Pontefract Squash Club lose unbeaten record after narrow Premier League defeat to Abbeydale

Pontefract, who had won both their opening fixtures, got the evening off to a sizzling start as their lower order of Ben Hodgetts and John Riley both won cracking sweat-soaked, see-saw encounters that went right to the wire – 12-10 and 11-9 in the fifth respectively.

But Abbeydale, the 2019-20 champions, hit back strongly. Firstly Ponte’s no.3 James Wilkinson was forced to concede in the third game against Phil Scully due to a hamstring injury, then Jordan Hardwick took down Sam Wileman in rapid fashion.

The result all came down to the top strings and it was Abbeydale’s Welsh wizard Elliot Morris Devred, the world no.144, who took care of Carlton Oldham in quick time to seal an 18-6 win and top spot for the Sheffield club.

Pontefract squash star Sam Todd achieves biggest tournament victory to date

Premier League newcomers Harrogate maintained their strong start to the season with a 16-8 home victory over a patched-up Pontefract 2 team.

With Abhay Singh and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Hollie Naughton on PSA World Tour duties and Tom Bamford and Billy Hawes out injured, Grace Clark came in at no.5 for Ponte 2 for her YPL debut – and beat Peter Hotchkiss in four games.

When Matt Godson beat old foe Dec Christie at second string, all looked good for the visitors.

But Ross Kneller and top string Stuart MacGregor both notched wins for Harrogate to take the match down to a third-string decider. It was Alec Fuller who took it for the North Yorkshire side in four competitive games.