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Tue
23rd Nov, round four: Manchester/Pontefract
5
Benz-Bavarian Duffield 0
James Willstrop bt Renan Lavigne 7-9, 10-8, 7-9, 9-5, 9-7
Marcus Berrett bt Paul Hargrave 13-11, 9-7, 9-2
Nick Taylor bt Sam Miller 9-7, 9-5, 7-9, 9-6
Andrew Whipp bt Matt Lowery 9-3, 9-5, 9-6
Rebecca Botwright bt Vicky Hynes 7-9, 6-9, 9-3, 9-0, 9-4
Hargrave arrives ...
I blame Alex Ferguson:
1000 and still counting,
but for some 894 to go ...
Brian Hargrave reports from Nottingham
After last season's experience,
Benz-Bavarian Duffield's loyal travelling supporters decided to give the
tie a miss when it was discovered, for the second season running, the
tie at Manchester clashed with Man Utd playing at home in the Champions
League.
A nightmare 3 hour journey for the Duffield top two players was not the
best of starts to the Duffield manager's 106th game in charge of the
National League team spread over 12 years.
It was feared that because of anticipated traffic congestion that
Duffield would be without travelling away support for the first time in
12 seasons. However squad member Laura Hill and former NL stalwart Kevin
White, who like Paul Hargrave was a member of the team back in 1993-94,
could not let the record end and together with the two Spooners from
Stoke witnessed a tie much closer than the final scoreline suggested.
 Whipped
Things went from bad to worse when late S O S deputy Mat Lowery
was, despite a brave effort, whipped by Athens PSA losing finalist
Andrew Whipp 9-3 9-5 9-6. Whipp always had the upper hand but
Lowery, Derbyshire No 2, showed some nice touches.
A Miller's Tale
Sam Miller answered an even later SOS and was only recruited into
the Derbyshire club's squad during the day, following a frantic bid to
field a complete team after a series of withdrawals due to injury and
unavailability. Miller, England ranked 38 , from Hereford , had arrived
back at 5.30am from a tournament in New York and picked up an ansaphone
SOS message by confirming that he would drive up to Manchester to
complete the Duffield line up and face Manchester stalwart Nick
Taylor. Miller pushed the veteran Taylor all the way and but for a
few tired loose shots might well have produced a real upset. Miller
chased everything as he dived around the court but went down bravely 9-7
9-5 7-9 9-6.
Old Rivals
Paul Hargrave, England 18, was forced to move up the order to No
2 to face his old foe Marcus Berrett, England 12, for the 25th
time at junior and senior level. An entertaining encounter saw Hargrave
have two game balls in the first. A great opportunity was lost when
Hargrave just clipped the top of the tin with Berrett flat footed .
Berrett eventually squeezed through 13-11. Hargrave was still thinking
about the missed opportunities and quickly went 6-1 down in the second
before turning on the style to level at 7 all only to be on the
receiving end of a cruel dead nick off the back wall followed by a
tinned volley. Berrett had broken his old rival's resistance and
comfortably took the third 9-2.
Repeat performance from Botwright
Vicky Hynes came near to earning a valuable match point for
Duffield when she won the first two close games 9-7 9-6 against the home
team's Becky Botwright. Hynes then appeared to lose concentration
allowing her opponent back into the rubber as she gained confidence with
every winning shot.Sadly for the 23-year-old from Birmingham, history
repeated itself when Botwright came back to win in five games taking the
last 3 games for the loss of just 7 points as Hynes tired - exactly as
the 22-year-old did against Hynes in the final of the European
Individual Championship in Slovakia in September.
Linda Davie is always right - pity
about the over rule from high places
World No1 Lee Beachill, who sustained a recurrence of his adductor
strain in last week's Canadian Classic in Toronto and Nick Matthew,
still troubled with a back injury sustained in Canada whilst practising,
were both absent. Fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop and
Renan Lavigne, French No 3 moved up to the No 1 spot. Willstrop is
ranked 12 in the world, seven places higher than Lavigne. The Frenchman
twice led in the match before the talented Willstrop turned on his flair
to register a 7-9 10-8 7-9 9-5 9-7 victory in 48 minutes. Lavigne looked
to have his opponent on the ropes in the fifth following some rare
errors from Willstrop. However, the England youngster dug deep and hit
some classy winners to level at 7 all.
The nice eagle eyed Linda Davie, whose decisions could not be
faulted, then called a Willstrop pick up down only to be over ruled by
the much taller Tony Parker. Spectators at lower level saw it
clearly but without the benefit of action replays the over rule was
crucial and it was not to be Duffield's night. I blame Alex Ferguson
as surely with the usual noisy away support the results would all have
been so different. Still the hospitality was first class.
