Lewis & Temple Boost Local Hopes In Hithercroft Open

Leicester's Darren Lewis and Gloucestershire's Robbie Temple boosted English hopes in the Hithercroft Open after qualifying for the PSA Tour event in its second year at the Hithercroft Squash Club in the English county of Oxfordshire.

Lewis, 27, despatched German hope Jens Schoor 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-9 in exactly one hour to earn a place in the first round against top-seeded compatriot Joey Barrington, son of the illustrious Jonah Barrington.

In a marathon 75-minute qualifying final, Temple twice came from behind to topple Yorkshireman Shaun le Roux 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0). The Leeds-based Gloucester-born 20-year-old will now face local hero Scott Handley, the third seed from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, in the main draw.

Qualifying finals:
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Ben Ford (ENG) 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-8 (49m)
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Shaun le Roux (ENG) 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0) (75m)
Darren Lewis (ENG) bt Jens Schoor (GER) 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-9 (60m)
John Rooney (IRL) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-2 (31m)