Greg Green is one of the most stylish players currently gracing the table tennis tables of the Clacton & District League and this week he produced a quality unbeaten performance in Division One for Brotherhood A in their 7-3 win against Windsor Condors.
The highlight of Green’s hat-trick was a 3-2 (5-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4) victory over the previously-unbeaten Colin Stallwood.
Green’s team-mate Elliott Attrill displayed increasing signs of promise at this level, enjoying a good victory over Annabelle Rodriguez, narrowly losing 12-10 in the fifth to Paul Woolnough and taking Stallwood to a deciding set.
And with the ever-reliable Alan Burgess contributing a valuable couple of points, Brotherhood A can look to the new year with just a little more optimism.
Walton A’s problem in fielding a full-strength side has dampened their title hopes and, forced to use a guest against Nomads Lions, they went down 8-2.
But take nothing away from the Lions, who are proving a difficult side to beat. Both Paul Hume and Sam Hume recorded good wins over Dave Binns and Colin Dearman although it was a close 3-2 (6-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10) for Hume senior against Dearman. John Hatley failed to take a point but did well to take Binns close before losing 11-7 in the decider.
Mark Smith made a welcome re-appearance to help out injury-hit Windsor Eagles and had an immediate impact, winning his three in the Eagles’ 7-3 win over Walton B. Sue Welham also stayed unbeaten for the Windsor side. The closest match of the evening saw Walton’s John Rankin beat John Hobson 3-2 (11-8, 11-1, 11-13, 8-11, 11-6).
Gary Young was another maximum man, maintaining his season’s unbeaten record with a treble against Windsor Hawks. Alas for Young, two each from Andy Vincent, Felipe Rodriguez and Ian Fielder gave Hawks the 6-4 match victory.
But the Walton side will rue the fact that five of the Hawks’ six points came from matches that went to a deciding set. Paul Meikle went down 11-8 in the fifth to Fielder, 11-6 in the fifth to Vincent and 11-5 in the fifth to Rodriguez, whilst Mark Gale lost 11-9 in the decider to Fielder and 11-8 in the decider to Vincent.
Meanwhile Nomads Panthers made no mistake against bottom-team Windsor Ravens, only two matches extended to a fourth set in their comfortable 10-0 win, a result that sees them edge ever-nearer the top of the table.
No one stayed unbeaten but every player picked up a point in the Division Two clash between Brotherhood I v Brotherhood F. And, appropriately for two evenly matched sides, the encounter ended with honours even.
Sandie Isaac and Barry Allen won two each for the ‘F’ team, although it was a close 11-5 in the fifth for Isaac against Mark Beckham and an even closer 11-8 in the decider for Allen against Olano, a victory which denied Olano his hat-trick. The ‘F’ side’s Gerald Batt had a fine win over Tom Wilkin who, in his turn, had a surprise victory over Allen.
Lawford were without Paul Hewitt for the first time this season and Windsor Harriers took full advantage to record a 6-4 win, taking three of the four matches that went the distance. No one stayed unbeaten but Lawford reserve James Tindle, making his Clacton League debut, played well to take a couple.
Jenny Higgins was the Harriers’ heroine, defeating both Ian Sherwood and Richard Spence in four, and only just losing in five to Tindle. Windsor captain Ferdy Rodriguez provided the decisive winning point by beating Sherwood 3-2 (7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 10-12, 11-5).
The defeat was Lawford’s first of the season and has, temporarily at least, stalled their drive for promotion.
Windsor Owls’ excellent season continued with an 8-2 victory over Nomads Jaguars, Frank Burbidge and Adam Jackson undefeated. Sue Watson contributed a win against Caroline North, whilst Andrew North and Kevin Hume were the Jaguars’ points-winners.
Title-chasing Brotherhood C were in no mood to show any Christmas charity to club-mates Brotherhood E and their 10-0 victory, accomplished with some ease, takes them to the top of the table for the first time this season.
And there was a similar story at the URC Hall where Nomads Ocelots were 10-0 whitewash winners against lowly Windsor Magpies, Brian Parish, Peter Giles and Harry Hawkes all taking three.
