 0-3 Jan Van Den Herrewegen 9-11, 3-11, 5-11
Fiona Moverley 3-0 Katrina Burrows 11-4, 11-2, 11-5
Group B: Team
Chichester 5-0 ClubNet Winchester (20-2)
Adrian Waller 3-1 Robert Downer 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 (52m)
Robbie Temple 3-0 Scott Handley 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (26m)
Nathan Lake 3-0 Sean Conroy 11-7, 11-4, 11-1 (29m))
Brandon Hanley 3-0 Robbie Keefe 11-6, 11-0, 11-5 (25m)
Lauren Briggs 3-1 Georgina Kennedy 14-12, 11-13, 11-5, 11-6 (35m))
UWE/Elite
Squash Bristol 2-3 9Telecom St George’s Hill (11-16)
Marwan Elshorbagy 3-1 Tom Richards 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 (36m)
Tom Ford 2-3 Joe Lee 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 5-11 (76m)
Josh Masters 2-3 Dylan Bennett 6-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-8, 6-11 (53m)
Brian Byrne 3-1 Alex Ingham 12-10, 2-11, 11-5, 11-7 (49m)
Emma Chorley 1-3 Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-8, 10-12, 10-12, 6-11
(40m)
Virgin Active
Surrey 3-2 Exeter Diamonds (17-11)
Peter Barker 1-3 Mohamed Elshorbagy 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 9-11 (40m)
Karim Abdel Gawad 2-3 Mazen Hesham 11-8, 11-7, 17-19, 9-11, 12-14
(80m)
Charles Sharpes 3-2 Tim Vail 11-6, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9
Piedro Schweertman 3-2 James Peach 11-4, 11-2, 6-11, 8-11, 11-3
Nada Elkalaawy 3-1 Victoria Temple-Murray 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7
The world’s most prestigious squash league starts its 32nd season on
Tuesday 6th October when the 2015/16 season of the England Squash &
Racketball Premier Squash League (PSL) gets under way with the first
of ten rounds of League matches.
There will once more be twelve clubs from around the UK competing
for the title in an unchanged line up , with the squads between them
boasting 15 of the Men’s world top 20 players (and 33 of the top 50)
and 9 of the Women’s top 30.
In Group A defending champions Benz Bavarian Duffield start off
their defence with a home tie against Midland rivals Air-It
Nottingham, Everards Leicester begin their second season with a home
match against last season’s semi-finalists Coolhurst London, while
Pontefract entertain the University of Birmingham.
In Group B Virgin Active Surrey, whose five-season winning streak
was ended by Duffield in last year’s semi-final, start with a home
match against Exeter Diamonds. Last season’s runners-up Nine Telecom
St George’s Hill, again relying on mainly home-grown talent, travel
to UWE/Elite Squash Bristol while Team Chichester welcome visitors
ClubNet Winchester.
England Squash & Racketball Head of Competitions and Events Chris
Nutley said: “I am delighted that we have maintained a full
complement of teams once again.
“With all team squads now confirmed we are thrilled to have such
a strong selection from the world's top players competing in PSL,
confirming its position as the world's best squash league.
“We can look forward to another exciting season of PSL and I wish
all teams an enjoyable and successful campaign.”