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Diamonds produce gem of a display to down Chichester
Chichester went down 4-1 to Exeter Diamonds in the first match of the second half of the Premier Squash League season.
Top strings Stewart Boswell and Chichester's Azlan Iskandar started proceedings on the glass-back court.
Iskandar and Boswell had an even first two games (12-10, 8-11) and the third game was crucial with Boswell having trouble keeping a tight line with his backhand.
Iskandar came from behind to take the game and go 2-1 up.
In the fourth, Iskandar stormed ahead to a 9-1 lead. Despite a valiant effort from Boswell, Iskandar maintained control, closed the game and took the match 11-4.
Annabelle Collins-Ballands, making her first start of the season for Chichester, faced Emma Chorley.
Collins-Ballands gave an admirable performance and had chances to close the second game with some nice drop shots from mid-court.
Chorley's experience and pace, however, saw her come through to win 11-5, 11-9, 11-6.
Next on court, fourth string Pete Genever played James Snell. All games were extremely close.
Snell's length outshone Genever's and, coupled with his good long drop on the backhand side, Snell took the match 10-12, 11-8. 11-13, 11-13 to put Exeter 2-1 up.
Next on the glass-back court, Chichester's Alex Gough had the tough task of taking on Jon Kemp, the world No24.
Kemp controlled the match but Gough battled well and came close to taking the second game. Kemp won 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 to give Exeter an unassailable 3-1 lead.
The dead rubber proved the match of the night as Chichester's Tim Vail played world No 28 Joey Barrington. Vail got off to a flying start and although Barrington began to find his rhythm towards the end of the game, the lead which Vail had opened was just too much and Vail won it 11-6.
Vail continued in the same strong manner and despite Barrington eating away at Vail's game and lengthening the rallies, Vail managed to hang on to take the second 12-10.
The third started badly for Vail, allowing Barrington to get into his stride and win it 11-5. In the fourth, it appeared Vail was feeling tired and he looked as if he was losing his way, with no patience or game plan, and Barrington was well into his stride to take the game 11-6.
Barrington continued to control the game in the fifth. Despite Vail playing with more patience, he found himself 10-5 down.
Then in inspirational fashion, Vail, with more patience and perseverance to rally, threw everything into the game to claw back and hold a match point at 11-10.
Barrington held his nerve and rallied well to snatch the game, and match, 13-11.
Covers-sponsored Chichester are away to St George's Hill next Tuesday with a full-strength men's squad and Collins-Balland playing her second match of the season.
* Bognor's first team began the second half of the season with a
disastrous trip to take on Horsham thirds, losing 5-0 and earning only one point.
The team are still missing at least two first-choice players and were unable to make much impression on a strong Horsham squad.
Bognor's No4 and No5 strings, Paul Butcher and Dave Meagher, lost in straight games and it was left to Luke Allen at No3 to provide the bright spot of the match with a great display against Duncan Davidson.
Allen stuck to his task and won a close first game 10-9, slumped 9-0, 9-4 in the next two, but nearly levelled in the fourth, only to go down 8-10 to his experienced opponent.
Bognor's top two, Steve Enfield and Steve Carruthers were both
beaten 3-0 though Enfield was unlucky not to nick the third game against Chris Mason, losing it 10-8.
The result leaves Bognor firmly rooted to the bottom of division three west.
There was better news on the junior front where a three-man team, under the watchful eye of coach Paul Butcher, played the Chichester University club's juniors and came away with their second win of the season.
George Meaby and Alex Minett both won best-of-five encounters, with Conrad Meagher just missing out in a good match with J Galely.
For details of matches at Bognor, call 01243 865462.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South west
