The final issue of the 2018/19 season of the Clacton & District League was settled as Windsor Harriers preserved their Division Two status with a 7-3 win over Nomads Jaguars.
Going into their final crunch relegation match, the Jaguars needed an unlikely nine points to ensure survival whilst the Harriers required just two. In the event, the Windsor side did it in style, skipper Ferdy Rodriguez leading from the front with his first hat-trick of the season. Isabel Barton won a couple and Jenny Higgins one. Caroline Page’s two for the Jaguars included an 11-7 in the fifth win over Barton, with Harry Hawkes picking up their third point.
The two remaining fixtures in the Division also ended as 7-3 results.
Dave Martin was again Windsor Magpies’ points-gatherer, staying unbeaten in his side’s match with Brotherhood H. But he was unable to prevent the ‘H’ team taking it, Tricia Salter, Mark Salter and Woody Fitzpatrick, in his last League match before leaving for university, all winning two.
Eric Lemke’s second maximum of the season included the scalp of Bob Sawyer, 3-2 (6-11, 8-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-6), as Nomads Bobcats beat a weakened Windsor Kestrels. Mike Wellum and Andy Cawley won a couple each for the Bobcats, as did Sawyer for the Kestrels.
Division Three champions Brotherhood E were forced to field a guest against Windsor Falcons. But Duncan Dunne and Rodney Betts were able to maintain their team’s unbeaten record for the season, each player taking two singles and sharing a doubles win, to secure the draw. However, Windsor’s Kayley Rodriguez was the player of the match, beating both Dunne and Betts, the latter 11-8 in the fifth.
Three for Mike Vilka and two for Dominic Joannou were the foundations for Nomads Lynx’s 6-4 victory over Windsor Penguins. Alan Charman got a couple for the Penguins and, although he and Paul Dale lost the doubles to Vilka and Joannou, the Penguins can claim to have the best doubles record in the Division, having lost just two all season.
Bob Bales of Windsor Robins ended the season on an unbeaten high but it was not enough to prevent his side losing 7-3 to Walton D. Tony Sharman, Lynette Sparks and Toni Hayhow-Khan all won two for the winners.
In Division One Andy Warner suffered his first reverse of the season at the hands of Windsor Condors’ Greg Green but, despite this defeat, Brotherhood C took the honours 6-4. Kevin Gowlett stayed undefeated, Warner took a couple and Alan Burgess one, an 11-9 in the fifth victory over Martyn Green. Greg Green got two for the Condors and Martin Hogg one, with the pair sharing an 11-8 in the decider doubles success against Gowlett and Warner.
Trebles for Phil Smith and Sue Welham saw Windsor Eagles home 7-3 against a Brotherhood D side again forced to field two reserves. The Eagles thus finish in sixth position and maintain their record of being the League’s most consistent side, never finishing outside the top half of the table since they were formed in 1990/91.
* The final of the Handicap Knock-Out Cup between Brotherhood I and Windsor Condors takes place on Tuesday 30th April at the Brotherhood Hall. Play starts at 7.30pm and all spectators are welcome.
* The League’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 4th June at 7.45pm at the Brotherhood Hall. The presentation of League trophies for the season will take place at the end of the meeting.
RESULTS
Division 1
Brotherhood C 6 Windsor Condors 4
Windsor Eagles 7 Brotherhood D 3
Windsor Hawks 10 v Nomads Lions (walk-over)
Division 2
Windsor Harriers 7 Nomads Jaguars 3
Windsor Magpies 3 Brotherhood H 7
Nomads Bobcats 7 Windsor Kestrels 3
Division 3
Windsor Robins 3 Walton D 7
Brotherhood E 5 Windsor Falcons 5
Nomads Lynx 6 Windsor Penguins 4
Nomads Leopards 10 v Windsor Merlins (walk-over)