Duffield, runners-up in the last two Premier Squash League campaigns, marched into the semi-finals of the 2014-15 competition as the race for the play-offs moved up a gear.
The Division A leaders made it eight wins from eight matches with a 5-0 romp at PSL newcomers Leicester, which lifted the Derbyshire club to 149 points, 47 clear of Nottingham with two rounds to go.
However, despite the scoreline, Leicester, with just one win this season so far, made Duffield work hard for their 20 points, with only Andy Whipp not dropping a game and Declan James (pictured above) needing all five in the last match to end George Parker’s unbeaten record.
Birmingham Lions started the evening in second place, but visitors Nottingham were only nine points behind and they leapfrogged their Midlands rivals with a 4-1 victory. Emma Beddoes put the first win on the board for Nottingham, but their progress was halted as Jonny Harford came from a game down to beat Ollie Holland. Thereafter, though, it was all Nottingham. Eddie Charlton rallying from 1/2 down to beat Joel Makin.
Starting in fourth place but only three points behind Nottingham were Coolhurst London and they too scored maximum points with a 5-0 home drubbing of struggling Pontefract, which lifted them into third place. Nottingham, Coolhurst and Birmingham are now separated by just three points in the race for second spot.
In Division B, leaders St George’s travelled to Bristol, who had won their last four matches to climb into third. It was the visitors who dominated, though, taking the first four matches before Marwan Elshorbagy turned in a great performance to beat Borja Golan in five games at number one.
Reigning champions Surrey, smarting from two successive defeats, got off to a good start at home to Winchester as Alison Waters gave them the lead, but Scott Fitzgerald levelled with a five-game win over Lyell Fuller. That was the last success for the visitors, though, as Surrey took the last three matches in straight games to stay in touch with St George’s.
Chichester, starting in fourth place, leapfrogged Bristol into third as they beat strugglers Exeter 5-0, keeping alive their chances of making the semi-finals.
RESULTS
Division A
Everards Leicester 0-5 Benz Bavarian Duffield (6-20)
Shaun Le Roux 1/3 Chris Simpson 11-13, 5-11, 11-8, 10-12
Ben Coleman 2/3 Joel Hinds 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 7-11
George Parker 2/3 Declan James 10-12, 12-10, 2-11, 11-8, 7-11
James Bowden 0/3 Andy Whipp 6-11, 5-11, 7-11
Tania Bailey 1/3 Millie Tomlinson 11-4, 16-18, 6-11, 1-11
Birmingham Lions 1-4 Air-IT Nottingham (6-18)
Chris Ryder 0/3 Alan Clyne 5-11, 4-11, 5-11
Joel Makin 2/3 Eddie Charlton 11-13, 14-12, 11-8, 3-11, 6-11
Chris Hall 1/3 Mark Fuller 8-11, 11-13, 12-10, 9-11
Jonny Harford 3/1 Ollie Holland 10-12, 13-11, 11-4, 12-10
Katrina Burrows 0/3 Emma Beddoes 3-11, 4-11, 4-11
Coolhurst London 5-0 Pontefract (20-1)
Simon Rosner 3/0 Ben Grindrod 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (34m)
Raphael Kandra 3/0 Courtney West 11-0, 11-2, 11-4 (23m)
James Earles 3/1 Alex Hodgetts 6-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (27m)
Angus Gillams 3/0 Lewis Doughty 11-6, 11-2, 11-4 (23m)
Madeline Perry 3/0 Sarah Kippax 11-9, 11-4, 15-13 (30m)
Division B
Team Chichester 5-0 Exeter Diamonds (20-2)
Adrian Waller 3/1 Tim Vail 9-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-6 (46m)
Rex Hedrick 3/0 James Snell 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Robbie Temple 3-0 Luke Bishop 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (27m)
Sanjay Singh 3/1 Robbie Keefe 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11/4 (27m)
Lauren Briggs 3/0 Rhianne O’Donnell 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 (14m)
UWE/Elite Bristol 1-4 Luxford/9 Group St George’s Hill (7-19)
Marwan Elshorbagy 3/2 Borja Golan 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4
Mike Harris 2/3 Joe Lee 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11
Hadrian Stiff 0/3 Tom Richards 4-11, 3-11, 2-11
Josh Masters 2/3 Charles Sharpes
Kip Quiney 0/3 Yathreb Adel 3-11, 6-11, 8-11
Virgin Active Surrey HRC 4-1 Winchester Racquets & Fitness (19-4)
Gregoire Marche 3/0 Scott Handley 11-8, 11-3, 12-10
Piedro Schweertman 3/0 Rob Downer 11-5, 11-1, 11-7 (28m)
Lyell Fuller 2/3 Scott Fitzgerald 8-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 13-15
Steve Richardson 3/0 Steve Wykes 12-10, 11-7, 11-8
Alison Waters 3/1 Emily Whitlock 11-8, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4 (52m)