Match report Week 23
The Table Tennis season is beginning to wind down with the majority of teams only having one or two matches to play.
The big match which will no doubt decide the Division One title took place, Lodgers G taking on the current champions Penmaen A.
Alan Ashberry opened the scoring narrowly beating Mark Hulme in five ends, while Brewster extended the lead making short work of Kelvin Clements. With the late arrival of Gary Hill, Hulme went on to play his second game of the night only to lose 4-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 7-11 and at 3-0 up Penmaen were in charge. By this time Hill had arrived and went straight on to play Brewster. The first two ends Gary was never at the races and despite doing better in the third he just went down 11-13,while Ashberry made short work of Clements comfortably beating him in straight ends and it was all Penmaen. Lodgers at last got on the board, Hill running into form beating Heppenstall in four but Brewster made sure of a Penmaen victory brushing aside the challenge of Hulme. 6-1 and it was just a matter of how many Penmaen was going to win by but Hill revived Lodgers hopes a bit by beating joint No.1 ranked Ashberry 11-13, 8-11 11-5, 11-8, 12-10. Clements who so far had had a poor night, got in on the act with a fine straight set win over Heppenstall, while Hill and Hulme gave the score a respectable look beating Ashberry and Heppenstall in a tight doubles encounter, giving Penmaen a narrow 6-4 victory.
Graves Park C look like clinching third place with two wins (one good the other not so good) beating Wrangle A 10-0 and the following night struggling to a 6-4 win over Penmaen B
The 10-0 win against Wrangle was pretty one way traffic, only Dave Coulson putting up any resistance, taking Martin Walters to five and James Quinton to four. Mick East barely put a foot wrong winning his singles in three ends while Walters and Quinton tidied up in the doubles.
The following night against Penmaen, the Park got off to a flyer, James Quinton beating Scott Sykes, Martin Walters making short work of Neil Snaith, while Mick East needed four to see off Roger Hooton. Looking good for the Park, then it all went pear shaped, Penmaen storming back, Sykes getting his name on the board with a narrow win over Walters, Hooton hitting a purple patch to overcome Quinton, while in a tight four ender Snaith did well to beat No.8 ranked Mick East in four .The Park began to wonder where it had all gone wrong but in a complete turn-around they (Park) took the next three for an unassailable lead The doubles was probably one of the closest games of the night, the Penmaen pair of Sykes and Snaith putting a bit of a gloss on the score giving the Park a 6-4 win.
In Division Two Penmaen C picked up a convincing 8-2 victory over two man Lodgers D and these factors assures them of the runners-up spot.
No.3 ranked Chris Cooke was again on top form winning his singles despite needing four to ward off Tony Kime . Dave Smith had to be content with one beating Nev Leggate but in a terrific battle with Kime he just lost out 6-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11. John Shortland comfortably beat Leggate but he was all at sea against the on form Kime, Tony winning all three ends 11-6.
Lodgers B have the champions look about them beating Sibsey A 8-2 and now need just 5 points form their remaining two matches to be sure.
No.2 ranked Tim Day brushed aside the opposition winning all his games in three straight. No.4 ranked Vic Clements gave him excellent support also winning his three but being taken to four by all the Sibsey lads who made him work hard for his victories. Pete Truepenny had a bit of an off night and although beating Michael Hobbs, he lost in four to Phil Coote and was taken to the cleaners by Daniel Meyer, Daniel winning in straight sets
Wrangle B who since the Christmas break have had bleak time picked their second victory on the trot, beating whipping boys Belchford 9-1.
With Tony Sharp back at the helm, Wrangle looked a different team than of late, both he (Sharp) and Tim Sampson winning their singles. Having said that it was far from one way traffic, Sharpe being taken to four by Peter Hughes and Scott Baker while Jon Newby was involved in a five ender where all the scores incredibly ended up 11-6. Cliff Davey relinquishing his role of acting captain, blotted the copybook, only picking up two beating Hughes and Baker but losing to Newby, who picked up Belchford’s consolation point,
Lodgers F and Lodgers H are fighting it out for third place, the H looking slight favourites.
The H had a difficult match against their E team, the H lads taking two apiece, all of them beating Pete and Thomas Bell reasonably easy enough. Although Pete Bell took a set out of Boyd Smith, the result was never in doubt. None of H players could touch Colin Bell, who again won his three to confirm his no.1 ranking and although Steve Marshall took him to four, Colin‘s 11-4 win in the fourth was comfortable enough
Lodgers F who would be much nearer to finishing third if they could field a full team each week, having played five matches over the season with only two players. However they are making a valiant attempt to catch their H team but after this weeks match with Sibsey B they are still six points adrift with only one match remaining.
Lodgers struck off in fine style Ian Gorrie beating John Hobbs while Steve Harker brushed aside the opposition of Richard and Steve Hill. David Kime chipped in with wins against Hill and Hobbs, despite losing the first end to Hill. Sibsey at last got on the board, Steve Hill beating Gorrie in straight sets but it was to no avail as Lodgers ground on, taking the next four singles and a close fought doubles for a 9-1 victory.
R E S U L T S
Division One
Lodgers G 4 Penmaen A 6; Graves Park C 10 Wrangle A 0; Graves Park C 6 Penmaen B 4.
Division 2
Penmaen C 8 Lodgers D 2; Sibsey A 2 Lodgers B 8; Belchford 1 Wrangle B 9; Lodgers H 7 Lodgers E 3; Lodgers F 9 Sibsey B 1.