Report for week ending November 7
Penmaen D and Graves Park Nomads, currently first and second in the A D Dickinson Division Two, met this week and with the other two promotion hopefuls also clashing later this week, the table is beginning to take shape.
The Penmaen-Park Nomads clash always looked as though it would be close and five of the games going to five sets bore this out. The Park drew first blood, John Shortland making a pigs ear of it against Tris Clow, John comfortably winning the first two 11-3 11-7 only to see Tris fight back to win the next three just as easily 11-8, 11-5, 11-6. Penmaen quickly replied, Dave Smith beating Walt Bridges in three, while Chris Cooke nudged them ahead, beating the previously unbeaten Dean Clow 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4. Smith extended the Penmaen lead with a four set win over Tris, before the Park managed to pull one back, Dean Clow getting his name on the board, beating Shortland. Cooke made short work of Bridges but the two Clows put the park on level terms, Dean Clow beating the previously unbeaten Smith and in yet another five setter, Tris Clow just getting the better of Cooke. It was down to Shortland and Bridges, the two players without a win and in the closest game of the night the Shortland just clinched it 11-9 in the fifth. It was down to the doubles with both teams needing it for different reasons but the two Clows were never really in it, Smith and Cooke overpowering them in three keeping 100% record intact and guiding the team to a 6-4 victory.
A few nights later Park Nomads again took the field against stable-mates Graves Park F, Park Nomads running out comfortable 7-3 winners. The two Clows were again the main architects of the victory, picking up three each, Tris being in brilliant form winning all his singles in straight legs. Dean although winning his three had to work harder, needing four to see off Alan Davy and Barry Frankish, while against Fred Calvert he never looked in complete control and was happy to see the vital fifth just swing his way 11-8. Harry Paul, in place of Walt Bridges never got into the game, being well beaten by Frankish and although taking ends out of Davy and Calvert it was all to no avail, losing out both times. The doubles looked fairly straightforward the two Clows cruising the first two, but despite Frankish and Calvert putting up a fight in the third, the Nomads pair scraped home 13-11.
Penmaen D the second division pace-setters, consolidated their position at the top with a 7-3 victory over Wrangle B. Not a very inspiring start though as it was Wrangle who got away well, Tony Sharpe getting them off to a flyer narrowly beating Chris Cooke 11-9 in the fifth, while Maurice Buck made it 2-0 beating Tim Sampson 11-4, 12-10, 7-11, 11-9 . Panic reigned supreme in the Penmaen camp but Dave Smith (what a player to have in your team), steadied the nerves beating Tony Hall 11-4, 11-5, 2-11, 11-8, Cooke put Penmaen on level terms while Smith won his second of the night to put them in front. Not for long though, as Hall easily beat Buck in three straight to level the scores. However Penmaen steadied the ship and forged ahead, Smith completing his hat-trick beating Sampson, Cook after a shaky start (losing the first two ends) defeating Hall, while Buck got his name on the board, after a marathon game with Sharpe which went all the way to the wire. The doubles although not vital were fairly one sided, despite Sampson and Hall winning the first end 11-8. The next three were all Penmaen though as Smith and Cook tore their opponents to shreds, cruising home 11-3, 11-5, 11-5.
Lodgers D, after a two week break, entertained Sibsey School running out comfortable 8-2 winners. None of the Sibsey team had much idea of what to do with Tony Kime and although Phil Coote took the third set off him, the fourth was never in doubt. Graham Bonsor although winning his three had to work that much harder, needing five to see off Peter James, Graham just scraping home 15-13 in the final set. He also required four to subdue Richard Hill and although beating Coote in three, all the ends were very close. Nev Leggate could only manage to win one beating Hill in the last singles of the evening having previously lost to James and Hill who gained Sibsey their two points. Sobering thought for Sibsey, this score is twice as many points as in the previous four matches.
At the top of the Yates and Greenhough Division One, Penmaen A reign supreme beating promoted Graves Park D10-0 their second maximum of the season. To say that the Park played well to score none might be an understatement, as every game except two was over in straight ends, Dave Walters beating Jake the Pegg 13-11 in the third end but Jake sorted it out in the fourth. Paul Gilbert turned in the best performance of the night as far as the Park were concerned, taking the second leg out of No.1 ranked Alan Ashberry but it was to no avail, Alan closing him down in the next two.
Graves Park C and Lodgers G two teams who should be in the first three come the end of the season met and although there were some close games it was Lodgers who ran put convincing 8-2 winners. Kelvin Clements and Mark Hulme opened the scoring for Lodgers beating James Quinton and Martin Walters respectively but Mick East pulled one back beating Clements 11-6 in the final set of a match that could have swung either way. Gary Hill arrived and piled on the pressure, dismissing Walters in three and East in four, both players not knowing what had hit them. Hulme defeated Quinton fairly easily, while Hill wrapped up his night by beating East in four top complete his hat-trick. Clements picked up his second of the night beating Walters in three, while East gave the score an air of respectability struggling to beat a battling Hulme 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7.
Stickney, who through no fault of their own, played only their second match of the season when they took on Penmaen B. Paul Hartnett was in immaculate form for Stickney winning his singles being taken to four sets by the Penmaen lads who won the second leg each time. Andrew Benjamin chipped in with two beating Andy Birks and Roger Hooton, Andrew after dropping the first two sets against Hooton, came bouncing back to win the next two 12-10 both times. The final set was nothing like the first four, Andrew smashing his way through Roger’s defence to win 11-2 He (Andrew) was little unlucky not to take all three, losing to Scott Sykes by the narrowest of margins in the fifth. Vince Lozynsky could only manage to pick up one beating Birks but despite leading Sykes 2-1 he just lost out 9-11 in the fifth.
Yates and Greenhough Division One:
Graves Park D 0, Penmaen A 10; Graves Park C 2, Lodgers G 8; Stickney 7, Penmaen B 3.
A D Dickinson Division Two:
Penmaen D 6, Graves Park Nomads 4; Graves Park Nomads 7, Graves Park F 3; Wrangle B 3, Penmaen D 7; Lodgers D 8, Sibsey School 2.
Match Report Week 5