Steve McQueen was involved in only one – but this week there were two great escapes in the final matches of the 2010/2011 season of the Clacton and District Table Tennis League.
In Division One Windsor Falcons sweated blood to overcome Brotherhood B 6-4, an unbeaten Felipe Rodriguez excelling with close victories in five over Martin Edwards and John Owen, and Mark Salter crucially beating Ian Graham 12-10 in the decider.
This left Windsor Hawks needing four points against Red Triangle B to avoid finishing in the relegation places.
But although three of the matches went to five, the Hawks failed to trouble the scorer and the 10-0 defeat means that they finish forty-six points ahead of bottom side Lawford – but a crucial three points behind the Falcons in the second relegation spot.
There was an equally tense situation in Division Two where Nomads Lions needed a win against Walton B to avoid the possibility of relegation – and they were given a boost when Walton had to concede three points when they were forced to field a guest.
David North stayed unbeaten for Walton but the Lions edged the match 6-4, Mike Hillier getting a priceless victory over Andy North to secure the win.
So the Lions and the Tigers both end the season on seventy-four points, but the Lions stay above their club-mates by virtue of having won more matches.
All of which means that Brotherhood E, who lost 7-3 to Windsor Ravens, and Nomads Tigers finish in the relegation places.
Elsewhere in Division One Phil Smith of Windsor Eagles had a tough battle with Gary Stallwood of Nomads Jaguars, winning 11-8 in the fifth, but it proved the crucial point, Smith unbeaten in his side’s 6-4 win.
In Division Two Windsor Harriers beat Brotherhood F 6-4 for a second time this season, Terry May unbeaten, the closest match seeing Brotherhood’s Jack Bruce narrowly defeat Jenny Higgins
18-16 in the decider.
In Division Three Windsor Magpies ended the season as the only unbeaten side in the League, finishing their programme with an 8-2 win over Brotherhood I, Graham Bunce and Ron Dacey taking trebles.
Tony Rayner ended Nomads Leopards’ campaign as he started – with a hat-trick – in his team’s 6-4 win over Brotherhood J, although the vital victory proved to be Hazel Blanche’s 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 10-12, 16-14 win over Lucy Burton.
There were hat-tricks for Wally Ingram and Andrew Cousins as Nomads Pumas beat Brotherhood L 9-1, Jordan Blanche-Price taking the sole Brotherhood point by beating John Houghton and just going down 11-9 in the fifth to Andrew Cousins.
Finally, Brotherhood H beat Windsor Penguins 9-1, three each here for Gerald Batt and David Wilkin, Darren Bunce’s win over Michael Gallone the Penguins’ only point, whilst it was a clean sweep for Nomads Lynx in their 10-0 victory over Windsor Swallows.
RESULTS
Division 1
Windsor Hawks 0 Red Triangle B 10;
Nomads Panthers 8 Walton A 2;
Windsor Falcons 6 Brotherhood B 4;
Nomads Jaguars 4 Windsor Eagles 6.
Division 2
Walton B 4 Nomads Lions 6;
Windsor Ravens 7 Brotherhood E 3;
Windsor Harriers 6 Brotherhood F 4.
Division 3
Brotherhood H 9 Windsor Penguins 1;
Brotherhood J 4 Nomads Leopards 6;
Nomads Pumas 9 Brotherhood L 1;
Windsor Magpies 8 Brotherhood J 2;
Nomads Lynx 10 Windsor Swallows 0.
| 2010/11 SEASON | |||||
| (as at 1st May 2011) | |||||
| DIVISION 1 | P | W | D | L | PTS |
| Brotherhood A | 23 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 185 |
| Condors | 23 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 167 |
| Walton A | 24 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 153 |
| Roosters | 24 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 144 |
| Eagles (1) | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 136 |
| Panthers | 24 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 135 |
| Red Triangle B | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 131 |
| Red Triangle A | 24 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 119 |
| Jaguars | 24 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 105 |
| Brotherhood B | 24 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 98 |
| Falcons | 24 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 76 |
| Hawks | 24 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 73 |
| Lawford | 24 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 27 |
| DIVISION 2 | P | W | D | L | PTS |
| Kestrels | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 173 |
| Cougars | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 156 |
| Brotherhood C * (2) | 22 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 135 |
| Walton B | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 117 |
| Ravens | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 115 |
| Brotherhood D | 21 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 109 |
| Harriers * | 22 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 106 |
| Brotherhood F (2) | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 89 |
| Owls | 21 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 87 |
| Lions | 22 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 74 |
| Tigers | 22 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 74 |
| Brotherhood E | 22 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 61 |
| DIVISION 3 | P | W | D | L | PTS |
| Magpies | 24 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 218 |
| Lynx | 24 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 177 |
| Brotherhood G (2) | 24 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 162 |
| Brotherhood K | 23 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 155 |
| Swallows | 24 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 132 |
| Brotherhood H | 24 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 129 |
| Pumas (6) | 24 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 122 |
| Brotherhood J | 24 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 109 |
| Leopards (2) | 24 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 105 |
| Brotherhood I | 24 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 100 |
| Brotherhood L | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 64 |
| Penguins | 24 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 60 |
| Kites | 23 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 7 |
| Points deducted in brackets | |||||
| * Record includes one void match | |||||
By Tony Oswick