League positions
After losing at the beginning of the season for the first time in more
than a year, Manchester/Pontefract finished their first half of the
season by stretching their lead to 21 points ahead of Norwest Holst
Nottingham - who, despite also winning 5-0 tonight and having a tie in
hand, will be unable to overhaul the trans-Pennine co-operative until
the second half of the season.The win propels Nottingham from bottom
position to second place in the Group A table, 10 points ahead of the
resting Wolverhampton. But the heavy defeat sees Edgbaston plummet to
fifth place in the table, three points adrift of Benz-Bavarian Duffield
and this pair need to pick up points quickly if they wish to avoid the
wooden "egg and" spoon race.
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WEEK FOUR MAIN PAGE
Slow start at Sportcity
Linda Davie reports ...
The evening got off to a slow start with only a couple of the
Duffield team in attendance. When Brian Hargrave arrived he
appeared slightly dismayed at the amount of traffic on the road. Yes
they were out in numbers for the match - unfortunately not this
match but that other team in Manchester, namely United. Not to
worry, we settled him down with a cuppa and a sandwich.
Renan Lavigne looked tired, he said he left Paris very early
this morning and was feeling dehydrated. My thoughts at this point
were "wait till after the match mate, then you will know dehydration
is all about," as he was due to take on the giant of a player,
James Willstrop.
I then found out that Sam Miller had arrived into the country
at 05.00am this morning so I was building up the impression that
things were not looking good for Duffield. Then I heard these words
from the Manager: "How long does the ball have to stay on the racket
to become the egg and spoon race". No panic, he was in a jovial mood
and looking forward to the night's entertainment. The crowds were
not out in their normal droves and I guess you can put that down to
various reasons on the night. Both teams were short but my guess is
Man U were at home and this depleted the numbers. I have to say that
Nick Taylor brought his usual faithful followers.
Before we knew where we were Andy Nickeas started off the
evening in his usual professional manner, a nice touch to our
evenings in Manchester.
Andrew Whipp was up against probably what could be termed as
a fairly unknown player, well perhaps that is unkind of me but I
have to admit I have never seen Matt Lowery play. Andrew lost
no time and showed that his recent form had not deserted him and
took the match 3/0 in 36 mins. All credit to Matt as he did his best
to make a match of it.
Meanwhile Manchester's favourite son was on court against Sam
Miller. I heard the last time these two played Sam came out the
winner! This time Nick was making sure there was only one winner on
his court and he looked like taking the match comfortably and won
the first two 9/7 9/5 in 15 mins. Then disaster struck. At one point
Nick asked the referee "is this tin at the correct height?" Yep,
Nick was trying to play that perfect shot and instead found the tin
too many times, Sam took the 3rd game 9/7 in 7 mins. The fourth at
first appeared to be anyone's with neither player notching up a good
run. In what turned out to be the last game, Nick managed to keep
focused and won it 9/6 in 9 mins and laid that old ghost to rest. A
steady performance paid dividends.
On the outside court the two women had started their match and this
was a match that showed that the women's game can provide long and
exciting squash. Vicky Hynes took the first two games and
then watched her lead evaporate as Becky Botwright made her
comeback. Was it fitness in the end? I don't know, all I can add is
that the referee Tony Arnold complimented both players saying
they played the game in the right spirit and how it was a joy to be
part of it. 52 mins, well played.
Marcus Berrett was next on the show court against Duffield's
Favourite, Paul Hargrave. At first Marcus showed all the old
signs of controlled squash and was leading 6/3. The it changed to 6
all, 7/6 Marcus then 8/6 Paul. Then
8 all, and we had no idea who was going to take the first game. But
at 11/10 to Paul Marcus got a run of 3 points to make it 13/11.
Marcus lost no time in making the most of his winning form and
quickly took the next two games 9/7 and 9/2. Total match time 30
mins.
Last match on was James Willstrop against Renan Lavigne.
Duffield were down 4 - 0 but the Frenchman was not planning on being
second on the night, he was out to win. He took the first game in 8
mins 9/7. The second was well contested and James managed a 10/8 win
in just under 9 mins. This was a match where you had no idea what
was coming next. Played in a beautiful spirit, both players chasing
everything and asking for little, a joy to referee. Renan held his
nerve and gave himself a great opportunity to win by taking the
third 9/7. James came back and played wonderful attacking squash and
took a 6/1 lead in the fourth. Renan managed to hang in but there
was only one person taking the fourth, Willstrop 9/5 in under 6
mins.
Ok who would win the fifth and final game. No bets here... Renan
quickly set the pace 4/0 up, then 5/2, then hand out 3/5. I think
this game hinged on Renan making an unforced error as he tinned the
ball, with style of course, to make the score 5/5. But wait, a no
let to James, hand out 6/5. At this point the home crowd rallied
round their player, loud shouts of "come on James" and as the
perfect script will dictate, the home boy closed it and won 9/7.
A good night's entertainment. The crowd left in good spirits. The
teams and management were treated to a wonderful supper.What more
can you ask for...
Linda Davie |
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