Division Three leaders Windsor Buzzards chalked up yet another victory but they were made to fight all the way by the doughty fighters of Nomads Pumas, eventually emerging 7-3 victors.
An undefeated Alan Rutledge was the Buzzards’ main man whilst Andrew Cousins was the Pumas’ best player, inflicting a rare defeat on Ray Chillingworth and edging out Dan Malinowski 3-2 (4-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11).
Meanwhile, Nomads Lynx closed the gap at the top to four points, Pete Miller, Mike Hillier and Brian Friday eschewing all thoughts of chivalry in easing to a 10-0 success against the Walton D ladies.
Brotherhood G’s 9-1 result against Windsor Swallows was almost as emphatic, but the indefatigable Iris Howlett stuck to her guns to take a point for the Swallows.
The closest result of the division saw Windsor Penguins draw with Nomads Leopards. John Bonner again showed his class for the Leopards with an unbeaten treble but Penguins’ skipper Jackie Bunce ensured the match ended all-square, her two wins including a 3-2 (9-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-9, 13-11) victory over her Leopards’ counterpart Tom Collins.
Click here for the latest league tables
* Players and supporters of the Clacton League will be saddened to learn of the death of Ron Edwards aged 89 years.
Although never one of the League’s top players, Ron was always a consistent and conscientious performer in the middle-ranks of the League.
At a time when there were either four or five divisions, Ron twice (in 1983 and 1989 with Great Holland D) won the Division Three title and three times (in 1977 with Gas B, and in 1984 and 1988 with Great Holland E) the Division Four title.
In 1977 he was a runner-up in the Division Four Singles at the Closed Championships and, two years later in 1979, he was a losing finalist in the Senior Combination Tournament.
But arguably the high-point of Ron’s table tennis career came in 1993 when, as the fourth player alongside Terry Walsh, Ray Murray and Alec Hobbs, Brotherhood F finished runners-up in Division Three. And Ron capped that in the Closed Championships when he shocked everyone by taking the Division Three Singles title, beating Kevin Hogg 2-1 (17-21, 21-18, 21-15) in the final.
The report in the ‘Clacton Gazette’ summed it up thus: “The Division Three Singles produced the real upset of the Tournament where veteran Ron Edwards defied all the odds to beat Mike Hillier, No 1 seed Mark Creedon, Keith Cattermole and No 2 seed Kevin Hogg to take his first Championship honour in 26 years of playing in local table tennis.”
It was a genuine upset as Ron had averaged less than 50 per cent that season whilst Creedon and Hogg had topped the averages with over 85 per cent.
But it is not in terms of trophies-won that Ron will be remembered. He was a determined and capable competitor on the table but he always played with the hint of a smile and, after the match had finished, would always be ready with a kind and encouraging word, especially for the younger or less experienced player.
Ron carried on playing as an occasional Division Three reserve with the Windsor Club until 2007. But, even after he stopped playing, he continued to be interested in table tennis activities and was often to be seen at League matches, the Closed Championships or at coaching sessions.
As the first of four generations of the Edwards’ family to play Clacton League table tennis, Ron leaves an unprecedented legacy, with son Martin, granddaughter Vicki and great granddaughter Gracie all taking part in regular competitive League table tennis. To the whole family we extend our sincere condolences.
RESULTS
Brotherhood A 7 Windsor Condors 3
Walton A 2 Nomads Lions 8
Windsor Eagles 7 Walton B 3
Windsor Ravens 0 Nomads Panthers 10
Walton C 4 Windsor Hawks 6
Division 2
Windsor Magpies 0 Nomads Ocelots 10
Windsor Owls 8 Nomads Jaguars 2
Brotherhood I 5 Brotherhood F 5
Lawford 4 Windsor Harriers 6
Brotherhood E 0 Brotherhood C 10
Division 3
Brotherhood G 9 Windsor Swallows 1
Nomads Pumas 3 Windsor Buzzards 7
Nomads Lynx 10 Walton D 0
Windsor Penguins 5 Nomads Leopards 5
Tony Oswick
December 8, 2014