Duffield & Surrey HR&SC Top Mid-Season PSL Group Tables

Away teams had the edge in all of the ties in the fifth and final round of the first half of the Premier League season - but it was former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield and reigning champions PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC that will lead the points tables in the two groups going into the second half of the season after resounding wins at Chapel Allerton and UniSport Guildford, respectively.

Derbyshire club Duffield, champions in 2006 and 2007, could have claimed a maximum points victory at Chapel Allerton if former member Laurence Delasaux, now representing the Leeds club, hadn't spoiled the visitors' party by beating Duffield's 'home-grown' Joel Hinds 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 14-12.

But Duffield stalwart Laura Hill kicked off the visitors' winning run with a straight games success over Jenna Gates - and team-mates Andrew Whipp and Joey Barrington followed her example with positive victories before team number one Nick Matthew - the world No10 from Sheffield - despatched the home side's Alister Walker 11-7, 11-9, 11-1 to give Duffield a 4/1 win and take the club to the top of the Group A points table for the first time this season.

PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC, winners of the PSL title for the first time last season, have spent most of the season making up for a surprise early season loss to PSL newcomers Exeter Diamonds, the Devon club which went on to top the Group B table.

The Croydon club faced county rivals UniSport Guildford - and after World Open runner-up Vicky Botwright gave the visitors an early lead, Guildford regulars Mick Biggs and Stephen Meads survived five-game encounters to give the home side a 2/1 advantage.

But despite the last-minute withdrawal of the Croydon club's Egyptian number one Wael El Hindi, their promoted numbers one and two restored the title-holders' lead - Davide Bianchetti beating Stacey Ross in five games and England international Peter Barker despatching Guildford's top string Jesse Engelbrecht 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 to give Surrey HR&SC a 3/2 win which sees them back in control in the group.

Meanwhile, it was a surprise home defeat which saw Exeter Diamonds lose their supremacy in Group B. And the defeat was swift as TWP St George's Hill quickly established an unassailable 3/0 lead when Rachel Willmott, Philip Nightingale and Neil Hitchens beat their home opponents. Later Jonathan Kemp and Australian international Stewart Boswell restored some pride for the home fans by beating Tom Richards and St George's Hill number one Daryl Selby, respectively.

The other Group B tie saw last season's title runners-up PNH Properties Chichester slump to their fourth defeat of the season, losing 3/2 to Probuild Bristol. The home side were ahead after victories by Dominique Lloyd-Walter and team captain Tim Vail. But Chichester suffered a setback when squad number two Alex Gough, the now retired former world No5, was forced to retire injured midway through the second game against fellow Welshman David Evans, a former world No3.

World No11 Adrian Grant then clinched victory for Bristol after beating Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskandar, ranked two places lower, 11-2, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6.

The second clash in Group A saw a welcome return to action for England international Lee Beachill after an injury layoff. The former world No1 levelled the tie for Pontefract against MB Nottingham by coming back from 2/1 down to beat the former champions' Renan Lavigne 11-6, 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4.

In a dramatic decider in Nottingham, England number one James Willstrop battled for five games to overcome Malaysian number one Ong Beng Hee 10-12, 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4 to give the Yorkshire side their second win of the season.

RESULTS: 5th round, Tuesday 2 December 2008

Group A:
Chapel Allerton 1 Benz-Bavarian Duffield 4
Alister Walker lost to Nick Matthew 7-11, 9-11, 1-11
Aaron Frankcomb lost to Joey Barrington 9-11, 10-12, 8-11
Scott Arnold lost to Andrew Whipp 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11
Laurence Delasaux bt Joel Hinds 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 14-12
Jenna Gates lost to Laura Hill 5-11, 1-11, 2-11

MB Nottingham 2 Pontefract 3
Ong Beng Hee lost to James Willstrop 12-10, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 4-11
Renan Lavigne lost to Lee Beachill 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 4-11
Simon Parke bt Neil Cordell 11-4, 11-5, 11-7
Lewis Walters lost to Harinder Pal Sandhu 4-11, 4-11, 13-11, 11-9, 5-11
Emma Beddoes bt Kirsty McPhee 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4

Group B:
UniSport Guildford 2 PCL Whitehall Security Surrey H&RC 3
Jesse Engelbrecht lost to Peter Barker 8-11, 3-11, 6-11
Stacey Ross lost to Davide Bianchetti 15-13, 11-6, 3-11, 8-11, 1-11
Stephen Meads bt Adrian Waller 11-7, 3-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6
Mick Biggs bt Steve Richardson 17-19, 11-7, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7
Harriet Ingham lost to Vicky Botwright 3-11, 5-11, 3-11

Exeter Diamonds 2 TWP St George's Hill 3
Stewart Boswell bt Daryl Selby 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7
Jonathan Kemp bt Tom Richards 7-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6
James Snell lost to Neil Hitchens 9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-13
Tom Pashley lost to Philip Nightingale 17-15, 6-11, 6-11, 6-11
Emma Chorley lost to Rachel Willmott 11-8, 6-11, 7-11, 8-11

PNH Properties Chichester 2 Probuild Bristol 3
Mohd Azlan Iskandar lost to Adrian Grant 2-11, 4-11, 11-9, 6-11
Alex Gough lost to David Evans 5-11, 1-6 ret.
Tim Vail bt Hadrian Stiff 9-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 11-5
Robbie Temple lost to Peter Marshall 8-11, 7-11, 6-11
Dominique Lloyd-Walter bt Vicky Hynes 11-4, 11-5, 11-6