The first real surprise of the season came in the Yates and Greenhough Division One newly promoted Graves Park D gaining a shock result against high flying Lodgers A, the Park lads coming away with a 7-3 victory.
Not quite as what it seems though, Lodgers could only field two players (no Graham Lacey), but nevertheless three points on the board before you start is just what you need.
However, the Park came up against an in form Trev Blackbourn, Trev winning his singles but it was far from easy, being pushed all the way by the Park team. Both Paul Gilbert and Paul Matschull were perhaps unlucky not to get something from him just going down 9-11 in the fifth, while Mick Dodes faded in the final end losing 5-11. Against Ian Stones it was the complete opposite, Gilbert and Matschull disposing of him in three straight and despite Ian leading Dodes 2-0 Mick fought back to just nick the next three thus ruining Stones’ night. It got no better for Lodgers in the doubles, Gilbert and Dodes combining to win a very close encounter 11-6, 15-13, 13-15, 8-11, 11-7 for a 7-3 victory.
A few nights later Lodgers A this time with a full complement of players visited Graves Park A, the Park anxious to preserve their unbeaten run. Turning out again for the Park was reserve Tris Clow (In place of Nick Langley and it was he who got the Park off to a flyer, coming from 1-2 down to win the next two to give the Park an early lead. Rob Smith saw off Trev Blackbourn in three, while Phil Brooks blasted past Pete Evans in straight legs, to give the Park a solid lead. Lodgers rallied, Stones pulling one back, beating Smith in a close five ender, while in another close encounter Evans put the game back into the melting pot with a 12-10, 11-9, 11-13, 13-11 win over Clow. The Park not to be put off by this mini-revival strode on, Brooks picking up his second of the night beating Blackbourn, while Smith overcame a stubborn Evans 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10, and the Park were within scenting victory leading 5-2. Lodgers, far from accepting that defeat was inevitable, hit back, Stones playing brilliantly to beat Brooks, so far the Park’s player of the season, while Blackbourn put Lodgers firmly back in the game, narrowly beating Clow over five sets. With only the doubles remaining it was still game on, Brooks and Smith seemingly on the road to victory, with the first leg of the doubles under their belts. Stones and Blackbourn had other ideas, comfortably winning the next three and from 2-5 down, gaining Lodgers an equal share of the spoils.
Graves Park C playing only their second game of the season, visited Penmaen B and showed that they might be a force to be reckoned with coming away 8-2 victors. At one stage of the game it looked particularly bleak for the home team, the Park running riot, winning the first seven games. James Quinton, playing his best Table Tennis of the season, won his three while Mike East had little trouble with both Neil Snaith and Roger Hooton. Martin Walters struggled to adapt to Snaith’s style in the first four sets scraping home 5-11, 14-12, 13-11, 4-11, but the fifth game was 11-4 in the Park players favour. He also had to work hard against Scott Sykes, Martin dropping the second set but in the end he eased through 11-8 both times. 7-0 up and cooking with gas but Penmaen showed that they weren’t finished Hooton drawing on his reserves to beat Walters in a five set thriller, the game swinging both ways while Sykes gained the shock of the night, beating East in yet another five setter. The doubles although little was at stake was a classic, Quinton and Walters winning the first two sets only for the Penmaen pair to fight back and grab the next two. It was showdown time and the game could have gone either way but the Park pair of Quinton and Walters held their nerve to run out 11-9 winners giving the team an 8-2 victory.
The A D Dickinson Division Two looks like being a four horse race, Graves Park Nomads, Penmaen D, Wrangle A and when they get sorted, Lodgers F.
This week two of the contenders, Lodgers F and Penmaen D met, Lodgers still with only two players and against a team like this it is a mountain to climb. Dave Smith, despite needing five to see off the challenge of David Kime had little trouble with Steve Harker, beating him in straight sets. Chris Cooke also chipped with his two making short work of Harker and in a close enclounter against Kime, he edged home 11-8 in the fourth. Maurice Buck failed to register a win, just losing 10-12 in the fourth to Harker after winning the first and getting little change from Kime who beat him in three straight.
Lodgers F had better fortune when they visited the Park to take on the F team. Still with only two players it hardly seemed to matter, David Kime and Steve Harker sweeping the Park aside. Kime won his singles in straight ends, while Harker needed five to see off a sluggish Barry Frankish and four to overcome Fred Calvert The doubles which was probably the closest game of the evening, even though it was over in three, saw the Lodgers pair put the icing on the cake, narrowly beating Frankish and Calvert 11-9, 24-12, 13-11, for a 7-3 victory.
Wrangle A another team who I expect to be there or thereabouts trimmed up newcomers to the league Sibsey School 9-1 and this season is going to be a steep learning curve for them .
However the score tended to flatter Wrangle a little, as no less than six of the ten games went the full distance, vital ends going Wrangle’s way every time. It was left to Phil Coote to save Sibsey’s blushes from a whitewash, beating Dennis Patrick (excellent win this) for Sibsey’s solitary point.
Lodgers E and Wrangle B fought out a tight contest and from two very evenly matched team a 5-5 draw seemed to be a fair result.
The game was always close, swinging first one way and then the other, Colin Bell picking up his singles, while Pete Bell played brilliantly to win two, beating Tony Sharpe and Tim Sampson but not knowing how to handle Tony Hall. With Lodgers leading 5-4 the doubles was the vital game, the Wrangle pair of Hall and Sampson taking on the two Bell brothers, Pete and Colin. After two sets it was all square but Hall and Sampson nicked the third end 14-12 and ran out comfortable 11-8 winners in the fourth to earn their team a creditable draw.
R E S U L T S
Yates & Greenhough Division One.
Lodgers A 3 Graves Park D 7; Graves Park A 5 Lodgers A 5; Penmaen B 2 Graves Park C 8.
A D Dickinson Division Two
Lodgers F 2 Penmaen D 8; Graves Park F 3 Lodgers F 7; Sibsey School 1 Wrangle A 9; Lodgers E 5 Wrangle B 5.
Match Report Week 4