Angela back to her best
Brotherhood I are favourites to take the second promotion spot in Division Three of the Clacton and District League and this week they consolidated their second-place with a 6-4 win over a weakened Windsor Swallows.
But the Brotherhood side faced stern resistance from Angela Barratt who was back to her best for the Swallows, her hat-trick including an 11-5 in the fifth win over Allen Denyer and an 11-6 in the decider victory against John Wrigley.
Roger McNaughton of Nomads Leopards was another on-song player, staying undefeated in his side’s 7-3 success against Brotherhood M, defeating Cris Edwards 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12,
13-11 in the process. Tony Rayner contributed two wins whilst Norman Jacobs beat Vicki Edwards 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 12-14, 11-5.
There were trebles for Vic Little, Andrew Cousins and Denise Thompson as Nomads Bobcats beat Brotherhood L 9-1 but Brotherhood had the satisfaction of taking the doubles, Morgan Harvey and Jonathan Found defeating Little and Thompson 11-9 in the fifth.
Brotherhood H were forced to field a guest player and lost 6-4 to Nomads Lynx, Kevin Hume beating Brotherhood skipper David Wilkin 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7 in the evening’s closest match. Tom Wilkin won twice for the losers.
Brian Friday was unbeaten for Nomads Wildcats but Brotherhood K took the match 6-4 thanks to a couple each from Brian Baines, Rob Bright and Mark Trayhorn, Trayhorn’s 12-10 in the fifth win over Paul Dale ultimately proving decisive.
In their second match, Brotherhood K drew with Windsor Penguins, Peter Bloomfield back in action and taking a treble. Ray Chillingworth and Mike Monschau won two each for the Penguins whilst Sue Chillingworth will feel unlucky to have lost 11-6 in the fifth to both Trayhorn and Rob Bright.
But the Penguins made no mistake with a 10-0 victory over Windsor Kites, Sue Chillingworth notching up her second-ever League hat-trick.
There was pride as much as points at stake in the Division One clash between reigning champions Windsor Condors and champions-elect Nomads Panthers. And it was the Condors who came out on top, winning 8-2 and inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Panthers. Colin Stallwood’s fine hat-trick for the Condors included a win in three-straight against James Denyer but Denyer had the satisfaction of beating Gary Young. John Pattrick had good wins over both Colin Webber and Gill Locke.
Despite the defeat, the Panthers are still in prime position to take the title but the Condors’ victory moves them into a three-horse with Brotherhood A and Walton A for the runners-up position.
Brotherhood A were 7-3 victors over Walton B, David Binns and Alan Burgess unbeaten although it was a tight 13-11 in the decider for Burgess against Paul Newbould. Both Newbould and John Rankin had 11-7 in the decider wins against John Stubbings.
Walton A’s Colin Dearman beat Mark Gale 10-12, 10-12, 11-5,
12-10, 11-9 and team-mate Matthew Watson edged past David Hall 11-8 in the fifth, both players staying unbeaten in their side’s 9-1 win against Walton C. Hall took the losers’ only point with a first-ever victory over John Rice.
There were hat-tricks, too, for Phil Smith and Fred Button as Windsor Eagles beat Nomads Lions 7-3, a result that leaves the Lions still hovering just above the relegation zone.
In a vital relegation clash between the bottom two teams, Nomads Jaguars gave themselves a glimmer of hope with a resounding 8-2 win over a weakened Windsor Kestrels, a reverse of their early-season result. Brian Parish and Colin Beaumont took three each with Tony Beezer picking up a welcome two. Windsor’s Chris Petrou lost close in five to both Beaumont and Beezer whilst Frank Burbidge took a point for Windsor by beating Beezer 11-9 in the decider. Petrou and Burbidge took the doubles 13-15, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-7 against Parish and Beezer.
Brotherhood D’s free week enabled Nomads Cougars to move to the top of Division Two with a 6-4 win against Windsor Harriers, a match in which no-one stayed unbeaten but every player took a point. Nomads’ Paul Hume and Sam Hume, and Windsor’s Ian Fielder, all won twice. In a topsy-turvy match, Adam Cuthbert of the Cougars beat Jenny Higgins, who beat Paul Hume, who beat Ian Fielder, who beat Sam Hume. The closest match saw Fielder beat Cuthbert 11-9 in the fifth.
Brotherhood C kept up their promotion challenge with a 7-3 success against Brotherhood G. Kevin Pryor, Laurence Torr and Fred Gallone all won twice although it was a close 11-8 in the decider for both Pryor against Jordan Blanche-Price, and for Gallone against Dan Malinowski. Elliott Attrill confirmed his promise with three wins for the losers, a treble that included an 11-9 in the fifth victory against Pryor.
Elsewhere there were three 6-4 results between teams in the middle of the table but, unusually, none of thirty individual matches played produced a match that went to a fifth set.
Simon Smith-Daye was unbeaten and Darren Bunce won two as Nomads Tigers defeated Windsor Ravens 6-4 for a second time this season. Brian Thiel took a couple for the Ravens.
Windsor Magpies beat Brotherhood F 6-4, Dave Martin taking three and Graham Bunce two for the winners. David North won twice for Brotherhood.
Finally, Gary Stallwood took a treble for Windsor Owls but Nomads Ocelots took the match, Doug Green and Peter Giles each winning twice.
* Congratulations to Gracie Edwards, the new Essex Schools under-11 Girls champion, and to Morgan Harvey, the new Essex Schools under-11 Boys champion. Gracie from Holland Park School, and Morgan from Cann Hall School, won their titles at the recent Essex Schools’ Tournament held at BATTS in Harlow. Both players have been invited to represent Essex at the National Schools’ Championships to be held in Doncaster in April.
* The draw for Round Four of the Knock-Out Handicap Cup is : Walton B v Nomads Jaguars; Windsor Magpies v Windsor Hawks;
Brotherhood G v Nomads Cougars; Brotherhood A v Windsor Harriers. Matches are to be played during week beginning 4th March.
RESULTS
Division 1
Nomads Jaguars 8 Windsor Kestrels 2;
Nomads Panthers 2 Windsor Condors 8;
Brotherhood A 7 Walton B 3;
Windsor Eagles 7 Nomads Lions 3;
Walton A 9 Walton C 1.
Division 2
Windsor Ravens 4 Nomads Tigers 6;
Windsor Owls 4 Nomads Ocelots 6;
Brotherhood G 3 Brotherhood C 7;
Nomads Cougars 6 Windsor Harriers 4;
Brotherhood F 4 Windsor Magpies 6.
Division 3
Brotherhood L 1 Nomads Bobcats 9;
Windsor Swallows 4 Brotherhood I 6;
Windsor Kites 0 Windsor Penguins 10;
Nomads Lynx 6 Brotherhood H 4;
Windsor Penguins 5 Brotherhood K 5;
Nomads Leopards 7 Brotherhood M 3;
Nomads Wildcats 4 Brotherhood K 6.
To view the full tables click here
Tony Oswick