Redditch & St George's Hill
Exact Revenge In PSL
Roundup from Howard Harding 

Surrey's Luxfords St George's Hill and newcomers Energie Fitness Redditch avenged defeats earlier in the season in tonight's (Tuesday) eighth round of the Premier Squash League (PSL) to keep alive their hopes of reaching the end-of-season play-offs in the prestigious England Squash league sponsored by Towergate tlc.

Essex's Daryl Selby clinched the decider for St George's Hill against Sussex visitors PNH Properties Chichester in Group B, while the West Midlands derby in Group A between Redditch and University Sport Birmingham again saw the top strings battle it out for victory, with the Worcestershire home team's Jonathan Kemp recovering from a game down to beat Birmingham's Joey Barrington in four.

Elsewhere Benz-Bavarian Duffield and PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC maintained their unbeaten runs - the defending champions from Derbyshire crushing former champions Nottingham 4-1 away from home and the Croydon club winning by the same margin at UniSport Guildford.  The wins ensure that both Duffield, from Group A, and Surrey H&RC, from Group B, are certain to make to the play-offs for the second successive year.

Just two days after tasting defeat in the women's British National Championship final in Manchester, Birmingham's Laura Lengthorn-Massaro went down 4-9, 9-4, 9-2, 10-8 in the opening match in Redditch to the home team's Jaclyn Hawkes - the New Zealander repeating her win over the England international earlier in the season. 

Honours thereafter were shared throughout the evening, with the University side drawing level when Stephen Coppinger beat Adam Stevenson, and Redditch again forging ahead through a Jaymie Haycocks victory over Jonathan Harford.

Top strings kemp and Barrington were left to contest a decider when the visitors' Mohamed El Shorbagy, a 17-year-old Egyptian based in Somerset, beat Australian Scott Arnold 10-8, 9-6, 5-9, 9-6.  Barrington, also from Glastonbury in Somerset, took the opening game, but left-hander Kemp, the world No25, bounced back to win 8-10, 9-3, 9-4, 9-4 in 39 minutes to seal the win for Redditch.

"It was a night of really good and exciting squash," said Redditch team manager Bett Dryhurst.  "It was a true local derby, fought out in a good spirit - and it's time we deserved a breakthrough like this," added the British O55 Open champion.

Redditch have reduced the gap in third place in Group A behind University Sport Birmingham - but Duffield have extended their lead at the top of the table to 30 points following their win over a weakened Nottingham team.  Cheshire's Andrew Whipp was Duffield's only loser, but twice fought back to level his match before Welshman Jethro Binns clinched a 9-7, 14-16, 9-7, 4-9, 9-5 victory.  In the top string clash, Australian Stewart Boswell beat Irishman John Rooney 10-8 9-6 9-4 to secure his third successive win since joining the Duffield squad.

After originally being announced as the fourth string for visitors Pontefract, it was as top string that Trinidadian Colin Ramasra arrived at Esporta Oxford, leading the considerably under-strength Yorkshire club squad.  The home side marched to a convincing 4/1 win - with only Kristen Johnson stumbling, failing to exploit a two-game advantage before going down 9-4, 11-9, 5-9, 7-9, 6-9 to Pontefract's Sam Wileman.

But a packed house in Weybridge enjoyed watching the drama unfold as Luxfords St George's Hill entertained PNH Properties Chichester.  Surrey University student Rachel Willmott opened proceedings for the home team - and enjoyed her first win in ten league appearances when she beat the Sussex club's Susannah King 9-4, 5-9, 9-4, 9-1.

The tie was evenly poised when top strings Daryl Selby and Alex Gough faced each other in the decider - with Welshman Gough, fresh from appearances in both the 'Open' and O35 event in last week's British Nationals in Manchester, taking a  two game lead.  But Selby refused to give in, forcing the match into a fifth game decider before clinching victory in a 6-9, 5-9, 10-8, 9-3, 9-7 scoreline after 76 minutes!

Also fresh from success at the National Squash Centre - where she won the women's title for the first time - Alison Waters received a presentation from UniSport Guildford team manager Ian Robinson after cruising to a 9-6, 10-8, 9-3 win over Stephanie Brind in their home tie against PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC.

But that was the home team's only success as the visitors stormed to a 4/1 win - in the final match, the squad's number one Peter Barker overcoming a dislocated toe injury to beat Guildford's Stacey Ross, also suffering with a shoulder injury, 9-3, 3-9, 9-7, 9-5.
 

Mathematically defending champions Duffield needed just one more victory to reach the play offs for a third consecutive year. Both teams were missing their top players but the crowd were nevertheless thoroughly entertained and treated to some quality competitive squash.

Hill keeps her “Head” to seal narrow victory and complete a double

Sarah Kippax 0-3 Laura Hill 5-9 6-9 10-12 (33m)

Just one place separates the two players in the England rankings and in the first encounter in November 2007 Hill won 10-8 in the fifth. Hill was once again a most able late replacement for England No 1 Tania Bailey who had a recurrence of the hamstring injury during the Nationals on Friday. The Derbyshire fire-fighter Hill, looking very smart in her new Head kit, was totally focussed and determined from the word go and always had her nose in front in the first game which she duly won 9-5. Hill was hitting good lengths and keeping the ball tight to the side walls as she controlled the T to take the second game 9-6. The vital third game saw Hill trailing at 5-2 and 6-4 as Kippax edged to game ball at 8-7. Hill was hanging on and reached match ball at 9-8 only for Kippax to hit back to give the Nottingham player a second game ball. Hill refused to panic and the England No 8 dug deep into her reserves to set up a second match point which she duly converted to take the third 12-10. Hill was rightly delighted with her best performance of the season and the time spent practising on court  is clearly paying off.

