League Champions Defeated - But Stay On Top

Champions Manchester/Pontefract suffered their first National League defeat for more than a season when they were beaten 3-2 by Edgbaston Priory in a dramatic second round clash in Birmingham. But the trans-Pennine co-operative remain at the top of the Group A table - while Wolverhampton, who were also playing away from home, maintain their position in second place despite also losing 3-2, to Derbyshire's Benz Bavarian Duffield.

Manchester/Pontefract, unbeaten since February 2003, arrived in Edgbaston weakened by the absence of their world No1 Lee Beachill, who is nursing a mild abductor strain in his right leg in readiness to compete in next week's British Open in Nottingham. The title-holders charged into a 2-0 lead, however, when Jenny Duncalf beat the home team's French No1 Isabelle Stoehr 9-5 9-1 6-9 8-10 9-1 in a tremendous 59-minute display of world-class women's squash - and Cheshire pro Andrew Whipp outlasted retired journeyman Del Harris, a Priory stalwart of many years standing, 9-6 3-9 6-9 9-4 9-2.

Edgbaston restored home pride when third string Peter Barker - nominated as 'player of the night' by team manager Matt Suckling - swept to a 9-5 9-6 9-7 victory over the visitors' player/manager Nick Taylor in just 27 minutes.

Next on court were top strings David Palmer and James Willstrop - the latter leading the visitors in place of his Pontefract club-mate Beachill. After Australian No1 Palmer took the opening game, Willstrop fought back to claim the next two for the loss of just three points - and move 4-1 up in the fourth.

"It seemed clear that David had no answer to James in the second and third games - but he came out a different player in the fourth," explained Suckling. "In the next two games, he was the man!" Much to the delight of the packed Priory crowd, Palmer reversed the flow and came through an 11-9 2-9 1-9 9-5 9-6 winner in 52 minutes - leaving the tie finely balanced at two-all.

Edgbaston supporters could be forgiven for thinking that the decider was in the bag - with world No13 Adrian Grant, the hosts' No2 fresh from a surprise semi-final appearance in last week's Hungarian Open and a first-time victory over world No1 Peter Nicol in September's Hong Kong Open, taking on Yorkshire part-timer Marcus Berrett.

But the former pro from Halifax had other ideas - and swept to a 2/0 lead and match-ball in the third against a hapless Grant. "You could see Adrian visibly rise in stature as he threw his racket to an almost un-retrievable ball to save this rally, then secure his own game-ball in equally devastating style," said Suckling. The left-hander then smartly wrapped up the match 4-9 4-9 11-9 9-2 9-1 to give Edgbaston Priory an unlikely 3-2 win.

In Derbyshire, Duffield were making their season debut after sitting out the first round action. Three days after winning the Monte Carlo Classic title for the third time, Cassie Jackman repeated her Monaco win over New Zealand No1 Shelley Kitchen by beating her Wolverhampton opponent 9-5 9-1 9-2.

But Duffield's star turn was unsung Frenchman Renan Lavigne, who fought back from a game down to defeat Wolverhampton's Welsh wizard Alex Gough, a former world No5, 6-9 10-8 9-5 9-7. An earlier impressive 10-8 9-3 9-11 7-9 9-2 win by Jonathan Kemp over the visitors' Scott Handley, winner of the Mega Italia Open trophy only 48 hours earlier, had secured the tie victory for Duffield.

But hopes of a 4-1 scoreline were dashed when Wolverhampton No1 Anthony Ricketts, the world No14 from Australia, defeated Sheffield-based world No5 Nick Matthew 9-3 9-5 6-9 9-1 in the final match of the night.

Group A:
Edgbaston Priory 3-2 Manchester/Pontefract
David Palmer beat James Willstrop 11-9, 2-9, 1-9, 9-5, 9-6 (52m)
Adrian Grant beat Marcus Berrett 4-9, 4-9, 11-9, 9-2, 9-1 (60m)
Peter Barker beat Nick Taylor 9-5, 9-6, 9-7 (27m)
Del Harris lost to Andrew Whipp 6-9, 9-3, 9-6, 4-9, 2-9 (47m)
Isabelle Stoehr lost to Jenny Duncalf 5-9, 1-9, 9-6, 10-8, 1-9 (59m)

Benz-Bavarian Duffield 3-2 Wolverhampton
Nick Matthew lost to Anthony Ricketts 3-9, 5-9, 9-6, 1-9
Renan Lavigne beat Alex Gough 6-9, 10-8, 9-5, 9-7
Jonathan Kemp beat Scott Handley 10-8, 9-3, 9-11, 7-9, 9-2
Paul Hargrave lost to Liam Kenny 6-9, 3-9, 8-10
Cassie Jackman beat Shelley Kitchen 9-5, 9-1, 9-2