HORKESLEY HAIL HERO HOLLAND!

Steve Holland answered the last minute call for Gt Horkesley A to ‘play up’ two divisions against their ‘B’ team and put in an inspired performance in winning all three of his games in the Colchester & District Table Tennis League Division One. He normally plays for the ‘D’ team and after beating Lloyd Bennett-Smith and Wudong Liu in his first two games 13-11 and 12-10 in the fifth ends he had a ‘much more comfortable’ three straight sets win against Mike Emerson 14-12, 12-10, 11-9! This enabled Gt Horkesley a to win 10-0 and following an 8-2 success at Walton B the village team move up to third place. Richard Goodhand was unbeaten in both matches taking him to the top of the averages. Tollgate A remain top following a hard fought 6-4 win over H20 Rowhedge B. The Stanway team burst into a 4-0 lead, Jason Yeung beating Kevin Gowlett in four sets and Nigel Hodder defeating David Moss for the first time, in five sets. However, Rowhedge struck back taking four of the last five matches with Moss back to his best, beating the previously undefeated Yeung in fine style. No player was unbeaten, with braces from Gowlett, Yeung and Andy Warner. H20 Rowhedge A welcomed back Steve Joslin who was soon into his stride as were his teammates in a 10-0 victory over Tollgate B. They are second and St James a move up to fourth despite being held to a 5-5 draw by Gt Horkesley B. James Denyer won the player-of-the-match award with a fine treble and also a vital doubles success. Ian Whiteside lost his one hundred per cent record against H20 Rowhedge C who go sixth thanks mainly to Mark Smith’s excellent maximum. He was joined by John Patrick as Toby Turner once again recorded Pegasus A’s only success against Fred Button in a 9-1 defeat.

Tollesbury A continued their good early season form as they remain unbeaten with a 5-5 draw at H20 Rowhedge D. No player was able to record three wins with Andrew Harvey achieving his first two wins of the season for Rowhedge. There was a marathon match between second placed Pegasus B and bottom team H20 Rowhedge F that resulted in a 7-3 win for the Marks Tey team. Daryl Lott was the man responsible for the epic encounter as all three of his games went the full distance most notably his 18-16 defeat by Doug Green in the final end. Clive Forster starred with three good wins as his team won their last four games. Walton C made it three straight wins with an 8-2 victory over Lawford A. Matt Watson led the way with three wins including the notable scalp of Luke Swain in three straight. It was a good day for the Tracey family as Paul and Mike both were unbeaten in a 7-3 win over St James B. Martyn Green fought back from 2-1 down and 9-2 in the fourth set to beat Martin Edwards to clinch a 6-4 win over previously unbeaten H20 Rowhedge E.

In Division Three, St James C head the way and they beat second placed Gt Horkesley D 6-4. Tony Oswick made it nine wins from nine to head the Division averages and teamed up with Colin Beaumont to win the all-important doubles game 11- 8 in the final set. Lawford B made short work of Dedham A 9-1 with the busy Luke Swain joined by Andrea Alleyne, unbeaten. Pegasus C are fourth following their 6-4 win over Tollesbury B courtesy of a Tony Eversden hat-trick. No player survived unscathed in a bruising 6-4 win in the all H20 Rowhedge clash for which the ‘G’ team came out on top against the ‘H’ team. Jermaine Fearon had two wins and a doubles success. Pegasus D beat Gt Horkesley E 7-3 with Alistair Woodcock recording three, straight sets victories.

Dedham B moved up to second in Division Four with a 5-5 draw against Lawford C thanks to a brave fight back from 4-0 down. Husband and wife Mike and Marlene Smith both won in five sets in the last two games to level the match. Another family success was that of Mike and Russell Hillier who both recorded maximums in an 8-2 win at Pegasus G. Finally the Gilberd A remain unbeaten with a 7-3 win at Lawford D; Dan Rhodes, James Bell and Roger Springett all winning two for the school team.