Chapel Allerton In Late PSL Charge

A resounding 5/0 away triumph by former champions Chapel Allerton in Tuesday’s seventh round of the Premier Squash League (PSL) sees the Leeds club leap to second place in the Group A tables – their highest position this season in the world’s most prestigious squash league.

Yorkshire’s former world No2 Jenny Duncalf led the visitors’ attack against Air-IT Nottingham‘s Emma Beddoes, winning 11-2, 14-12, 11-6. Victories by James EarlesShaun le Roux and Chris Simpson followed before top string Daryl Selby, the world No10 from Essex in his maiden season for Chapel Allerton, recovered from a game down to beat the home side’s Eddie Charlton 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 13-11 to clinch the 2009 champions’ biggest win this season.

“Late but great night at The Park for @ChapelAClub with a 5-0 win!” tweeted England captain Duncalf later.

“Last night was a terrific performance from all five of my players,” said Chapel Allerton team manager Simon Parke. “On paper, all of them were expected to win – but in sport it very rarely works out like that!

“To have every one of them give an 8 out of 10 score, or better, against very stiff opposition was more than we could’ve hoped for. Very pleased to be in second position with three matches to go!”

Chapel Allerton move up two positions to second place in the Group – but are still 28 points adrift of top-of-the-table Benz-Bavarian Duffield, the Derbyshire club which defeated Coolhurst London 4/1 at home despite a less-than-full-strength squad.

The three-time former champions rested top string Nick Matthew, the world No1 and world champion from Sheffield who claimed a record sixth British National Championship title at the weekend. But sterling performances by world No2 Laura Massaro and team-mates Ashley DaviesScott Handley and Andy Whipp saw Duffield clinch victory and extend their lead at the top of the tables.

Indeed the club’s stand-in top string Joel Hinds looked on course for a remarkable victory over Coolhurst’s Simon Rosnerwhen he led the world No11 from Germany by two games – and, at eight-all, was just three points away from a sensational upset.

But Rosner, fresh from his eighth German national championship title success at the weekend, took control of the match and gained a consolation point for the visitors with a 10-12, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 victory.

National champions were out in force across the land as PSL teams battled for glory – and ultimately a top two position in the Group tables for a place in the end-of-season semi-finals.

The other tie in Group A saw University of Birmingham claim a 3/2 home win over AJP Pontefract. Welsh championsDeon Saffery and Peter Creed had mixed fortunes for the home side – Saffery going down in five to Pontefract’s Sarah Kippax while Creed defeated Chris van der Salm 3/0. After Jaymie Haycocks clinched the win for the hosts when Pontefract’s Lee Beachill was forced to retire injured after one game, Indian national champion Saurav Ghosal scored an extra consolation point for the visitors when he beat Chris Ryder in five games.

There was high drama in Group B where rivals Exeter Diamonds and defending champions Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets – who shared leadership of the group on the eve of the action – both claimed 4/1 wins away from home, with Exeter moving a single point ahead of the Croydon club.

Joey Barrington was an early Exeter hero – fighting back from 2/0 down in the tie against UWE/Elitesquash Bristol to beat experienced Welshman David Evans 7-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7. Olli Tuominen, the Finnish national champion for the 15th time at the weekend, beat Frenchman Lucas Serme to ensure the Exeter win – but it was the new nine-time Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema who guaranteed the Devon club’s table-topping points total when he upset the home side’s Egyptian world No3 Mohamed Elshorbagy in four games.

“It was a great result tonight,” said Exeter team manager Adam Lings. “Joey played a blinder and LJ played out of his skin. I am very happy with the result and look forward to carrying this run through to the semi-finals.”

Londoner Alison Waters, winner of a fourth women’s British National title on Sunday, put Surrey Health in the driving seat at Team Chichester when she beat Lauren Briggs 3/0. Further wins by Surrey stalwarts Adrian Waller and Adrian Grant confirmed the visitors’ overall win – but top string Peter Barker proved that he has recovered from the injury that caused his withdrawal from the National Championships in Manchester when he beat former England international Jonathan Kemp in straight games.

The other Group B tie saw Luxfords St George’s Hill earn a confidence-boosting 4/1 home win over Winchester – one which takes the Weybridge club back to third place in the tables, and in contention for the play-offs.

“It was a good crowd tonight – and good squash,” said St George’s team manager Danny Lee. “Everybody wants us to be in contention for the semi-finals so I hope we can carry on this form.”

RESULTS: Premier Squash League, 7th round, Tuesday 18 February 2014

Group A:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4 Coolhurst London 1
Joel Hinds lost to Simon Rosner 12-10, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 9-11
Andy Whipp bt Yann Perrin 12-14, 11-3, 11-3, 3-11, 11-1
Scott Handley bt Steven London 11-3, 11-3, 11-7
Ashley Davies bt Nick Sutcliffe 9-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-3
Laura Massaro bt Madeline Perry 11-1, 11-9, 11-5

University of Birmingham 3 AJP Pontefract 2
Chris Ryder lost to Saurav Ghosal 9-11, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11
Jaymie Haycocks bt Lee Beachill 15-13 ret.
Peter Creed bt Chris van der Salm 11-5, 11-3, 11-5
Joel Makin bt Taminder Gata-Aura 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
Deon Saffery lost to Sarah Kippax 7-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11

Air-IT Nottingham 0 Chapel Allerton 5
Eddie Charlton lost to Daryl Selby 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-13
Chris Fuller lost to Chris Simpson 9-11, 4-11, 11-7, 6-11
Ollie Holland lost to Shaun le Roux 11-5, 8-11, 5-11, 5-11
Mark Fuller lost to James Earles 7-11, 8-11, 11-13
Emma Beddoes lost to Jenny Duncalf 2-11, 12-14, 6-11

Standings:  Duffield 121, ChapelA 93+, Bham 88, Coolhurst 87, Nottm 80+, Ponte 27,

Group B:
Luxfords St George’s Hill 4 Winchester 1
Borja Golan bt Marwan Elshorbagy 11-9, 12-14, 11-5, 11-9 (57m)
Tom Richards bt Robert Downer 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 (35m)
Henrik Mustonen bt Alex Phillips 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (22m)
Charles Sharpes bt Scott Fitzgerald 11-7, 11-3 ret.
Dominique Lloyd-Walter lost to Emily Whitlock 11-13, 8-11, 7-11 (33m)

UWE/Elitesquash Bristol 1 Exeter Diamonds 4
Mohamed Elshorbagy lost to Laurens Jan Anjema 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 3-11 (46m)
Lucas Serme lost to Olli Tuominen 7-11, 10-12, 5-7 ret. (45m)
David Evans lost to Joey Barrington 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 9-11, 7-11 (57m)
Michael Harris bt Tim Vail 4-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 (50m)
Kip Quiney lost to Victoria Temple Murray 1-11, 11-13, 4-11 (18m)

Team Chichester 1 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets 4
Jonathan Kemp lost to Peter Barker 11-13, 5-11, 8-11 (32m)
Rex Hedrick lost to Adrian Grant 13-15, 6-11, 6-11 (51m)
Robbie Temple lost to Adrian Waller 6-11, 2-11, 11-4, 12-14 (59m)
Anthony Graham bt Raphael Kandra 11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7
Lauren Briggs lost to Alison Waters 4-11, 9-11, 3-11

Standings:  Exeter 105, Surrey 104, StGge 95, Chich 84,  Bristol 65, Winch 35