R5: Duffield drive on as Exeter end Chi run

Tonight’s fifth round of the PSL marked the halfway point of the league stage with each team now having played all the other teams in their group (after reverse fixtures in 2013 the top two teams in each group contest the semi-finals).

Duffield finished the half as clear leaders of Group A as they won away at Birmingham, but they needed Nick Matthew to win the deciding match to maintain their unbeaten record, leaving the hosts at the bottom of the table.

Pontefract continued their recent good form after a poor start as they beat Yorkshire rivals Chapel Allerton 4/1, Sarah Kippax scoring a fine win over England teammate Jenny Duncalf and setting it up for Lee Beachill to clinch the win with a tough five-game win over Dylan Bennett.

Oxford moved into second place with a home win over early pacesetters Nottingham, Cameron Pilley taking the deciding top string.

Duffield look to have the group tied up, but any of the other five teams (Birmingham would need a very good run) could still make the playoffs.

Positions: Duffield 89pts, Oxford 61, Pontefract 58, Chapel A 58, Nottingham 53,  Birmingham 38

Group B leaders Chichester lost their unbeaten record as they went down to a 4-1 defeat at Exeter, who did their own playoff hopes no harm at all, moving into second place as Chichester drop to third.

Reigning champions Surrey brushed aside Winchester 5-0 in double quick time to take over at the top of the league, while St George’s Hill continued their own revival with a similar home win over Bristol to close the gap between themselves and the top three, with Bristol and Winchester looking out of contention.

Positions: Surrey 85pts, Exeter 80, Chichester 76,  St George’s 57, Bristol 24, Winchester 23

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GROUP A

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM 2-3 BENZ-BAVARIAN DUFFIELD (7-15)
Chris Ryder 0-3 Nick Matthew 10-12, 7-11, 2-11
Peter Creed 3-0 Andy Whipp  11- 5, 11- 6, 11-8
Nathan Lake 3-1 Adam Murrills  9 -11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-5
Chris Tasker-Grindley 1-3 Chris Fuller 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 9-11
Katie Quarterman 0-3 Millie Tomlinson 1-11, 3-11, 2-11

AJP PONTEFRACT 4-1 CHAPEL ALLERTON (17-10)
James Willstrop
3-2 Chris Simpson  8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-9
Lee Beachill 3-2 Dylan Bennett  7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3
Sam Wileman 0-3 Simon Parke 6-11, 3-11, 7-11
Taminder Gata-Aura 3-2 Matt Sidaway  8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
Sarah Kippax 3-1  Jenny Duncalf   3-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9

OXFORD H&F 3-2 MB NOTTINGHAM (18-7)
Cameron Pilley
3-1 Alan Clyne  11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6
Borja Golan 3-0 Eddie Charlton  11-6, 15-13, 11-4
Scott Handley 2-3 Lewis Walters 11-7, 4-11, 10-12, 11-9, 10-12
Kristen Johnson 2-3 Mark Fuller 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 6-11
Madeline Perry 3-0 Emma Beddoes  11-5, 11-6, 11-6

GROUP B

EXETER DIAMONDS 4-1 TEAM CHICHESTER (17-4)
Laurens Jan Anjema
3-0 Jon Kemp  11-2, 11-5, 11-2 (29m)
Olli Tuominen 3-0 Robbie Temple  11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (33m)
Tim Vail 3-1 Alex Gough 6-11, 11-7, 5-0 rtd (30m)
Mike Harris 0-3 Alex Ingham 4-11, 6-11, 7-11 (32m)
Aisling Blake 3-0 Zoe Shardlow  11-2, 11-3, 11-1 (15m)

INTEGRITY SURREY H&R 5-0 WINCHESTER (20-3)
Peter Barker
3-0 Stacey Ross  11-9, 11-4, 11-5
Adrian Grant 3-1 Alex Phillips  13-15, 11-5, 12-10, 11-7
Gregoire Marche 3-1 Adam Auckland  7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9
Richie Fallows 3-1 Tristan Eysele  10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7
Alison Waters 3-0 Selina Sinclair  11-1, 11-1, 11-4

TWP ST GEORGE’S 5-0 UWE BRISTOL (20-0)
Daryl Selby 3-0 David Evans  11-7, 11-8, 11-3 (31m)
Tom Richards 3-0 Tom Ford 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (28m)
Henrik Mustonen 3-0 David Haley  11-3, 11-2, 11-6 (30m)
Charles Sharpes 3-0 Sam Ellis  11-1, 11-5, 11-5 (24m)
Dominique Lloyd-Walter 3-0 Rebecca Quiney  11-6, 11-2, 11-6 (20m)

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