Round EIGHT Roundup, 17-Feb

Duffield storm into the semis as the race for the playoffs tightens …

With the playoffs approaching there was still everything to play for for most teams as the PSL reached the eighth of ten league rounds, but the standings in the tables meant that comprehensive wins tonight could all but confirm, or all but dash the hopes of some of the contenders.

SH13778In their first season in the league, Leicester with just one win so far, faced a visit from unbeaten Division A leaders Duffield. The formbook and lineups suggested a heavy away win and so it proved, but Duffield were made to work hard for their 20 points with only Andy Whipp not dropping a game and Declan James needing all five in the last match to end George Parker’s unbeaten record.

The win puts Duffield on an uncatchable 149 points, 47 ahead with just two rounds to go, so a home semi-final is guaranteed.

SH13776Birmingham Lions started the evening in second place, but visitors Nottingham were only 9 points behind and again the lineups suggested a good away win was in prospect. Emma Beddoes duly put the first win on the board for Nottingham, but their progress was halted as Jonny Harford came from a game down to beat Ollie Holland. Thereafter though it was all Nottingham – although Eddie Charlton had to come from 1-2 down to beat Joel Makin – as they climbed to second place.

SH13779Starting in fourth place but only 3 points behind Nottingham were Coolhurst London, and they too scored maximum points with a 5-0 win over struggling Pontefract, a win which sees them move into third place – but only just – Nottingham, Coolhurst and Birmingham are now separated by just 3 points in the race for second spot!

SH13780In Division B leaders St George’s travelled to Bristol, who had won their last four matches to put themselves handily placed in third. It was the visitors who dominated though, taking the first four matches before Marwan Elshorbagy turned in a great performance to beat Borja Golan in five at number one.

SH13775Reigning champions Surrey, smarting from two successive defeats, got off to a good start at home to Winchester as Alison Waters gave them the lead, but Scott Fitzgerald levelled with a five game win over Lyell Fuller. That was the last success for the visitors though as Surrey took the last three matches in straight games to stay in touch with St George’s.

Chichester, starting in fourth place, leapfrogged Bristol into third as they beat strugglers Exeter 5-0, keeping alive their chances of making the semi-finals.

Division A

Everards Leicester 0-5 Benz Bavarian Duffield (6-20)

Shaun Le Roux 1-3 Chris Simpson  11-13, 5-11, 11-8, 10-12
Ben Coleman  2-3 Joel Hinds 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 7-11
George Parker 2-3 Declan James  10-12, 12-10, 2-11, 11-8, 7-11
James Bowden  0-3 Andy Whipp  6-11, 5-11, 7-11
Tania Bailey 1-3 Millie Tomlinson  11-4, 16-18, 6-11, 1-11

Birmingham Lions 1-4 Air-IT Nottingham (6-18)

Chris Ryder 0-3 Alan Clyne  5-11, 4-11, 5-11
Joel Makin 2-3  Eddie Charlton  11-13, 14-12, 11-8, 3-11, 6-11
Chris Hall 1-3 Mark Fuller  8-11, 11-13, 12-10, 9-11
Jonny Harford 3-1 Ollie Holland  10-12, 13-11, 11-4, 12-10
Katrina Burrows 0-3 Emma Beddoes  3-11, 4-11, 4-11

Coolhurst London 5-0 Pontefract (20-1) 

Simon Rosner 3-0 Ben Grindrod  11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (34m)
Raphael Kandra 3-0 Courtney West  11-0, 11-2, 11-4 (23m)
James Earles 3-1 Alex Hodgetts  6-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (27m)
Angus Gillams 3-0 Lewis Doughty  11-6, 11-2, 11-4 (23m)
Madeline Perry 3-0 Sarah Kippax  11-9, 11-4, 15-13 (30m)

Division B

Team Chichester 5-0 Exeter Diamonds (20-2)

Adrian Waller 3-1 Tim Vail  9-11, 12-10, 11-5,  11-6 (46m)
Rex Hedrick 3-0 James Snell  11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Robbie Temple 3-0 Luke Bishop  11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (27m)
Sanjay Singh 3-1 Robbie Keefe  11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11/4 (27m)
Lauren Briggs 3-0 Rhianne O’Donnell  11-4, 11-5, 11-1 (14m)  

UWE/Elite Bristol 1-4 Luxford/9 Group St George’s Hill (7-19)

Marwan Elshorbagy 3-2 Borja Golan  9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4
Mike Harris 2-3 Joe Lee  9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11
Hadrian Stiff 0-3 Tom Richards 4-11, 3-11, 2-11
Josh Masters 2-3 Charles Sharpes  6-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-9, 8-11
Kip Quiney 0-3 Yathreb Adel  3-11, 6-11, 8-11 

Virgin Active Surrey HRC 4-1 Winchester Racquets & Fitness (19-4)

Gregoire Marche  3-0 Scott Handley  11-8, 11-3, 12-10
Piedro Schweertman 3-0 Rob Downer  11-5, 11-1, 11-7 (28m)
Lyell Fuller 2-3 Scott Fitzgerald   8-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 13-15
Steve Richardson 3-0 Steve Wykes  12-10, 11-7, 11-8
Alison Waters 3-1 Emily Whitlock  11-8, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4 (52m)

SH13773

Round Nine 10-Mar:
Duffield v Coolhurst, Pontefract v Birmingham, Nottingham v Leicester
Exeter v Surrey, Winchester v Bristol, St George’s v Chichester

Round Ten, 31-Mar:
Birmingham v Duffield, Coolhurst v Leicester, Nottingham v Pontefract
Bristol v Exeter, Surrey v Chichester, St George’s v Winchester