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Steve at Duffield |
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Benz-Bavarian Duffield 1
Churchill Edgbaston Priory 4
Nick Matthew lost to
David
Palmer 8/10, 9/6, 5/9, 9/11 (58m)
Jonathan Kemp lost to Stewart Boswell 5/9, 4/9, 3/9 (22m)
Renan Lavigne lost to Peter Barker 8/10, 9/7, 8/10, 7/9
(51m)
Gavin Jones lost to Hadrian Stiff 9/11, 9/4, 9/6, 1/9, 8/10
(53m)
Laura Hill beat Rebecca Botwright 9/2, 9/10, 9/2, 9/4 (49m)
Back
to the Premier
Steve Cubbins reports from Duffield
 The
resumption of the Premier League after a long break - 15th
November was the last match – saw two teams separated by just six points
clash in the Derbyshire countryside. Could the 'city slickers' maintain
their slender lead in the face of the league's most fervent supporters
....
The evening started with a minutes' silence in memory of Peter Kramer, and
then we were off. |
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Renan Lavigne lost to Peter Barker
8/10, 9/7, 8/10, 7/9
(51m) |
Barker's Back
The first match on the showcourt was close all the way. Duffield's
resident Frenchman Renan Lavigne was lower in the rankings than
Edgbaston's Peter Barker, but this was the English youngster's first
match in several weeks after an ankle injury, so home hopes were high.
 Barker
subdued the crowd as he opened up an early 5-2 lead, but Lavigne was
full of running and fought back to take the lead before earning a game
ball with a lucky mishit that brought the crowd to full voice. That was
saved, and after Barker earned the next two points on French errors
Lavigne barely clipped the tin with a boast and was walking out of the
door with half the audience not knowing the game was lost, 8/10.
The second was point for point, most of the early scores coming from
errors as both tried to pin the other down on their backhands leading to
a lot of crosscourts being played. This time it was Renan who took the
final two points to win 9/7, again courtesy of errors from Barker's
racket.
Barker fought back well to peg back an early lead in the third before
taking another 10/8 as the rallies lengthened, and the fourth was pretty
much a repeat of the second – close all the way – but with a different
ending as Barker found his best form of the match to close it out 9/7
with two crosscourts that died in the back along with the audience's
cheers.
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“That was very close. It nearly went to a tie-breaker each game, so I'm
pleased to have just sneaked it. I thought I held the ball quite well,
but I was just happy to be laying after been out for seven weeks.
“I fractured my ankle during training, and I'm probably another four
weeks from 100% fitness, so I played better than I was expecting to
tonight. I'm trying not to overdo it, but it's the Nationals next week
and I've got a tough on to start, against Daryl [Selby].”
Peter Barker |
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Laura Hill beat Rebecca Botwright
9/2, 9/10, 9/2, 9/4 (49m) |
Laura
does it again
 The
crowd on the showcourt were roused by cheers from the outside court, where
Laura Hill repeated her first half victory over the higher-ranked Becky
Botwright.
After Becky took the first three points of the match, but from then on
Laura assumed control, forging ahead to take the first and leading all the
way in the second with Becky forced to scramble to the four corners of the
court.
Perhaps nerves set in, as Laura allowed Beck back in, coming from 8-5 down
to level the match 10-9, but they were quickly settled by a 7-0 lead in
the third. That was converted, and again in the fourth it was 7-0 before
Becky staged a mini-revival that was again too late.
One match all ...
 “I
felt I was stronger most of the way through, and when I got tired I
knew that she just had to be more tired.
“When I got to eight in a couple of games she started to play better,
rallied well, and I got a bit nervous in the fourth, although I never
thought I was going to lose the match, even if it had gone to a
fifth.”
Laura Hill |
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 “I
couldn't get any depth, I was having to boast everything out. I didn't
really feel confident at any point in the match.”
Becky Botwright |
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Jonathan Kemp lost to
Stewart Boswell
5/9, 4/9, 3/9 (22m) |
Boswell too tight
 On
paper this was a clear win for Edgbaston, and Stewart Boswell, world
number seventeen and still rising, didn't disappoint in his new number two
position.
The Australian was always in control, stroking the ball neatly to the
corners, keeping Kemp constantly on the back foot. Boswell didn't hit that
many winners, he didn't need to as Kemp made far too many errors as he
scrambled for another tight ball or tried to finish a rally he was in
danger of losing.
The crowd were pretty quiet on this one, getting momentarily excited as
Kemp led 3-0 in the second, but he was quickly made to work hard again and
Boswell never looked back.
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 “It
was hard to find a rhythm, he was going for his shots and killing the
ball from the back. So I was just reacting to what he was doing most
of the time, but fortunately he hit a few tins too.”
Stewart Boswell |
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 “He just doesn't
give you anything, everything is tight and it's so hard to create an
opening.
“I've had a tough few days, just back from Dayton, and I was starting to
feel it by the middle of each game so I needed to do something.
“I went for a few shots, but made too many mistakes.”
Jon Kemp |
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Gavin Jones lost to Hadrian Stiff
9/11, 9/4, 9/6, 1/9, 8/10 (53m) |
Hadrian
beats the odds
Back on the outside court, a match where Duffield probably started
favourites. Paul Hargrave had done a sterling job for them in the first
half, but a minor ski-ing injury meant that Duffield gave a debut to world
no 40 Gavin Jones, against ex-Duffield player Hadrian Stiff.
