Duffield Clinch Top Spot
Brian Hargrave reports

Defending Champions Benz- Bavarian Duffield clinched the Group A title and a play off spot with a narrow 3-2 victory over bottom club Pontefract. Both Clubs maintained their respective 100% records with Duffield having won all 7 ties to date whilst Pontefract failed to chalk up a victory throughout the season, losing all 8 ties. 
 
Two full teams... in the end

Most of the drama took place in the build up to the clash with both managers forced into changes in their line ups due to injury or illness. The final change was discovered on arrival when coaching Guru Malcolm Willstrop advised that Stuart Crawford would not be playing after discovering on the morning of the tie that Lauren Siddall had done too much posing for the Ponte calendar and got her dates wrong and would be in Denmark and not the lowlands of Duffield,.

The Duffield manager had already steeled himself to being without his top stars nick Matthew, Jon Kemp and Tania Bailey, all playing in Malaysia,  but then discovered on Saturday night that Lee Drew, a key middle order player, who was due to move up to No 1 in the order, had badly torn his hamstring playing in the Inter County.  Squad nominee Sam Miller was non contactable - reported to have joined the army - so Saturday night was spent scouring for likely lads form the Liverpool area and the NW Counties league  to no avail.

A telephone call to Hedley did the trick and Peter Barker - nominated in the squad at the beginning of the season but who had not turned out due to Dutch League commitments - answered the SOS and agreed to play. On Monday night Kevin White went down with flu and his girl friend Laura Hill succumbed to the same bug on the morning of the match. More help from Hedley and Carl Hampson was tracked down in Leeds whilst a call to a baby birthday party in Edgbaston located Vicky Hynes to complete the Duffield line up once a baby sitter had been confirmed. Poor Howard Harding was dizzy by this and Steve Cubbins wished he could throw the ever changing crystal ball out of the window

Let battle commence

With Derby County at home a few regular supporters went AWOL without appointing deputy tin lowerers. The result was that the first men’s rubber was played with the higher tin still in place an oversight not spotted by eagle eyed referee Clive Smith. The manager took the blame

Vicky Hynes 2-3 Kirsty McPhee   9-6 8-10 6-9 9-3 3-9

Vicky Hynes last played for Duffield against Manchester- Pontefract in the 2004-05 season but she readily answered the SOS to dash up the A38. She played some quality squash to take the first game 9-6 and after a nip and touch second game edged to game ball at 8-6 but McPhee hit back to level. McPhee gained the upper hand to take the third 9-6 but the more experienced Hynes won a quick fire fourth game and looked favourite to win the rubber. However, McPhee hit back from 3-2 down in the fifth to win 7 consecutive points as Hynes wilted. The crowd had enjoyed a competitive ladies match and Hynes had the consolation that she had won the one point needed to secured the play off spot.

Carl Hampson  3-1  Andrew Cross 9-4 8-10 9-4 9-6

On the adjoining court the tall Carl Hampson had answered the second SOS and Leeds based South African, one of the few players James Willstrop looks up to, took on the Pontefract local lad. Hampson impressed in the first game taking the ball early using his giant strides to cover the court hitting some crisp winners at every opportunity to chalk up a comfortable 9-4 score. The second was much tighter and Cross battled hard to stay in contention as a few errors from Hampson allowed Cross edging home 10-8. The South African had however made Cross work hard and the third and fourth games followed a similar pattern with Hampson always in control despite a gallant effort from Cross. This win was vital to Duffield’s aspirations of maintaining their 100% record and Hampson had impressed the home supporters on his debut.

Laurence Delasaux  3-0 Colin Ramasra  9-1 9-0 9-2 

The Duffield supporters had extended a warm welcome to Colin Ramasra (Trinidad & Tobago No 1) who is receiving coaching from Malcolm Willstrop in preparation for the Caribbean Championships in Jamaica in August. Unfortunately, the talented Laurence Delasaux was not so accommodating and ruthlessly despatched his opponent in just 16minutes for the loss of 4 points. A rather nervous Ramasra gave his opponent too much respect in the first two games but showed glimpses of his potential in the third as he prolonged the rallies but could not find the required winners.

Andy Whipp  3-0 Ryan Thompson 9-6-9-0 9-7

Andy Whipp has endeared himself to the Duffield supporters in his first season and his no nonsense attacking style will sometimes be his undoing. The two players produced a very entertaining rubber and probably a PSL record of not one single let in the entire rubber. How nice to se two players not looking to get cheap points. Whipp just had control of the first although at 7-6 it never felt comfortable. Whipp played a faultless second game hitting winners at will and without dropping a point. The third followed a similar pattern as Whipp raced into a 6-1 lead. To Thompson’s credit he fought back to level and an upset looked possible. Whip stood firm and stuck with his game plan hitting two winners to ensure the group a title and the Club’s 100% record after 7 ties.

Top world coach and underhand tactics

The quick fire rubbers allowed time for an interview with Malcolm Willstrop, one of the top coach’e in the world, who was put on the spot with some searching questions about squash in general. Malcolm reflected on the best ever squash player and Peter Nicol got his vote.

Malcolm was happy with the prospects of England’s top male and female players which include Duffield’s Nick Matthew, Peter Barker and Tania Bailey. He did however agree that Banno’s tactic of switching the court heater on to take the steam out of an opponent was a bit underhand ['Banno' is Brian's regular squash partner].

Peter Barker 1-3 James Willstrop  5-9 9-4 5-9 2-9

Peter Barker had answered the third Duffield SOS to ensure that both sponsors and loyal supporters got maximum value for money with the return of a former NL favourite James Willstrop. . He did not let the crowd down and the first two games were of the highest order.  Both payers stood toe to toe in an intense battle. Willstrop recovered from 3-2 down to take the first 9-5 but Barker was equally impressive in the second displaying the evidence of his ability and why he is now an England international. The third and fourth games were a little one sided not through any fault of Barker’s but simply due to Willstrop turning on the style in a ruthless performance with every shot hit to perfection. 

Willstrop reminded Barker of the gap he needs to bridge if he is to move into the top 10 in the world whilst ion this evidence a world No 1 spot for either Willstrop or Nick Matthew would be well received by Duffield supporters.