Jaguars make their mark
Nomads Jaguars may be languishing at the bottom of Division One but they’re determined to make their mark in the Handicap Knock-Out Cup, this week eliminating current League leaders Nomads Panthers 5-3 in an eagerly-awaited Round Three encounter.
The Jaguars’ team of Colin Beaumont, Brian Parish and Tony Beezer bounded out of the starting blocks and, despite both opening matches going to a deciding set, raced into a 4-0 lead.
But the Panthers are nothing if not fighters and denied the Jaguars a whitewash win as James Denyer and Gill Locke (-8) took the middle doubles, 11-9 in the fifth, against Beaumont and Beezer (+1).
The Panthers took the next two matches and a miracle comeback looked a possibility but Beezer (+1) defeated Locke (-8) in match eight to give the Jaguars, last season’s beaten Cup finalists, a well-deserved place in the quarter-finals.
In another all-Division One match, Windsor Hawks played well to record a 5-2 victory over Windsor Condors in a hard-fought tie in which four of the individual matches went to a fifth set. Andy Vincent was unbeaten for the Hawks.
Nomads Ocelots of Division Two led 2-1 against top-flight Brotherhood A but Alan Burgess (-8) defeated Daryl Lott (+2) 6-11, 11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 11-9 to level the scores. After that there was no looking back for Brotherhood who took the next three matches to take the tie 5-2, Burgess remaining undefeated on the night.
Division One also beat Division Two as Walton B overcame Brotherhood E 5-2 in a match closer than the score-line might suggest. Gavin Price (-8) clinched the victory in match seven with a
7-11, 13-11, 8-11, 12-10, 12-10 win against Rodney Betts (+2). Brotherhood won both the doubles matches.
In the first of the all-Division Two ties, Nomads Cougars beat Nomads Tigers 5-2, the Cougars taking three of the four matches that went the distance. Once again, the losing side won both doubles.
Windsor Magpies made full use of their handicap advantage against Brotherhood C to come out unexpected 5-1 winners, David Sweetland and John Plummer unbeaten.
It was also 5-1 for Windsor Harriers against Brotherhood C, the Harriers winning all three matches that went to a fifth set. Ian Fielder (-1) beat Lee Harvey (+1) 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 8-11, 11-4 in the best match of the evening.
The last Third Division side in the competition went out but not without a fight, Brotherhood K losing 5-1 to Division Two strugglers Brotherhood G with three of the matches going to five. Dan Malinowski and Jordan Blanche-Price were unbeaten for the ‘G’ team.
So there will four teams from each of Divisions One and Two in Round Four. The Windsor Club has three sides left in the competition, Brotherhood and Nomads two each, whilst there is one from the Walton Club.
Round Four will be played during week commencing 4th March. Details about the draw will be sent to Team Secretaries by 16th February.
* In Division One of the League Walton A defeated Nomads Lions 9-1, John Rice and Matthew Watson unbeaten, John Hatley taking the Lions’ sole point by beating Colin Dearman in the last match of the evening.
In Division Two Nomads Cougars moved up to second place following their 10-0 victory over Windsor Ravens, the closest matches seeing Adam Cuthbert beat Justin Reichart 11-6 in the fifth and Sam Hume defeat Brian Thiel 11-7 in the fifth.
Kevin Pryor and Lawrence Torr took hat-tricks as Brotherhood C overcame Nomads Tigers 9-1, Darren Bunce taking the Tigers’ consolation point with a win over Fred Gallone in match ten.
In Division Three Brotherhood I defeated a weakened Brotherhood H 6-4, James Smith-Daye the ‘I’ team’s best player on the night, chalking up a narrow 12-10 in the decider win over Tom Wilkin.
Dan Wright made a welcome return to League action and took a couple in Windsor Swallows’ 7-3 win against Windsor Penguins. Angela Barratt and Caroline North also took two each but no-one could get the better of the Penguins’ Ray Chillingworth who won his three singles.
It was also 7-3 for Nomads Bobcats against Nomads Leopards in an unpredictable match where every player picked up a point. Tony Rayner of the Leopards beat Harry Barlow, who beat Roger Baalham, who beat Vic Little, who beat Norman Jacobs, who beat Barlow.
RESULTS
Handicap Knock-Out Cup
Round 3
Brotherhood D 1 Windsor Harriers 5;
Brotherhood C 1 Windsor Magpies 5;
Nomads Cougars 5 Nomads Tigers 2;
Windsor Hawks 5 Windsor Condors 2;
Nomads Jaguars 5 Nomads Panthers 3;
Brotherhood A 5 Nomads Ocelots 2;
Walton B 5 Brotherhood E 2;
Brotherhood K 1 Brotherhood G 5.
League
Division 1
Nomads Lions 1 Walton A 9.
Division 2
Nomads Tigers 1 Brotherhood C 9;
Nomads Cougars 10 Windsor Ravens 0.
Division 1
Brotherhood H 4 Brotherhood I 6;
Windsor Penguins 3 Windsor Swallows 7;
Nomads Bobcats 7 Nomads Leopards 3.
To view the full tables click here
Tony Oswick