The match was played for the most part at a fast and furious pace with
Stiff getting the better of the close first game. But then Jones, moving
at an even more furious pace, took command to take the second and third
comfortably. But then it all changed again as the Welshman slowed and
started to make errors - “when are you going to stop playing like an
absolute Welshman?” he asked himself - and very quickly it was two-all.
So, a decider to set up the decider, with Matthew and Palmer waiting to go
on the showcourt. The fifth was a real tense affair. Hadrian started well,
catching Gavin out with a few deft flicks, but Gavin dug in well, found
his pace to claw it back to 3-all. Hadrian eased away again ... it was 6-5
forever, with let after long rally after let after ....
Then it was match-ball to Duffield as Gavin put in a short ball that was
just too tight for Hadrian to reach. A short rally, a scramble ... Gavin
on the floor as he just got to a short ball ... or did he. No-one was
really sure, but the call of “not up” came and it was level.
And two points later it was all over. Scramble as he might Jones couldn't
keep Duffield in the match as Stiff claimed an unexpected win to the
delight of the Edgbaston contingent.
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“I wouldn't have thought I'd come through a match that hard and that
long, but I felt in control of most of the rallies, I was holding the
ball well and made him do most of the work.
I felt ok in the first, went all over the place in the second and
third but then I got better again.”
Hadrian Stiff |
 “I
feel really tired, I'm just back from the States. I need some sleep!”
Gavin Jones |
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Nick
Matthew lost to David Palmer
8/10, 9/6, 5/9, 9/11 (58m) |
Palmer
keeps Edgbaston at the top
By now the
final match had started, and David Palmer took the first game at the same
moment that Stiff took the match on the adjoining court. This was the
pair's second meeting in two days, Matthew winning the Super League clash
on Monday. And he started the better here, leading 6/3 but unable to
convert it .
 If
anyone thought these two would relax, knowing they were playing a dead
rubber, they were mistaken. The match might be over, but with PSL scoring
every point counts and Edgbaston knew Manchester/Pontefract were breathing
down their necks. The next three games were just as hard, just as intense,
with both players giving the Duffield crowd what they craved for, world
class squash played with passion ... and they joined in.
It was hard not to – the range of shots, huge rallies, plenty of amiable
discussions with the referee - “Yes Let” ... “But I hit him with my
racket!” ... “I know ...” - a typical example, and the crowd were cheering
both players, deservedly so. Palmer screamed “you idiot!” at himself for
an easy tin in the middle of the fourth, then fell as Matthew levelled it
at 7-all.
That was the Australian's last mistake, as he finished the match with a
clean winner off the serve followed by a series of tight drives and driven
nicks that Matthew couldn't match.
So Edgbaston had taken the spoils and retained the lead. For them the
play-offs are in sight ... for Duffield it's beginning to look a little
uphill ...
 “It
was a more physical match than last night. The court here is slower,
which made it a more attacking game. I was a bit loose on the backhand
at times and David was getting onto the ball faster.
“Even though the match was over we still gave it all we had. He didn't
want to lose to me twice in a row, and I wanted him to. Even if there
had been no-one watching it would have been the same, but it's a great
crowd here and the really get you fired up, you want to put on a good
show for them.”
Nick Matthew |
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 “I was keen to
reverse yesterday's loss to Nick in Superleague, and I felt sharp
tonight, especially on my drops and volleys.
“The main difference was the court here was a bit deader, it takes a
shot well and rewards your better shots. I also knew that 4-1 was
better than 3-2, and knowing what Brian was going to write if I lost
spurred me on a bit too!
“It will be nice to have a bit of a rest in Belgium now, staying put
for three weeks with just a few league games and exhibitions, getting
ready for the Tournament of Champions.
“If I'm number one in February that will be great. I've got a few
points to go on and not many coming off since I got married and had my
honeymoon last January. If I'd won more than one of the five finals I
played at the end of last year I'd be number one already, so it would
be nice if it was to happen now.”
David Palmer: |
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 “I
wasn't expecting that, I really thought it was going all the way
tonight, especially here at Duffield where the crowd factor can make
all the difference. 4-1 is a fantastic result for us, and it just goes
to show that in squash it can go any way depending on who performs on
the night and it often comes down to one or two points.
“I can't name name a player of the night – there have to be three of
them this time.
“Peter Barker - coming back from injury, we weren't expecting a win
from him.
“Hadrian Stiff – that's the best I've seen him play in seven years of
watching him. His movement, his shots, were fantastic, a brilliant
win.
“David Palmer – Nick was fantastic tonight, but David played like
someone who's just about to become number one. He gave everyone here a
lesson tonight, especially on how to play a backhand volley.
Matt Suckling
Edgbaston Manager |
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 “I
felt we were very unlucky at Edgbaston in the first leg, but we
couldn't really complain tonight.
“Hadrian played really well, a super effort against someone ranked 40
in the world. Gavin was a shade unlucky but in the end it probably
didn't make any difference.
“Laura did well, I'm very pleased for her, considering she's a
full-time firefighter.
“It was a fantastic atmosphere and everyone went away having seen some
great squash, and we're pleased to have raised a considerable sum
of money for the British Liver Trust in memory of Peter Kramer.”
Brian Hargrave
Duffield Manager |
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