With only three weeks of the season remaining current champions Penmaen A and Lodgers G still battling it out for the title.
With Lodgers having a week off, Penmaen stole a march on them beating perennial strugglers Graves Park D 10-0.
All the games were pretty straight forward, Paul Matschull taking an end out of Alan Ashberry and Mick Dodes extending Brett Heppenstall being the only exceptions. The remainder were all comparatively easy three enders, all going the Penmaen way and almost certainly sending the Park to division two.
Graves Park Nomads booked their place in division Two next season losing to stable mates Graves Park B 2-8 and with only two matches remaining their fate (Nomads) has been sealed.
The B started off in fine style, Mick Maltby, Dave Graham and Mike Freeston all winning their opening games. Walt Bridges gave Nomads a glimmer of hope taking Dave Graham to five but 11-6 in the final end says it all. Mick Maltby although beating Tris Clow in three had to fight hard to inch home 11-9, 12-10, 11-9, while Freeston had a momentary hic cup in the 3 rd, allowing Mark Sargeant to nick an end. Nomads eventually broke the ice, Tris Clow gaining his reward beating Graham, but the B pressed on winning the remaining two singles in straight ends. Probably the doubles was the shock of the night Sargeant and Clow combining to win a four set doubles to gain a deserved second point.
Stickney despite beating Graves Park Nomads 10-0, it looks likely that they will have to settle for fifth place as they are running out of games to catch the team above them up.
Andrew Benjamin who has slipped to 6th in the rankings, had no trouble at all winning his three. Paul Hartnett and Vince Lozynsky also won their singles but both had to work a bit harder, a battling Walt Bridge taking Lozynsky to four, while Tris Clow took an end out of Paul Hartnett. The doubles was pretty straightforward, Benjamin and Hartnett blasting past Sargeant and Clow to chalk up a 10-0 victory.
Penmaen B in no danger of being relegated, could only field two players for their clash with Graves Park A, who have had a much better season than last time round. The Park took the first game, Rob Smith playing well to beat Scott Sykes in four, but Penmaen hit back, Andy Birks levelling with a four leg win over Nick Langley. Sykes regained the lead beating Brooks, nearly losing by throwing away a two set lead but scraping home 11-8 in the vital fifth. In a five set thriller against Birks, Smith kept the Park on equal terms winning an eventful game 11-9 in the final leg, but Sykes regained the one set cushion with a five set win over Langley. Park levelled the score again in the last singles of the evening but with three walkovers and a comfortable doubles win the Park strolled home to a 7-3 victory.
Lodgers B seem to have the Division Two title in the bag and an 8-
It looks as though Lodgers H are going to miss out on promotion and the best they can hope for is 3rd place
Playing Sibsey B, who are bottom but one in the table they hardly covered themselves with glory, taking an early lead the lead but not seeming to pull away from a dogged Sibsey side.
Boyd Smith was in brilliant form for Lodgers winning his singles, beating Wayne Grooby and Steve Hill in straight ends, (good win this last one) and despite Richard Hill taking him to four, the result never looked in doubt. Steve Marshall and Simon Raistrick could only manage one each, both of them beating the unlucky Grooby. The two Hill’s, (father and son), had a good night, both of them seeing off Raistrick in straight ends and although Marshall ran both of them a close, he fell at the final hurdle.
After their defeat at Lodgers B, Penmaen D this time with a full team, bounced back taking on Graves Park F, winning 7-3.
Penmaen got away well Matt Lilly struggling to beat Alan Davy, while Gavin Herberts increased the lead with a straight win over Fred Calvert. Barry Frankish cut the lead to one but Penmaen strode on, Herberts picking up his second of the night with a no nonsense win over Davy. The Park though kept in the hunt, Frankish who was having a good night, beating Lilly 11-9 in each set, in a game that could have swung either way. Elston got his name on the board beating Calvert, while Herberts completed his hat-trick defeating the Park’s best player Frankish 16-18, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5. Penmaen were now in the driving seat, Elston brushing aside Davy to make sure of the win. The Park struck back in the last singles of the evening, Calvert playing well to beat Lilly in a five set thriller but the damage had been done Herberts and Elston tidying up in the doubles for a 7-3 victory.
R E S U L T S
Division One
Penmaen A 10 Graves Park D 0; Graves Park B 8 Graves Park Nomads 2; Graves Park Nomads 0 Stickney 10; Penmaen B 3 Graves Park A 7.
Division Two
Lodgers B 8 Penmaen D 2; Sibsey B 4 Lodgers H 6; Penmaen D 7 Graves Park F 3.
