Urban beat Fusion and North Ayrshire in convincing fashion this weekend to head to the top of the Premier Division.
In the final fixtures of 2019 the Premier Division started to take shape. On Saturday BATTS faced Ormesby, Fusion took on Urban and Archway Peterborough played North Ayrshire. Urban were back in action on Sunday, welcoming North Ayrshire to London for a rearranged Round 7 fixture.
Daniel Kosiba, Daniel Schaffer and Alim Hirji dropped just two games between them all weekend as Urban beat both Fusion and North Ayrshire 6-1.
Fusion fell 3-0 down early in their tie before James Smith managed to get them on the board beating Hirji in five, holding on in the final set 15-13. Schaffer returned to beat Kazeem Adeleke in three and wrap up the win. Daniel Kosiba then beat Smith before Hirji finished the match by beating Lorestas Trumpauskas to seal the 6-1 victory.
It was a similar story on Sunday as Urban once again dominated against North Ayrshire. The same trio of Kosiba, Schaffer and Hirji failed to win just one game as the impressive Zak Wilson beat Hirji in three. With three wins from three this season, Urban look like strong contenders to regain the title they won in 2018.
North Ayrshire came into that match on the back of a defeat against Archway Peterborough on Saturday. Jia Wang Song, Adam Jepson, Chris Doran and Callum Evans proved to be too tough an opposition for the trio of Chris Main, Colin Dalgleish and Zak Wilson.
Archway Peterborough raced to 5-0 thanks to a strong performance from Callum Evans, who combined with Chris Doran in the doubles before he held out for victory 12-10 13-11 11-7 against Zak Wilson. As has been the case quite often this season North Ayrshire will feel they could have come away from the fixture with a better result had crucial points gone their way.
The Scottish side have had a tough start to the season, sitting bottom of the table yet to win a game. They will be hoping the new year brings a change in fortunes.
BATTS produced a fine display on Saturday to beat title holders Ormesby 5-2. It was a fixture that could have gone both ways, with the match sitting at 3-2 going into the final three sets.
Thomas Rayner stepped up to the table to take on Josh Bennett knowing that he had to win to keep Ormesby in the tie. The first four games were shared before Bennet managed to edge over the line 11-9, winning not only the final set, but match for BATTS.
Michael O’Driscoll made it 5-2 as he beat
Ormeau have the opportunity to unseat Urban at the top of the table when they play North Ayrshire on Saturday 11th January.
Results
Fusion 1 Urban 6
Daniel Kosiba bt Kazeem Adeleke 3-0 (11-9, 11-2, 11-5)
Daniel Schaffer bt Lorestas Trumpauskas 4-1 (11-3, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7)
Adeleke/Trumpauskas bt Kosiba/Schaffer 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-6)
James Smith bt Alim Hirji 3-2 (7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 15-13)
Schaffer bt Adeleke 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 13-11)
Kosiba bt Smith 4-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8)
Hirji bt Trumpauskas 3-1 (9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-6)
BATTS 5 Ormesby 2
Nicholas Bastiao bt Thomas Rayner 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-9)
Helshan Weerasinghe bt Michael O’Driscoll 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10)
O’Driscoll/Joshua Bennett bt Weerasinghe/Darius Knight 3-1 (8-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-8)
Bennett bt Knight 3-2 (11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 4-11, 11-7)
Weerasinghe bt Bastiao 3-2 (11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9)
Bennett bt Rayner 3-2 (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9)
O’Driscoll bt Knight 3-1 (11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3)
Archway Peterborough 5 North Ayrshire 2
Jia Wang Song bt Chris Main 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-6)
Adam Jepson bt Colin Dalgleish 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-4)
Chris Doran/Callum Evans bt Colin Dalgleish/Zak Wilson 3-1 (11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 13-11)
Evans bt Wilson 3-0 (12-10, 13-11, 11-7)
Main bt Evans 3-1 (12-10, 4-11, 12-10, 11-7)
Wilson bt Jepson 3-2 (0-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6)
Urban 6 North Ayrshire 1
Daniel Schaffer bt Zak Wilson 3-0 (11-3, 11-4, 11-9)
Daniel Kosiba bt Colin Dalgleish 3-1 (11-5, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6)
Schaffer/Kosiba bt Dalgleish/Wilson 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-6)
Alim Hirji bt Chris Main 3-2 (11-4, 12-14, 5-11, 13-12, 12-10)
Schaffer bt Dalgleish 3-1 (11-7, 11-8, 15-17, 11-4)
Wilson bt Hirji 3-0 (11-8, 14-12, 11-7)
Kosiba bt Main 3-0 (11-7, 11-2, 11-8)