TWP Knock Leaders Exeter Off Top Spot

TWP St George's Hill showed their fighting character in defeating PSL league leaders Exeter Diamonds by three matches to two at the Devon and Exeter Club. The TWP tail truly wagged with numbers 3, 4 and 5 Neil Hitchins, Phil Nightingale and Rachel Willmott all defeating higher ranked opponents to secure a famous victory for the Weybridge club.

Rachel Willmott the former British Junior Champion played intelligently but lost a close first game against her old rival Emma Chorley the World number 61. Willmott added greater variety and more aggression to win a pivotal second game and managed to shrewdly mix her tactics to hold out for her first win of the season.

Meanwhile on the large show court, facing local youngster James Snell who was backed by a noisy , partisan home crowd, TWP's Essex import Neil Hitchins played in a calm attacking manner to take the first two games. Snell clawed his way back into contention and held match ball in the deciding fifth game. Hitchins fought hard and ultimately deserved his narrow win after 76 minutes of gruelling squash.

TWP's giant number 4 Phil Nightingale, a man with a plethera of apt nicknames, recorded one of the best wins of his career against former top junior Tom Pashley. "Pashley" looked slightly off his game but all credit to Nightingale who overcame a one game deficit to seize control of the centre of the court and the match ultimately cruising to a 3-1 win sealing the match for the visitors.

Exeter Diamonds were still fighting both for points and pride and their number two Jonathan Kemp set off at a furious pace. TWP's Tom Richards managed to match him shot for shot and emerged victorious from the first game quick fire shoot out. Kemp's answer was to play even faster and Richards suddenly struggled to find a length. Kemp duly took the second game. Richards metaphorically put his foot on the ball in the third game to retain control of the match. He built up a decent 8-4 lead in the fourth game but slightly lost his way as the frenetic Kemp regained momentum and ultimately the flow of the match. Kemp controlled the deciding fifth game and put paid to Richards' brave challenge.

The battle of the number ones promised plenty but was a dour,edgy match where both players showed flashes of brilliance which acted as mere puntuation to an encounter which never flowed. Stuart Boswell who has been ranked as high as number 4 in the World in the end had too much experience for Daryl Selby who looked a little tired. Selby rallied well to take the third game but Boswell's class prevailed.

A great win for the TWP team which takes them to fourth place in the Southern Section of the PSL. Exeter's setback puts them back in second place and the division looks wide open for the  second half of the season.

Click here for more information.