Fallows falls apart in Mote meltdown
By ALAN THATCHER
Peter Creed and Joel Makin celebrated a Welsh double as they progressed to the semi-finals at the PSA M10 Select Gaming Kent Open.
Makin took out No.3 seed Richie Fallows and Creed played superbly to beat talented Australian Matthew Hopkin.
Makin faces top seed Charles Sharpes in a repeat of last week’s Stortford Classic final which Sharpes won in five games over 111 minutes. Creed tackles No.2 seed Tom Ford.
Both Creed and Makin enjoyed straight-games victories in front of a packed gallery at The Mote Squash Club in Maidstone, Kent. But there was a huge contrast in the style and atmosphere of each contest.
Creed’s match was full of entertaining exchanges at the front of the court and some blindingly brilliant retrieving from both players.
Hopkin led in all three games but Creed finished strongly in each one.
The following match, however, was full of unpleasant verbal exchanges as Fallows hit the self-destruct button.
His touch play has improved significantly but his temperament is clearly still a work in progress.
After the match he admitted he was considering his future in the game and said: “Referees are making it really difficult for me to play the game. I feel that they are picking on me all the time and every time I play a backhand drop shot it seems to be a stroke against me.
“I am enjoying my training with England Squash up in Manchester and I am seeing a sports psychologist to help me deal with this stuff but it’s impossible when you think referees are treating you like this.”
His opponent, Welsh No.2 Makin, was delighted to win through and said: “It certainly felt like Richie talked himself into a lot of trouble. It was a hard, tough first game but he lost his way in the second when he started getting involved with the referees.
“I just wanted to avoid getting involved in those exchanges and concentrate on my playing my game. I was pleased with the way I have been playing for the past few weeks and it’s great when it all comes together.”
On a busy night for the referees, Charles Sharpes won through to the last four when Jaymie Haycocks was conduct stroked on match ball after throwing his racket at the front wall.
Sharpes was relieved to win in four games and Haycocks admitted: “It wasn’t the best way to finish the match.” Haycocks had won the first game and matched Sharpes for long periods of the contest. He added: “I was playing well in patches but then started hitting a few tins. It was very frustrating.”
In contrast, Tom Ford and Patrick Rooney played superb squash with hardly a let. All three games were tight as the 18-year-old Rooney showed how much he is improving as a player.
Ford won 11-9, 11-8, 12-10 and said: “I have seen Patrick on court at national squads and I am very impressed with the intelligent and mature way he has developed. He has a good hold and moves the ball around well.
“I have been playing in some discomfort after injuring my ribs and it hurts if I try to hit the ball hard.”
SELECT GAMING PSA M10 KENT OPEN
At The Mote Squash Club, Maidstone, Kent, England.
Quarter Finals (Friday May 27th 2016):
(4) Peter Creed (Wales) beat Matt Hopkin (Australia) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (37 mins)
(8) Joel Makin (Wales) beat (3) Richie Fallows (England) 13-11, 11-6, 11-5 (51 mins)
(2) Tom Ford (England) beat (Q) Patrick Rooney (England) 11-9, 11-8, 12-10 (43 mins)
(1) Charles Sharpes (England) beat (5) Jaymie Haycocks (England) 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (47 mins)
Semi-Finals:
Sharpes v Makin (6pm)
Ford v Creed (5pm)
Pictures by KIM ROBERTS