There’s no award in the Clacton and District League for the season’s most improved player but, if there were, Andrew Cawley of Division Three side Nomads Wildcats would be a leading contender.
This week Cawley notched up his fifth maximum of the season with a trio of three-straight wins over seasoned campaigners John Bowers, Lionel Goddard and John Houghton in the Wildcats’ 7-3 win over Nomads Pumas. Paul Dale added a couple by defeating Houghton 11-8 in the fifth and Goddard 11-5 in the fifth but was denied his hat-trick by Bowers 11-7 in the fifth. With Martin Cunningham picking up one singles win, and combining with the impressive Cawley to beat Goddard and Bowers 15-17, 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 13-11 in the doubles, the Wildcats were able to avenge an early-season 7-3 defeat by the Pumas.
In the second of three 7-3 score-lines, Brotherhood G beat Windsor Ospreys, Graham Parkes and John Wrigley undefeated. But it was not all plain sailing with Wrigley beating Woody Fitzpatrick 11-6 in the fifth and Parkes narrowly edging out a resolute Debra Found 12-10 in the decider. The Ospreys had the satisfaction of taking the doubles, Found and Fitzpatrick beating Parkes and Vicki Edwards 6-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-7.
Keith Clubb and Doug Green were Nomads Bobcats’ undefeated pair in the Division’s third 7-3 result when they beat Windsor Penguins. The tensest tie of the contest was the win for Chris Gibbons who pipped Windsor’s Zoe Strange 12-14, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11.
There were contrasting fortunes for the top two sides.
Leaders Windsor Buzzards breezed past lowly Windsor Kites 10-0 but second-placed Nomads Lynx, forced to field a guest player, lost ground when they went down 6-4 to Nomads Leopards. Mike Hillier’s pair for the Lynx included a 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 11-4 victory over Harry Beezer whilst Brian Friday’s couple included an even closer 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10 win against Tom Collins.
The Lynx pair nearly scraped a draw but Collins and John Bonner edged the doubles 8-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 11-8 for the Leopards.
In Division One Nomads Panthers’ regular threesome were back in action against Walton B and were good enough to win 8-2, James Denyer and Gill Locke unbeaten. Walton’s Gavin Price had an 11-7 in the decider victory over Colin Webber and, with John Rankin, notched up an excellent 11-9, 12-10, 13-11 doubles success against Denyer and Locke.
Nomads Lions look secure in second place and they confirmed their good form with a 6-4 win over Windsor Condors. Sam Hume continued to impress with a treble that included an 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5 victory over Windsor’s Colin Stallwood whilst Adam Wilkin’s double included an 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9 win over Paul Woolnough. John Hatley defeated Woolnough 11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5 but lost out 11-8 in the fifth in a close match with Annabelle Rodriguez.
Gary Cattermole’s maximum was the key factor in Windsor Eagles’ drawn match with Windsor Hawks. But it was a hard-fought treble for Cattermole, beating Andy Vincent 11-6 in the fifth and Felipe Rodriguez 11-8 in the fifth. It was the Eagles’ first draw of the season.
Walton C defeated Brotherhood A 7-3, Gary Young unbeaten and Paul Meikle and Derek Willis each taking two. Walton won both matches that went the distance, Meikle beating Alan Burgess 5-11, 13-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5 and Willis scraping past John Andrews 11-7, 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10.
Walton A’s David Binns, Peter Burrows and Colin Dearman were emphatic 10-0 victors over Brotherhood B. John Owen came closest to getting a point for Brotherhood, losing 11-5 in the decider to former team-mate Dearman and 11-8 in the decider to Binns.
Windsor Kestrels and Windsor Ravens are already resigned to the drop but they both continue to battle hard and their meeting this week ended in an honourable draw. John Harvey took three for the Ravens whilst Woo Dy defeated Colin Beaumont in four before edging out Graham Bunce 12-10 in the fifth. And he came so close to making it a hat-trick, Bob Sawyer winning their individual match 16-14 in the decider.
In Division Two leaders Brotherhood C included a guest player against bottom side Nomads Jaguars but still came out on top 6-4. Roger Hance got the only point the Jaguars won on the table with a victory over Kevin Pryor.
