Nomads Jaguars emerged as top dogs in the big relegation clash with Windsor Magpies in Division Two of the Clacton & District League, their 7-3 victory taking them off the foot of the table for the first time since the beginning of November.
Andrew North led the way for the Jaguars with a welcome first hat-trick of the season. His three included a crucial 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10) victory over John Plummer, a win that denied the Magpies’ skipper his own maximum.
In a good all-round team performance, Caroline North won two and lost close in five to Plummer, whilst Kevin Hume recorded an unexpected victory over Dave Sweetland and went down in five to both Plummer and Dan Wright.
The win means the Jaguars leapfrog club-mates Nomads Tigers, who were beaten 7-3 by Windsor Harriers, despite an excellent treble from the Tigers No 1 John Marshall. Jenny Higgins and Ferdy Rodriguez both won two for Windsor and shared a tight 3-2 (11-3, 10-12, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9) doubles success against Marshall and Eric Lemke.
Brotherhood E are being sucked into the relegation battle and, playing with a guest, they went down 10-0 to promotion-hopefuls Brotherhood D. But the ‘E’ team came close to breaking their duck, Rodney Betts losing 12-10 in the fifth to Russell Hillier.
Three for Brian Parish and Peter Giles gave Nomads Ocelots a 9-1 victory against Brotherhood I. Mark Beckham took the Brotherhood point with a win over Harry Hawkes.
Grant Sharpe’s good form continued for Brotherhood H with a maximum against Windsor Owls, but these were his team’s only points in the 7-3 defeat. There were two each for Windsor’s Adam Jackson, Tricia Salter and Sue Watson but it was 3-2 (11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5) for Jackson against Rowan Cottee, and 3-2 (10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11) for Watson against James Smith-Daye.
In Division Three, Windsor Buzzards were the only team in the top five to have a fixture this week and they took full advantage to extend their lead by defeating Brotherhood G 8-2, thus ending the first half-season unbeaten. Graham Parkes played well for Brotherhood to defeat both Alan Rutledge and Ray Chillingworth but Pete Bloomfield was the Buzzards’ hero, beating Parkes 3-2 (7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 6-11, 12-10) to notch up his sixth hat-trick in eight matches.
Windsor Bobcats beat Walton D 9-1, Doug Green staying unbeaten although it was a close five-setter (11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-13, 11-7) against Lynette Sparks. New signing Roger Hance was also undefeated for the Bobcats, with Laurie Farrugia winning twice, whilst Rivhu Khan took the Walton consolation point.
Windsor Ospreys were 7-3 winners against a Windsor Swallows’ side which fielded a guest player. Kayley Lamb played well for the Swallows to win two and, with Iris Howlett, take the doubles against Woody Fitzpatrick and Millie Easton. The closest match was Lamb’s 3-2 (5-11, 8-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-5) victory over Lucy Burton.
It was also 7-3 for Windsor Penguins against Windsor Kites. Alan Charman won three and Jackie Bunce two whilst Zoe Strange picked up an important five-set (11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8_ win against Mick Simson. Chris Simson with two and Rachel Simson with one picked up the Kites’ points, but Chris Simson so nearly had a hat-trick, narrowly going down 12-10 in the decider to Charman.
Paul Hume returned to the Nomads Lions’ side in their Division One match against Windsor Eagles and turned in a fine unbeaten performance in his team’s 8-2 success. Sam Hume and John Hatley both took two for the winners.
James Denyer and Gill Locke were unbeaten as Nomads Panthers defeated Walton C 9-1. Both inflicted defeats on Walton’s Gary Young, his first reverses of the season, Locke winning 3-1 (11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9) but Denyer having greater difficulty in taking it in five (4-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9). Young took the Walton point with an 11-6 in the fifth win against John Monk.
Three for Peter Burrows, two for David Binns and one for Colin Dearman saw Walton A home 7-3 against Windsor Hawks. Felipe Rodriguez’s two wins for the losers were both 11-9 in the decider victories against Binns and Dearman and he nearly made it three, losing 11-7 in the fifth to Burrows. Windsor’s third point came from an Ian Fielder victory over Dearman.
Windsor Condors won all three matches that went the distance to beat relegation-threatened Windsor Kestrels 10-0. Paul Woolnough scraped past Dave Martin 11-7 in the fifth before edging out Colin Beaumont 3-2 (12-14, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10), whilst it was a close 11-8 in the decider for Annabelle Rodriguez over Graham Bunce.
It was a similar story for Brotherhood B, who crucially won the three matches that went to a decider in the 6-4 success against Walton B. Martin Edwards stayed undefeated, his hat-trick including two wins close in five against John Rankin and Paul Newbould, whilst John Owen’s couple for the winners included a tight, but notable, victory in five against Gavin Price. John Rankin was Walton’s best player, taking two points.
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Results
Division 1
Nomads Lions 2 Windsor Eagles 8
Nomads Panthers 9 Walton C 1
Windsor Hawks 3 Walton A 7
Windsor Condors 10 Windsor Kestrels 0
Walton B 4 Brotherhood B 6
Division 2
Nomads Jaguars 7 Windsor Magpies 3
Brotherhood D 10 Brotherhood E 0
Nomads Ocelots 9 Brotherhood I 1
Windsor Harriers 7 Nomads Tigers 3
Brotherhood H 3 Windsor Owls 7
Division 3
Windsor Kites 3 Windsor Penguins 7
Nomads Wildcats 7 Nomads Bobcats 3
Windsor Buzzards 8 Brotherhood G 2
Nomads Bobcats 9 Walton D 1
Windsor Swallows 3 Windsor Ospreys 7
Tony Oswick
December 15, 2014