It was the closest of contests between Windsor Penguins and Brotherhood F Division Three of the Clacton & District League with four of the matches going the distance and only one settled in three-straight.

The Penguins emerged narrow 6-4 victors with Paul Dale proving the hero of the evening, winning each of his three singles in four, and sharing a 12-10 in the decider doubles victory with Jackie Bunce against Maci Harvey and Dan Still.

Bunce and Alan Charman picked up a point apiece for the Penguins, Bunce edging past Harley Wood 13-11 in the fifth. Harvey and Still took a couple each for Brotherhood, Still defeating Charman 11-6 in the fifth and Harvey enjoying a tight 12-10 in the fifth victory over Bunce.

Early Divisional leaders, Nomads Jaguars, were given a tough work-out by Walton D but a Harry Hawkes’ hat-trick, and two each for Mike Vilka and Kevin Hume, saw them to a 7-3 win. In two close matches, Hume beat Maggie Earle 11-6 in the fifth and Lynette Sparks 11-9 in the fifth. Clive Allenby, on League debut, won two for Walton and shared a doubles success with Earle over Hawkes and Vilka.

Three each for Alan Dockerill and Andrew Cousins, and a couple for Lionel Goddard, saw Nomads Pumas home 9-1 against Nomads Lynx. Dominic Joannou took the Lynx point with a win in the last match of the evening against Goddard, and took Cousins close before going down 11-6 in the fifth. The only other match which went the distance was Goddard’s 11-7 in the fifth victory over Norman Jacobs.

But Nomads Leopards went one better against a Windsor Merlins’ side fielding a guest and without Sharon Gowlett, the Leopards winning 10-0 with something to spare.

Windsor Robins lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with their first win of the season, an 8-2 success over Nomads Ocelots. There were three for Bob Bales, two for Mick Coker, his first League wins, and a couple also for Oleksandra Klymenko. In a tight doubles, Bales and Coker defeated Arthur Wells-Garrett and Barbara Rhodes 12-10 in the fifth. Wells-Garrett picked up the two points for the Ocelots.

Seven different players have now turned for Brotherhood A in their first four matches in Division One and, with their all-round ability, they continue to impress. Gracie Edwards and Oli Reynolds, making their first appearances of the season, and Kevin Gowlett, an ever-present in all four matches, all stayed unbeaten in their side’s 10-0 win over Walton B. Two matches went the distance, Gowlett beating Jason Gale 11-5 in the fifth and Reynolds scraping past Derek Willis 12-10 in the fifth.

Defending champions Nomads Panthers were 7-3 victors over Walton C, Liam Harris, Greg Green and John Hatley each taking two. But none of them could get the better of an on-song Peter Burrows whose maximum included an 11-6 in the decider victory over Green.

It was more comfortable Walton A, 10-0 winners against Brotherhood B, with only two matches extended to a fourth set., Daniel Young, Gavin Price and Kevin James, another player making a first appearance of the current campaign, all recorded trebles.

Felipe Rodriguez is getting back to his best form and he was the only unbeaten player as Windsor Hawks defeated Walton E 6-4. Andy Vincent got a couple but unexpectedly went down in three-straight to Paul Woolnough. Woolnough took a second point, a far closer 3-2 (11-6, 16-14, 4-11, 10-12, 11-8) victory over John Barton. Mark Gale and Gary Stallwood each won one for Walton.

A pair apiece for Phil Smith, Martyn Green and Mel Rampton helped Windsor Eagles to a 7-3 victory against Nomads Lions. But Adam Cuthbert of the Lions was the player of match, defeating Rampton 11-6 in the fifth and Green 11-9 in the fifth on his way to the treble.

Lawford are the early leaders in Division Two, this week beating Brotherhood G 8-2. Ian Sherwood and Paul Hewitt won three each,  Charlie Denholm one, with Sherwood and Denholm taking an 11-7 in the fifth doubles victory against Mark Beckham and Paul Metcalf. Sherwood’s maximum included a 3-2 (14-16, 11-5, 15-17, 11-3, 11-4) win over Beckham, whilst Hewitt had a 14-12 in the fifth win over the same player. Beckham and Metcalf took a point each for the losers.

Brotherhood D are currently in second place and they shared the four matches which went the distance with Windsor Buzzards before edging a tight encounter 6-4. Grant Sharpe’s maximum included an 11-8 in the decider win over Andy Cawley whilst Barry Allen’s pair included an 11-9 in the decider win over Pete Bloomfield. Lee Allen took one, defeating Cawley but going down 11-8 in the fifth to Ray Chillingworth and 12-10 in the fifth to Bloomfield. Chillingworth won two for the Buzzards and Bloomfield one, the pair also sharing a doubles victory.

There were hat-tricks for Russell Hillier and Mark Salter as Brotherhood C beat Windsor Harriers 8-2. Two of Salter’s wins went to five, including an 11-6 in the decider win over Isabel Barton.

Dave Martin remained unbeaten for Windsor Magpies but Windsor Kestrels took the honours 6-4, thanks to two each from Graham Bunce and Kayley Rodriguez, one from Debra Found, plus an 11-7 in the fifth doubles win for Bunce and Found over Martin and Dave Sweetland. Four matches went the distance, the closest being Rodriguez’s 11-9 in the decider win over Sweetland.

Nomads Bobcats, without David North, were 7-3 winners against Brotherhood E, without Kevin Pryor. Mike Wellum recorded a treble for the winners, with Caroline Page contributing two and Eric Lemke one. For Brotherhood, there were two for Tony Edmonds and one for Rodney Betts. The only match which went to five was Edmonds’ 11-6 in the decider victory against Lemke.

RESULTS
Division 1
Brotherhood B 0 Walton A 10
Windsor Hawks 6 Walton E 4
Nomads Lions 3 Windsor Eagles 7;
Walton C 3 Nomads Panthers 7
Walton B 0 Brotherhood A 10

Division 2
Brotherhood G 2 Lawford 8
Windsor Kestrels 6 Windsor Magpies 4
Brotherhood C 8 Windsor Harriers 2
Brotherhood D 6 Windsor Buzzards 4
Nomads Bobcats 7 Brotherhood E 3

Division 3
Windsor Robins 8 Nomads Ocelots 2
Windsor Penguins 6 Brotherhood F 4
Nomads Jaguars 7 Walton D 3
Nomads Leopards 10 Windsor Merlins 0
Nomads Lynx 1 Nomads Pumas 9