MAGNIFICENT SEVEN FOR PONTEFRACT
Pontefract made it a magnificent seven in the Yorkshire Premier League with a resounding victory over Woodfield that increases their lead at the top of the table to 13 points.
Seeking a first title in 15 years, Pontefract kept their 100% record intact in this week’s seventh round of matches as Woodfield were dispatched 20-2 to stretch the West Yorkshire side’s advantage over second-placed Hallamshire.
Ponte were boosted by the return of England international Patrick Rooney to the line-up. He took on the imposing figure of Egypt’s Moustafa El Sirty, the former world junior champion, but came through in four highly entertaining games. On the adjacent court, Freddie Jameson of New Zealand made a winning home debut against Haaris Vine.
When Adam Taylor dispatched Woodfield’s Alec Tomlinson at third string, the five bonus points were sealed. Ponte captain Matt Godson added another three by beating Woodfield head coach Alex Cutts, then Ponte club champion Tom Bamford added the coup de grace with a dominant 3-0 win over Adam El Shazly.
Second-placed Hallamshire were missing talisman Nick Matthew but world No.42 Nick Wall slotted in nicely on his comeback from PSA World Tour duties as the Sheffield side beat fourth-placed Dunnington 16-8.
The opening salvos were shared as Nick Wall Snr was beaten by Dunnington’s Marvin Mortensen-Ramlill in four after young Welshman Oliver Jones had given Hallamshire the lead. Wins for the hosts’ Adam Turner and the visitors’ Taminder Gata Aura meant the match was level going into the top-string clash.
It was 24-year-old Wall who took it, losing the first game 11/9 against Pakistan’s Amaad Fareed but hitting back to claim the next three and seal Hallamshire’s victory.
Harrogate, meanwhile, are really imposing themselves and recorded their fifth win of the campaign with a breezy 20-2 win at home to Queens Sports Club of Halifax. There were straight-games victories for John Simpson and Richard Hinds, while Alec Fuller also notched a home win despite falling 2-0 down early on to Danny Bray. Harrogate’s top two, former world top 20 player Chris Simpson and New Zealand national champion Lwamba Chileshe, finished things off in style with brisk 3-0 wins to solidify third place for the Straysiders.
At the bottom, Abbeydale got their first win of the season at the seventh attempt by winning a nail-biter 16-7 at defending champions Doncaster.
Abbeydale’s Ryan Spencer won an absolute cracker at fifth string against Ed Walker, taking it 11-9 in the fifth having trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in games. Hayden Tetley then beat Doncaster’s former European junior champion Asia Harris in three lengthy games, but back roared the hosts as Dutch debutant Joeri Hapers won in three, then Lewis Doughty won an epic battle with Jordan Hardwick in the fifth.
It all came down to Doncaster captain Joel Arscott against Abbeydale’s top-string Welshman Rhys Evans and it was Evans who took it despite losing the first game on a tie-break. However, Doncaster were deducted their points from the fourth and fifth string matches (totalling two) for again fielding more than the three permitted full-time professional players.
The mid-table battle between Ferriby Hall and newly-promoted Cleethorpes went the way of the hosts from Humberside 14-8 thanks to their lower order of Mike Reid and Glyn Saunders, who both won in three, and third string Yusuf Forster, who ground out a cracking five-setter with Harry Falconer despite surrendering a two-game advantage. With the result decided, Cleethorpes clawed back six points later in the evening thanks to their strong top two of Elliot Morris Devred and Malaysian Sanjay Jeeva.
