Adrian Grant keeps champions Surrey unbeaten
By Squash Mad PSL Reporter
No sooner had the dust settled from last week’s opening round than Round Two provided some teams the opportunity to press on after a good start, and for others an early chance to make amends for an opening day loss.
But, after some fierce women’s matches and some dramatic comebacks, only two teams – coincidentally last year’s finalists Surrey and Duffield – were left with an unbeaten record!
In Division A, Duffield made it two 5-0 wins in a row as their all-English team disappointed a packed house at Pontefract. The scoreline doesn’t do the hosts – who were hoping to celebrate owner Mick Todd’s birthday with a win – justice though, as Duffield’s Andy Whipp, Ashley Davies and Curtis Tomlinson all had to recover from losing the first game, and Laura Massaro, on last after a busy day of media commitments, was taken to a decider by Sarah Kippax, after the world champion had gone two games up.
Birmingham Lions got a first win under their belts as Peter Creed came from a game down to beat Leicester’s Shaun Le Roux in the deciding match. Sarah-Jane Perry and Miles Jenkins delighted the University crowd to put Birmingham 2-0 up before Ben Coleman and George Parker won for Leicester to set up the decider.
Another deciding match was needed at Nottingham, where again the home side went 2-0 up thanks to Olli Holland and a ‘brutal’ 3-2 win for Emma Beddoes over Nicolette Fernandes.
Greg Lobban and James Earles beat Fuller brothers Chris and Mark to draw Coolhurst level to take it to the decider, but it was Nottingham who had the last word as Eddie Charlton (right) beat Nicolas Mueller – ranked 30 places higher – 3-1 for the home win.
The local derby between St George’s and Surrey also went to a deciding match. Alison Waters and Ben Ford – coming from 0-2 down to beat Alex Ingham – put the defending champions 2-0 up, but Henrik Mustonen and Charles Sharpes brought St George’s level. It was left to Adrian Grant to seal a second win for Surrey as he took three close games against Joe Lee.
St George’s manager Danny Lee summarised: “Yathreb [Adel] was a bit overawed on her first home appearance, and Alex struggled to pick up Ben’s pace at the end. Charles played really well, Henrik played at a ridiculous pace, and Adrian played some key points extremely well.”
Exeter travelled to Winchester on the back of an opening day loss and with an under-strength team, and were quickly made to pay as Emily Whitlock and Scott Handley -11-9 in the fifth over Tim Vail – put the home side 2-0 ahead. James Snell went 2-0 up to give Exeter hope, but a tremendous comeback from Robert Downer saw him take the last three games to put Winchester 3-0 ahead. Olli Pett gave Exeter some consolation points with a fine win over debutant Andrew Wagih before Karim Abdel Gawad finished off a 4-1 win for Winchester.
In the west country, Tesni Evans and James Bamber put Bristol 2-0 ahead, but Anthony Graham won a tough 3-2 against Hadrian Stiff to put visitors Chichester back in the hunt. The Welshback crowd urged home favourite David Evans on to a 3-2 win against Robbie Temple to clinch the win for Bristol – good job too, as Rex Hedrick staged the final comeback of the night, overcoming a 2-0 deficit against Bristol’s Lucas Serme.
English Premier Squash League (PSL) Matchs played on October 28, 2014:
Division A:
Air-IT Nottingham 3-2 Coolhurst London (15-10)
Eddie Charlton 3-1 Nicolas Mueller 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-3
Chris Fuller 0-3 Greg Lobban 9-11, 6-11, 1-11
Mark Fuller 1-3 James Earles 7-11, 11-3, 3-11, 2-11
Ollie Holland 3-1 Joe Green 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-7
Emma Beddoes 3-2 Nicolette Fernandes 3-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-3
Birmingham Lions 3-2 Everards Leicester (16-10)
Peter Creed 3-1 Shaun Le Roux 12-14, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8
Chris Hall 0-3 Ben Coleman 6-11, 7-11, 8-11
Jonny Harford 2-3 George Parker 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 1-11
Miles Jenkins 3-2 Luke Parker 8-11, 11-1, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6
Sarah-Jane Perry 3-1 Lily Taylor 12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5
Pontefract 0-5 Benz Bavarian Duffield (5-20)
Ben Grindrod 0-3 Chris Simpson 6-11, 5-11, 5-11
Lee Beachill 1-3 Andy Whipp 11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 5-11
Simon Parke 1-3 Ashley Davies 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 8-11
Alex Hodgetts 1-3 Curtis Tomlinson 3-11, 11-5, 6-11, 9-11
Sarah Kippax 2-3 Laura Massaro 8-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 7-11
Division B:
Luxford/9 Group St George’s Hill 2-3 Virgin Active Surrey HRC (8-14)
Joe Lee 0-3 Adrian Grant 10-12, 8-11, 8-11
Henrik Mustonen 3-0 Kristian Frost 11-2, 11-4, 11-8
Charles Sharpes 3-0 Piedro Schweertman 11-7, 11-7, 14-12
Alex Ingham 2-3 Ben Ford 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 4-11, 8-11
Yathreb Adel 0-3 Alison Waters 8-11, 7-11, 5-11
UWE/Elite Bristol 3-2 Team Chichester (18-10)
Lucas Serme 2-3 Rex Hedrick 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11, 8-11
David Evans 3-2 Robbie Temple 6-11, 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4
Josh Masters 2-3 Anthony Graham 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 3-11
James Bamber 3-1 Alex Gough 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7
Tesni Evans 3-1 Emma Chorley 11-3, 14-12, 2-11, 11-6
Winchester Racquets & Fitness 4-1 Exeter Diamonds (18-7)
Karim Abdel Gawad 3-0 Olli Tuominen 11-5, 11-5, 11-6
Andrew Wagih 1-3 Olli Pett 9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 4-11
Scott Handley 3-2 Tim Vail 11-5, 5-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9
Robert Downer 3-2 James Snell 4-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8
Emily Whitlock 3-0 Aisling Blake 11-1, 11-9, 11-2
Pictures courtesy of PSL