Two first versus second team club matches in Division One of the Leicester & District League included an excellent 6-4 success for Electricity seconds over their first team when Adam Pettitt produced a match winning maximum, very much in line for my Player of the Week tag, with excellent support from Marcin Kasprzyk who took two and one from Harry White. David Grundy two for the first team and Andy LeButt one, the latter pair the doubles.
Knighton Park’s first team saw off their second string who were without number one, Karen Smith, with a score of 9-1 having Chris Rogers and Jack Rogers each undefeated, while James Berry had a very good victory over Reza Kiani to prevent the full house.
While son Adam was performing well for the Electricity second team in the top sphere his father, Russ Pettitt, was having a good time in Division Two for the Spark’s third team when he spearheaded them to a 6-4 victory over Blaby and Whetstone while Harry White supplied two before the two of them teamed up for a crucial doubles success for full points. Phill Hinson took two for Blaby.
It is tough to find the best performance of the week with Dan Andrews coming up with another top class showing for Winstanley Wizards in their 7-3 victory over Regent Sports, and he had good support from Himansu Mishra (2) and one from Dave Seeds. Martin Bolton won two for Regent.
The youngest player in this division, Oscar Bentley, continues to provide Knighton Park III with unbeaten returns, as he did against Great Glen which included a wonderful victory over Alex Mason who otherwise won two. Brajesh Patel and Patrick Cox each won two for the Park as they continue to dominate at the top.
Division Three continues to delight, notwithstanding the top two teams who are clear but leaving the other ten teams still providing great entertainment squabbling amongst themselves.
Those top two actually played each other this week when Holwell Works II stamped their authority well and truly all over Electricity V by 9-1 with Mike James maintaining his position at the top of the averages, scoring three, as did Tony Fox who has been re-registered from the first division, while Dave Roche won two, beaten on this occasion by Andy Wright who prevented the whitewash. But the Sparks are still in a clear second position.
Third is Fleckney who were back on the winning trail in beating Unicorn III 8-2, Jason Prescott a good maximum, James Robertson and Robert Palmer two apiece. A smidgeon behind in fourth are Syston Casuals III thanks to Chetan Tailor and Jon Jacom who both emerged undefeated in a 6-4 victory against Nomads.
Electricity’s fourth team lost a little ground when they drew 5-5 with Regent Sports II despite three from Andy Searle who thrashed everyone, backed by a Sheriff Makhani brace. For Regent Richard Anderson continued recent good form with two of his own while Keith Bramhall, now permanently up from four, won a very important singles.
Goons could only muster two players against Knighton Park V, Scott Robinson taking two but beaten by Simon Aldis who won two from two for the Park, Steve Bessant one with the three resulting default sets proving useful.
Meanwhile the Park’s sixth team maintain their place in this remarkable division, ninth but only one victory from third position, beating Abbots Road III 6-4 with an excellent team showing. Matthew Jarvis and David Mountain both notched two while Chris Parmar-Saville won one. Hardik Patel was Abbots’ best player on show with a couple.
Goons II maintained a stranglehold at the top of Division Four with an excellent team victory over Nomads II with Kevin Edwards taking three, Steve Harrison and John Jacques two apiece. Chris Weston battled away for Nomads to pick up two and the doubles for a consolation point.
Meanwhile Unicorn IV were losing ground near the top in losing 7-3 to Desford Village III who had both Luke Blair and John Henshaw in devastating form and undefeated in all their singles and the doubles.
Julie Edwards has been playing well of late for Nomads V in Division Five and snaffled another maximum, this time in a 5-5 draw against Winstanley Wizards V for whom Stephen Burrage won two.