Possibly the biggest ever margin in the final of the Leicester & District League’s summer handicap competition for the Elbow Tankard, which has been running for 50 years, saw Park Keepers record a resounding 18-2 scoreline against Knighton Park club-mates, KP Nutters.
Keepers consist of four juniors who could go far, three playing this time headed by Dan Pearson who was in superb form throughout, not even needing his 5 to 7 points start in most of his six out of six games successes, and never looked like losing.
Max Huggins was also unbeaten in singles with four from four, recording three from four in the doubles, while Oscar White dropped one game against Steve Bessant. John Bowness and Robert Geary brought up the rear for Nutters.
Knighton Park’s first team maintained a very slim lead at the top of Division One of the Leicester & District League thanks to an absolutely top class maximum by Chris Rogers who beat the high-flying Trevor Kerry and Maurice Newman, the latter scored 11 in the three games, in his team’s 6-4 victory over Thringstone.
Backing Rogers were Les Baker and Reza Kiani, each with one with Rogers and Baker combining for a crucial doubles. For Thringstone Kerry and Newman both won their other two.
Lifting themselves up to within one point of the Park were Ajax Wolvey, who almost overwhelmed Desford Village II for whom Richard Hayes just managed to beat Mick Allsopp 11-7 in the fifth to prevent a full house. Jon Williams and Aiden Walsh were in top form for Ajax with a maximum each.
Previously Ajax had clung on to their 100% record with the same three players by beating Abbots Road 6-4 despite a fine maximum by Dave Gannon, who looks in good form this term. Ross Adams supplied the other for Abbots.
Gannon had also taken a full house against Electricity in a hard-fought match when Andy LeButt and Dave Grundy both won two and combined for yet another crucial win in the doubles, but neither could better Gannon in the 5-5 draw.
Adams again won one, as did Ali Ahmed to support Gannon. Tomas Oravec was the third Sparks player who has moved up after a super season in Division Two last term. He is getting closer but indicates what a jump there is between the two divisions.
It was past the witching hour and all the carriages had turned into pumpkins by the time Nomads and Electricity IV had finished their exciting encounter in Division Three, one of the singles needing expedite when Nomads’ Andy Searle just got the better of Sheriff Makhani 13-11 in the fifth game of the final singles of the match to put his team 5-4 up at the time.
Makhani won his other two, matched by Chris Woodward, and it was Woodward and Dave Greasley who played in the doubles to secure the 5-5 draw. Cliff Smith won two for Nomads while Martin Taylor secured the other vital singles in a terrific tussle.
A look at Division Four sees two teams vying for top position, with Blaby and Whetstone just getting home 6-4 against Nomads III with Paul Hinson retaining his unbeaten tag while brother, Phill, won two. Laszlo Kocsis took two for Nomads.
The other team at the top is Knighton Park’s 10th team, who have Simon Aldis beginning to realise his potential, maintaining his undefeated status against Wigston Consevatives in an 8-2 success. Also winning a maximum for KP was Alec Downes, who is playing his first league campaign for many years after struggling against injuries.
Fresh from his Elbow Tankard final success earlier in the week, Knighton Park’s Dan Pearson won all three for the club’s eighth team against Nomads IV in an 8-2 win, while Dan Woolman is another beginning to reap reward for endeavour with a fine three for Electricity V against Knighton Park IX in a 9-1 win, Dave Bray gaining the other max.
In Division Five, Scott Morris scored a fine maximum for Syston Casuals IV against Regent Sports IV in a 7-3 defeat, while, although Tony Burns won them all for Nomads V against Winstanley Wizards II in their 8-2 win, it was a double from the latter’s youngster Dan Andrews that took the eye.