Second-placed Brotherhood D faced third-placed Nomads Ocelots and, as fitting for two evenly-matched sides, the encounter ended all-square. Russell Hillier was the star player on the night, his hat-trick for Brotherhood including an excellent 11-9 in the decider win over Brian Parish. Shaun Beckham contributed two for Brotherhood as did John Hockley for the Ocelots. Brotherhood’s Morgan Harvey failed to take a point but will feel unfortunate to have lost close in five to both Hockley and Parish.
Fourth-placed Lawford, 7-3 winners against Brotherhood I, remain on the fringes of the promotion race. Richard Spence won his three matches in three-straight but Paul Hewitt made harder work of his two victories, requiring all five sets to overcome both Mark Beckham and Jonathan Found. Tom Wilkin took two points for Brotherhood.
Frank Burbidge was again unbeaten for Windsor Owls but it could not prevent his side going down 6-4 to Windsor Harriers. Isabel Barton won two for the Harriers and whilst Ferdy Rodriguez took only one point – a win in five against Tricia Salter – he narrowly lost 11-7 in the decider to both Burbidge and Adam Jackson.
The mid-table all-Brotherhood clash between the ‘F’ and ‘H’ teams ended with honours even. Grant Sharpe’s good season continued with an unbeaten three, and a share in a doubles win with Rowan Cottee against Barry Allen and Sandie Isaac. But it was James Smith-Daye who secured the draw for the ‘H’ team with a vital 11-8 in the decider win against Gerald Batt. Allen and Isaac each won twice for the ‘F’ team whist Batt enjoyed a narrow victory against Cottee 7-11, 8-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-7.
Nomads Tigers, now with Daryl Lott back in harness, are creeping away from the drop-zone and they notched up an important 8-2 success against relegation rivals Windsor Magpies. John Marshall won three whilst Lott and Eric Lemke each contributed a couple. Lemke defeated both John Plummer and Malcolm Caley in five but the closest match was Marshall’s 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 victory over Windsor reserve Pete Bloomfield. Bloomfield took both of the Magpies’ points.
* In the semi-finals of the Knock-Out Cup, Division Three Nomads Leopards have been drawn away to top-flight Walton C. The other semi-final is an all-Division One tie between Brotherhood B and Windsor Eagles. The matches are to be played during week beginning 30th March. The final takes place at the Brotherhood Hall on Tuesday 5th May.
* The 2015 Closed Championships will be held on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th April at the Coastal Academy Sports Hall. The qualification for entry is six League matches. Entries can be made on-line or sent by post to Tony Oswick or Peter White. The closing date is Sunday 29th March.
* The Windsor Club is organising a Pig Race Night at the St Osyth Village Hall on Saturday 11th April at 7.30 pm. Tickets are £3.00 (for adults) and £2.00 (for children). Bring your own nibbles and drink. For more information contact Jenny Higgins (Tel : 01255 432397 or 07790 240566).
RESULTS
Division 1
Windsor Eagles 5 Windsor Hawks 5;
Brotherhood A 3 Walton C 7;
Brotherhood B 0 Walton A 10;
Windsor Kestrels 5 Windsor Ravens 5;
Walton B 2 Nomads Panthers 8;
Windsor Condors 4 Nomads Lions 6.
Division 2
Brotherhood F 5 Brotherhood H 5;
Nomads Ocelots 5 Brotherhood D 5;
Windsor Magpies 2 Nomads Tigers 8;
Windsor Owls 4 Windsor Harriers 6;
Brotherhood I 3 Lawford 7;
Nomads Jaguars 4 Brotherhood C 6.
Division 3
Nomads Pumas 3 Nomads Wildcats 7;
Windsor Penguins 3 Nomads Bobcats 7;
Windsor Buzzards 10 Windsor Kites 0;
Nomads Lynx 4 Nomads Leopards 6;
Brotherhood G 7 Windsor Ospreys 3.
Handicap Knock-Out Cup : Round 4
Brotherhood D 2 Walton C 5.
Tony Oswick
March 9, 2015