As always,it was a pleasure to welcome Chapel Allerton, and with them fielding a full strength team, we were assured of a very hard fought encounter coupled with the prospect of some fantastic Squash, and so it proved to be.
Match 1 - Tania Bailey (Benz Bavarian Duffield) vs Jenny Duncalf (Chapel Allerton)
On paper, this was going to be a very tough match for Tania, with Jenny playing as well as she is.
The first game was hard fought, with Tania putting in a dogged fight. Jenny eventually prevailing to take the game 11 / 6.
The second game continued as the first, with Jenny taking it 11 / 5. It was evident to see how she had reached her current National and World Rankings, playing some majestic shots to which Tania had no reply.
In the third, Tania showed what a great competitor she is, taking the game to Jenny and coming away with an 11 / 7 victory.
This seemed to spur Jenny on, who took the 4th 11 / 5.
A great game hard fought. We would like to take this opportunity from all at Duffield of wishing Tania all the very best for her Wedding this week.
Match 2 - Joel Hinds (Benz Bavarian Duffield) vs Laurence Delasaux (Chapel Allerton)
A real mouth watering encounter, with both Players on excellent current form.Laurence is well known to the Duffield fraternity, representing Duffield for a number of seasons.Knowing what he is capable of, we knew Joel was in for a real fight.
Joel settled quickly into his game, taking the first by 11 points to 7. This spurred Laurence into action, producing a fine second game and coming away with an 11 / 7 victory. Joel then produced some fantastic squash, confirming what a fine player he is. His command of the court was superb, and he took the next 2 games 11 / 5, 11/5.
Match 3 - Andy Whipp (Benz Bavarian Duffield) vs Chris Simpson (Chapel Allerton)
A crucial game for the home side. Whippy, as we all know, can upset the rankings very easily, and we all had high hopes for his encounter with Chris.
The Chapel Allerton player stamped his authority on the game from the offset, taking the first game with relative ease 11 / 5. This inspired "The Whippertron" into action,playing some excellent shots and taking the second game in commanding style 11 / 4.
Chris then settled into his game and demonstrated what a fine and consistent player he is, and took the next two games with relative ease, 11 / 4, 11 / 9.
Match 4 - Nick Matthew (Benz Bavarian Duffield) vs Thierry Lincou (Chapel Allerton)
It was wonderful to have Nick back after his recent victory in the British Nationals. In Thierry, he faced an opponent who is still a formidable force in Squash, and who, on his day, is still one of the finest exponents on the circuit.
The first match was a bruising encounter, with Nick possibly still feeling the effects of his recent hectic schedule. Thierry was hitting some fine shots, forcing Nick into a string of uncharacteristic errors, and taking the opener 11 / 9.
We then saw why Nick Matthew is ranked England number 1 and World 2. Dominating the court with his never say die aptitude, Nick took the next 3 games with relative ease with scores of 11 / 6, 11 / 8, and 11 / 6. A wonderful encounter between 2 of the best in the game.
Match 5 - Steve Coppinger (Benz Bavarian Duffield) vs Alister Walker (Chapel Allerton)
Based purely on current National and World rankings, this on paper would have appeared to be a sure fire victory for the on form Alister, but we all know rankings count for nothing when potentially so much is at stake.
Steve started very strong, forcing Alister into a string of errors and taking the first 11 points to 4. Alister responded in his usual way with a fine second game, and highlighting what a fine player he is, taking it 11 / 6.
From this point on, rarely have we seen a display from a player so determined to succeed. With the crowd right behind him, Steve really dug in and produced a fantastic performance. Alister was getting more and more frustrated with his game, and was clearly unsettled by the ferocity of Steves game. A magnanimous performance saw Steve clinching the next 2 games 11 / 9, 11 / 9.
A wonderful evening's entertainment enjoyed by all who attended, and credit to all Players who produced Squash of the highest standard.
Felix Frixou
Team Manager - Benz Bavarian Duffield
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