CHAMPIONS GO TOP OF DIVISION ONE
Last season’s Colchester and District Table Tennis League Division One champions H20 Rowhedge A have gone top of the league for the first time this season. St James A were their latest victims, 10-0, giving them an average of nine points per match, championship form indeed. Steve Joslin joined ever-presents Antony Greenwood and Michael Andrews, unbeaten. Gt Horkesley A go second following a 7-3 win over the same team as well as an 8-2 success over their ‘C’ team. Gary Young featured in both games, winning three for the ‘A’ team and then ironically two against them! Richard Goodhand got the better of him in the all Horkesley encounter. Tollgate A drop to third following the postponement of their fixture with Gt Horkesley B, they however, were one of two victims for Pegasus A who have taken their tally to five wins from eight matches, quite impressive when you consider they finished third in Division Two last season. New signing Rob Bozier is one of the main reasons for their success and he won three for the first time in a 6-4 win over Tollgate B. Pegasus opened a 4-1 lead only to be pegged back to 4-4. But Toby Turner (2 wins) beat Martin Hogg in five ends and then Bozier sealed the victory. Steve Noble claimed POM for Pegasus at Gt Horkesley this week with two wins as no player went unbeaten. H20 Rowhedge B got back to winning ways despite fielding only two players with a 7-3 victory over bottom team Walton B. David Moss was the star for the second week running joined by Ard Kwakkelstein undefeated, his first treble in Colchester. H20 Rowhedge C recorded another good win at Walton A with Mark Smith again impressing with a fine maximum.
In Division Two leaders Walton C won 7-3 in their ‘local derby’ against St James B from Clacton. Mat Watson remains unbeaten as he won three as did George Berry and Peter Armes for second placed Lawford A. They went one better winning 8-2 against Pegasus B with Gordon Fairchild on his Colchester debut unable to make an impression going down 16-14 in the fifth to Berry. England U13 number one Jane Li completed her first maximum in the division as her team won 7-3 at H20 Rowhedge F assisted by two from the returning Chelmsford player Neil Freeman. Draw specialists Clairmont made it six out of seven as they held H20 Rowhedge D. Alan Burgess won the battle of the heavy weights as he beat Paul Tracey to secure the 5-5 result. Steve Noble and Glen Laing won three apiece as a strong Pegasus B won 9-1 against bottom of the table St Peters. Clairmont are one of three teams on 37 points as five points separate third to seventh positions!
Lawford B remain top in Division Three courtesy of a Peter Freeborough hat-trick in an 8-2 win at Pegasus E. Second placed St James won by the same score line at home to Pegasus C, Terry May the player-of-the-match winning a fine treble as his side move up a place as Tony Oswick lost his unbeaten record to Tony Eversden. Tollesbury B had a big 9-1 win over H20 Rowhedge G with Rob King and Tom Lewis unbeaten. Dedham also had a 9-1 success at lowly Gt Horkesley E with Dale Everett and Roy Cole winning all of their games including the doubles. Mike Sant and Nigel Parmenter were another pair unbeaten as their Pegasus C team won 7-3 also against Gt Horkesley E. H20 Rowhedge H beat Pegasus E 6-4 with Oli Reynolds and Lajos Zsisku sharing the POM title the last two weeks.
St James D suffered their first defeat in Division Four to third placed Dedham B, their ‘senior’ ladies boasting over 130 years’ experience between them both securing maximums as Mike Hillier lost his unbeaten record. Tollgate D are back to second thanks largely to stand in skipper Karl Baldwin and there was a first win for Richard Arnold. CRGS A have dropped to fourth despite being the only team with a one hundred per cent record. Pegasus F are fifth following an 8-2 win at Lawford C who go sixth. There were also wins for Pegasus G, 7-3 against H20 Rowhedge I and Lawford D also at the same team. Gt Horkesley F and Lawford D also fought out a 5-5 draw thanks to Neil Storey’s three wins.
At the recent Essex Junior Ranking Trials Jermaine Fearon and Dan Rhodes (at his first attempt) were the outstanding Colchester players finishing 7th and 15th respectively in the Under 15 boys. Ben Jackson was ranked 6th in the U 13 boys and Jane Li somewhat surprisingly 2nd in the U13 Girls as well as 3rd in the U15 and 6th in the U18 events. Jason Yung playing in Division One has been positioned at number 4 in the Boys U18, making him eligible to represent the county at first team level.
By Martyn Green