Brotherhood C and Brotherhood D started the week linked together at the top of Division Two of the Clacton & District League, and there was nothing to separate them as the two teams battled out a hard-fought draw.
Mark Salter of the ‘C’ team proved the man of the match, beating both Lee Allen and Grant Sharpe in three-straight, and Barry Allen in a comfortable 3-1 (9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-4). His team-mate Russell Hillier added a couple of points, although it was the closest of close 3-2 (13-15, 11-6, 11-5, 4-11, 12-10) wins against Sharpe.
For the ‘D’ side, Lee Allen won two, including an excellent 11-8 in the decider win over Hillier, and Barry Allen and Sharpe one each. Sharpe and Lee Allen guaranteed the draw by taking the doubles, 11-6 in the fifth against, Mark Salter and Tricia Salter.
A good team performance from Windsor Buzzards put a spoke in the wheels of Lawford’s immediate title ambitions, the Buzzards winning 6-4. Andy Cawley won two as did John Harvey, with Alan Rutledge picking up a valuable point with a narrow 11-9 win over Ian Sherwood.
Peter Freeborough remained unbeaten for Lawford, his closest match an 11-5 in the fifth success over Harvey. John Colvin won one but captain Ian Sherwood failed to get on the score-sheet, losing a second match 11-9 in the decider, this time to Harvey.
An undefeated Mike Wellum starred for Nomads Bobcats in their 8-2 win over Brotherhood G, his closest match an 11-9 in the decider win over John Gallagher. Eric Lemke won two for the Bobcats, beating Paul Metcalf 3-2 (11-6, 11-13, 10-12, 11-7, 12-10) but going down 11-6 in the fifth to Mark Beckham.
David North also won two for the Bobcats, struggling to defeat Beckham 11-8 in the fifth but surprisingly losing out to Metcalf who took a notable 3-1 (11-9, 13-11, 11-13, 11-7) victory.
Windsor Harriers chalked up a welcome first win of the season, defeating a weakened Windsor Kestrels 8-2. Ferdy Rodriguez remained unbeaten whilst there were two each for Isabel Barton and Jenny Higgins. Colin Beaumont, making his first appearance of the season, took both Kestrels’ points, beating Barton 11-6 in the decider but losing 11-7 in the decider to Rodriguez.
Three for Kevin Pryor, and two each from Tony Edmonds and Duncan Dunne, were good enough to see Brotherhood E home 7-3 against bottom team Windsor Magpies.
Dave Sweetland took two for the Magpies, including a 3-2 (11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-8) win over Edmonds, and battled hard before losing 11-4 in the fifth to Pryor. The Magpies also had the consolation of winning their first doubles match of the season, Sweetland and Malcolm Caley beating Edmonds and Dunne by a straightforward 3-0 (11-2, 11-7, 11-6).
In Division Three Mike Vilka, Kevin Hume and Harry Hawkes of runaway leaders Nomads Jaguars were 10-0 winners against a two-player Nomads Lynx. Hume’s 3-1 (7-11, 13-11, 11-4, 11-7) win over Norman Jacobs was the only match extended beyond the regulation three sets.
Nomads Pumas ended the first-half of their League season with a convincing 9-1 success over a Nomads Ocelots’ side fielding a guest player. Dave Harris and Lionel Goddard stayed unbeaten but Hazel Blanche played well for the losers, taking a consolation point by edging out John Bowers 3-2 (11-4, 13-15, 11-9, 2-11, 11-9).
Windsor Penguins, fielding a guest, were still too strong for lowly Windsor Merlins, Paul Dale and Darren Bunce taking trebles in their comfortable 7-3 win.
It was also 7-3, but a far tighter match, for Nomads Leopards against Windsor Robins. The Nomads’ hero on this occasion was an unbeaten Bob Jillins, importantly defeating Bob Bales 3-2 (4-11, 11-9, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7). Dave Wright won two and Stuart Wilkinson one, with Jillins and Wright taking the doubles, 11-8 in the fifth, against Bales and Oleksandra Klymenko. Bales won two for the Robins whilst Klymenko enjoyed an unexpected 3-1 (11-5, 11-5, 7-11, 18-16) success against Wilkinson.
A mid-table clash saw a strong Walton D side prove too good for Brotherhood F, leap-frogging over their opponents in the table with an emphatic 9-1 win. There were hat-tricks for Tony Sharman and Clive Allenby, and two for Maggie Earle. Dan Still picked up the Brotherhood point, beating Earle 3-2 (10-12, 11-3, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7).
In Division One title-hopefuls Walton A were 10-0 winners against relegation-threatened Walton E. Daniel Young, Gary Young and Gavin Price all recorded hat-tricks, Daniel Young’s 11-6 in the fifth victory over Woolnough the only match which went the distance.
The top-of-the-table clash between the other two title-contenders, Nomads Panthers and Brotherhood A, proved something of an anti-climax, with the reigning champions emerging 9-1 winners against a Brotherhood side without Andy Warner.
None of the matches went to a fifth set and only four were extended to a fourth. James Denyer and Paul Hume stayed unbeaten for the Panthers, whilst Gill Locke won twice but lost out to Kevin Gowlett.
Three for Gary Cattermole, two for Mel Rampton and one for Sue Welham saw the Eagles to a 7-3 victory in the all-Windsor clash with the Hawks. Felipe Rodriguez won two for the Hawks, in the process denying Rampton his hat-trick with an ultra-tight 16-14 in the decider win.
Walton B defeated Nomads Lions 8-2, Colin Dearman winning three, and Paul Meikle and Derek Willis two each. For the Lions, Phil Wolski beat Meikle, Daryl Lott enjoyed an unexpected win over Willis, whilst Ethan Lloyd only just failed to record a victory, losing 11-9 in the decider to Meikle.
Every player picked up a point in the Walton C v Brotherhood B encounter, the Walton team taking it 6-4, with Graham Buxton recording his first treble since the opening match last season. John Rankin took two and John Marshall one.
However, the Brotherhood trio will feel pleased to have picked up four points, John Owen, Graham Parkes and Fred Gallone all winning one, with Parkes and Owen sharing an encouraging first doubles success of the season for their team.
RESULTS
Division 1
Walton B 8 Nomads Lions 2
Walton A 10 Walton E 0
Brotherhood A 1 Nomads Panthers 9
Brotherhood B 4 Walton C 6
Windsor Hawks 3 Windsor Eagles 7
Division 2
Windsor Buzzards 6 Lawford 4
Brotherhood E 7 Windsor Magpies 3
Nomads Bobcats 8 Brotherhood G 2
Windsor Kestrels 2 Windsor Harriers 8
Brotherhood D 5 Brotherhood C 5
Division 3
Windsor Penguins 7 Windsor Merlins 3
Nomads Jaguars 10 Nomads Lynx 0
Walton D 9 Brotherhood F 1
Nomads Ocelots 1 Nomads Pumas 9
Windsor Robins 3 Nomads Leopards 7