Young guns battle it out but experience tells as Le Roux maintains 100% record

Lewis Walters 1-3  Shaun Le Roux 9-7 3-9 7-9 8-10 (45m) 

On the adjoining court two of the best young players in England were matching each other shot for shot with the talented local Club player Walters showing great composure and skill to make an upset on the cards as he deservedly took the first game 9-7. Le Roux was stung by this setback and came out with all guns blazing the take the second 9-3 with an impressive display. The crucial third saw Le Roux establish leads of 5-2 and 7-4 only for Walters to claw back to 8-7 before Le roux squeezed the winning point. The rallies were long in duration with some quality squash from both players but Walters failed to convert game ball at 8-7 and Le Roux made him pay dearly for missing the opportunity to level the rubber and was relieved to take the game 10-8 and with it the match chalking up his fourth consecutive victory in his debut season for Duffield.

The honeymoon continues for Billson

Eddie Charlton 1-3 Pete Billson 9-7 7-9 10-12 7-9 (36m)

Pete Billson has endeared himself to the Duffield supporters with his somewhat unorthodox laid back style which produced a hat trick of successes in the first half of the season in  2007. Pete was absent in round 7 due to his wedding to Jo Dumpelnik on 19 January and subsequent honeymoon. The happy couple got married in Worsley in North Manchester but Pete has been struggling with a groin strain since his return. Charlton took full advantage of his opponent’s slightly restricted mobility to edge the first game 9-7 and the scores were reversed in the second as both players mixed delightful winners with tins. Winning the third was vital to Billson as he was clearly troubled with his groin, Charlton was first to game ball at 8-7 and then at 9-8 before experience saw the pendulum swing in the Duffield favour. Billson gambled and went for winners in the fourth as a 4-1 lead slipped to a 6-4 deficit which Billson turned to 8-6 in his favour hitting an audacious dead nick to secure a unique 23^rd consecutive NL/PSL victory for the Derbyshire club

Binns cracks the Whipp

Jethro Binns 3-2 Andy Whipp 9-7 14-16 9-7 4-9 9-5 (53m)

Despite the defending champions having the bonus points in the bag this rubber was far from a dead one and was probably the most competitive one of the evening. Both players are somewhat similar in style attacking at every opportunity and chasing lost causes with some amazing retrieving reminiscent of the injured Simon Parke.

Binns, Wales No 3, is now befitting from the full time support from his Country whilst Whippy is no longer on the PSA circuit.

The first game was close with never more than one point separating the players until Binns benefited from a dead nick to set up game ball which he duly won. The second got even better with both players picking up balls which looked winners all the way. Whippy battled his way to 8-3 but somehow Binns saved 5 consecutive game balls as he clawed back to 8 all, Whippy had 6 six further game balls and saved one in the process before sneaking home 16-14. This prolonged game was to prove costly for the Manchester lad and a nip and tuck third game almost identical to the first went 9-7 in the Welsh man’s favour. Whippy dug deep to level the scores by taking the fourth 9-4. However Binns showed no signs of wilting and finally cracked Whippy by taking the fifth 9-5. The players received great applause for their efforts

Double trouble for Rooney

John Rooney 0-3 Stewart Boswell 8-10 6-9 4-9 (27m)

Boswell had beaten Rooney to just 7 points in round 3 but the Irish No 1 was determined not to suffer as similar fate and matched the world No 14 from Australia shot for shot in the firs to set up two game points at 8-6. Boswell hung on and hit 3 winners to take the game 10-8. Rooney was clearly thinking that he had let a great opportunity and quickly slipped 6-1 behind in the second which he clawed back to 6-5 with three  nice disguised winners but the man from down under again came out on top by winning 3 of the next 4 points with some great touches. Boswell had broken Rooney’s resistance and in just under the half hour he had secured the double in a night of so much doubling up.

Give us a “double” clue

A supporter came up to me after the match and asked which Duffield player the Crystal Ball had predicted would lose. In strict confidence I gave him a clue that it was the Duffield player with same two consecutive letters in the surname whilst admitting that Whippy is always sympathetic to his manager’s cause knowing that wrong CB predictions are given stick by Mr Cubbins on www.squashsite.co.uk

Both teams are backed by a sponsor with a Benz link but there was real concern in the Duffield camp when Felix of Benz- Bavarian Duffield fame failed to show despite the start of the rubber involving the number one strings being delayed pending his expected late arrival having missed his own mini bus in Duffield.  Clearly Felix’s appointment as manager of the Cyprus Rugby team must be weighing heavily on his shoulders.

Nottingham players had done their club proud whilst the Duffield bandwagon rolls on with the manager accepting the challenge thrown down by Nottingham  to a doubles challenge match as part of the new emphasis given to doubles by the Nottingham Club.

Duffield’s next outing is away against second placed University Sport Birmingham on 4 March. Stephen the infamous driver misses his second tie of the season clearly concerned about finding his way in an out of the University campus. Duffield will be looking to chalk up two dozen consecutive wins despite already missing five of the  players who have contributed to the team’s success as “double” defending champions.   

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