PSL: Chapel Allerton charge into second place

Chapel Allerton move into play-off positions after pummelling Nottingham 

Former champions Chapel Allerton thrashed Air-IT Nottingham in the seventh round of the Premier Squash League to rise two places to second in Group A – their highest position this season.

Yorkshire’s world number nine Jenny Duncalf led the visitors’ attack against Nottingham’s Emma Beddoes and edged a narrow second game tie-break before recording a straight games victory.

James Earles, South African number one Shaun le Roux and world number 22 Chris Simpson also triumphed for Chapel Allerton, before top string Daryl Selby recovered from a game down to beat Eddie Charlton 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 13-11 and clinch the 2009 champions’ biggest win this season.

Chapel Allerton leapfrog Nottingham and Coolhurst London into second place but are still 28 points adrift of table-toppers Benz-Bavarian Duffield, who extended their lead at the summit with a resounding 4-1 victory over Coolhurst at home.

The three-time former champions were without the services of world number one Nick Matthew for the encounter, following the triple world champion’s sixth British National Championship title haul at the weekend.

World number two Laura Massaro led the way for the Derbyshire outfit by avenging her semi-final defeat at the Women’s British Nationals event with an 11-1, 11-9, 11-5 victory over Irish number one Madeline Perry. 

PSL debutante Ashley Davies, Scott Handley and Andy Whipp sealed victory for Duffield to inflict Coolhurst’s second defeat in their last three matches. 

Duffield’s stand-in top string Joel Hinds almost completed a clean sweap and looked on course to shock German number one Simon Rosner when he led the world number 11 from Germany by two games.

But with the scores tied at eight-apiece, the newly crowned German National champion fought back and gained a consolation victory for the visitors with a 10-12, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 success. 

The other tie in Group A saw University of Birmingham claim a 3-2 home win over bottom side AJP Pontefract.

Pontefract, who alongside Winchester, are winless this campaign, took an early lead in the opening rubber after world number 24 Sarah Kippax was forced to fend off a second and fourth game comeback from Welsh National Champion Deon Saffery before prevailing in the decider. 

However, Peter Creed and Joel Makin defeated Chris van der Salm and Taminder Gata-Aura respectively in straight games to overturn the deficit for Birmingham, before Jaymie Haycocks clinched the win for the hosts after Pontefract’s Lee Beachill was forced to retire injured after the opening game.

Indian number one Saurav Ghosal, who replaced the absent James Willstrop at the top of the order, scored an extra consolation point for the visitors when he beat Chris Ryder in five games.

Snuck a 3-2 win tonight! Win's a win 🙂 now for the long drive to Pontefract! Not being helped by road closures 🙁

— Saurav Ghosal (@SauravGhosal) February 18, 2014

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 the 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 world number three 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 in the driving seat at Chichester when she beat Lauren Briggs 3/0.

Further wins by Surrey stalwarts Adrian Waller and Adrian Grant confirmed the visitors’ outright victory – but top string Peter Barker proved that he has recovered from the calf injury that caused his withdrawal from the National Championships in Manchester when he beat former England international Jonathan Kemp in straight games.

Luxfords St George’s Hill bounced back after their agonising 3-2 defeat to Exeter last month with a resounding 4-1 victory over Winchester to reclaim third place in Group B.

Luxford, who sit just nine points off a play-off place, were forced to come from behind after teenager Emily Whitlock overcame Dominique Lloyd-Walter in straight games. 

However, the trio of Charles Sharpes, Henrik Mustonen and Tom Richards all triumphed 3-0 to inflict Winchester’s seventh defeat this season, before world number six Borja Golan of Spain battled past Egyptian Marwan Elshorbagy to add further gloss to the scoreline. 

“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.”

Group A Results: PSL Round Seven – Tuesday 18 February 2014

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4-1 Coolhurst London 

Joel Hinds 2-3 Simon Rosner 12-10, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 9-11
Andy Whipp 3-2 Yann Perrin 12-14, 11-3, 11-3, 3-11, 11-1
Scott Handley 3-0 Steven London 11-3, 11-3, 11-7
Ashley Davies 3-1 Nick Sutcliffe 9-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-3
Laura Massaro 3-0 Madeline Perry 11-1, 11-9, 11-5

University of Birmingham 3-2 AJP Pontefract

Chris Ryder 2-3 Saurav Ghosal 9-11, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11
Jaymie Haycocks 3-0 Lee Beachill 15-13 ret.
Peter Creed 3-0 Chris van der Salm 11-5, 11-3, 11-5
Joel Makin 3-0 Taminder Gata-Aura 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
Deon Saffery 2-3 Sarah Kippax 7-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11

Air-IT Nottingham 0-5 Chapel Allerton 

Eddie Charlton 1-3 Daryl Selby 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-13
Chris Fuller 1-3 Chris Simpson 9-11, 4-11, 11-7, 6-11
Ollie Holland 1-3 Shaun le Roux 11-5, 8-11, 5-11, 5-11
Mark Fuller 0-3 James Earles 7-11, 8-11, 11-13
Emma Beddoes 0-3 Jenny Duncalf 2-11, 12-14, 6-11

Group B Results: PSL Round Seven – Tuesday 18 February 2014

Luxfords St George’s Hill 4-1 Winchester

Borja Golan 3-1 Marwan Elshorbagy 11-9, 12-14, 11-5, 11-9 (57m)
Tom Richards 3-0 Robert Downer 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 (35m)
Henrik Mustonen 3-0 Alex Phillips 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (22m)
Charles Sharpes 3-0 Scott Fitzgerald 11-7, 11-3 ret.
Dominique Lloyd-Walter 0-3 Emily Whitlock 11-13, 8-11, 7-11 (33m)

UWE/Elitesquash Bristol 1-4 Exeter Diamonds

Mohamed Elshorbagy 1-3 Laurens Jan Anjema 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 3-11 (46m)
Lucas Serme 0-3 Olli Tuominen 7-11, 10-12, 5-7 ret. (45m)
David Evans 2-3 Joey Barrington 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 9-11, 7-11 (57m)
Michael Harris 3-2 Tim Vail 4-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 (50m)
Kip Quiney 0-3 Victoria Temple Murray 1-11, 11-13, 4-11 (18m)

Team Chichester 1-4 Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets

Jonathan Kemp 0-3 Peter Barker 11-13, 5-11, 8-11 (32m)
Rex Hedrick 0-3 Adrian Grant 13-15, 6-11, 6-11 (51m)
Robbie Temple 1-3 Adrian Waller 6-11, 2-11, 11-4, 12-14 (59m)
Anthony Graham 3-1 Raphael Kandra 11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7
Lauren Briggs 0-3 Alison Waters 4-11, 9-11, 3-11

PSL Table - Group A (correct as of February 19)

PSL Table - Group B (correct as of February 19)