FALCONS AND BROTHERHOOD IN MIDNIGHT MARATHON
There was a battle royal between Windsor Falcons and Brotherhood B this week in Division One of the Clacton and District Table Tennis League, the match finishing all-square just minutes before the stroke of midnight.
In an unpredictable, see-saw encounter as tight as the score-line suggests, every player got a point, no-one stayed undefeated and no less than seven of the individual matches were settled deep into the fifth set.
Falcons’ skipper Felipe Rodriguez edged out Stewart Murray 11-8 in the fifth, Martin Edwards 12-10 in the fifth but then went down to John Owen by the same score, whilst Annabelle Rodriguez lost 8-11 in the fifth to Edwards but beat Owen by the same score.
Edwards and Murray took two points each for Brotherhood but, crucially, the Rodriguez pairing won the doubles 11-7 in the decider against Edwards and Owen to leave the marathon match as a draw with honours even.
Elsewhere, Brotherhood A defeated Windsor Eagles 7-3, John Andrews unbeaten for the winners, Windsor’s Fred Button playing well to beat both Greg Green and Alan Burgess.
It was also 7-3 as Walton A beat a Nomads Panthers side forced to field a guest player, although Colin Webber of the Panthers got the better of Walton’s Peter Burrows 11-7, 14-12, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7 in the best match of the evening.
Trebles for Mark Gale and Paul Meikle were good enough to see Walton C home 9-1 against Nomads Jaguars, Colin Beaumont taking the Nomads’ consolation point with a win over Jason Gale.
But Windsor Roosters stay top of the embryonic table by virtue of a 9-1 victory against Windsor Kestrels, reserve John Harvey stepping up to the plate to take two good points for the Roosters.
In Division Two Windsor Hawks beat Windsor Ravens 9-1, Dave Austin’s welcome hat-trick including a 6-11, 2-11, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10 victory over John Long, the Ravens’ sole point coming from an unexpected win in five for Isabel Barton against husband John.
It was also 9-1 for Nomads Lions against a weakened Windsor Owls, Tricia Salter getting a point for the losers with a 10-12, 14-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 success over John Wacker.
Every player took at least a point but none came away undefeated in the drawn match between Windsor Harriers and Brotherhood C, Jenny Higgins playing her best table tennis for some time to take the scalps of both Kevin Pryor and Laurence Torr.
In Division Three Nomads Pumas kept up the pace at the top with a convincing 10-0 victory over Nomads Leopards, the closest match seeing Alan Dockerill and Andrew Cousins win the doubles 11-9 in the fifth against Tony Rayner and Roger McNaughton.
Dan Malinowski and Elliott Attrill were unbeaten in Brotherhood K’s 9-1 win over Windsor Swallows, the two players also taking the doubles 15-13 in the fifth against Malcolm Caley and Sheila Howe, Sheila picking up the Swallows’ point with a win over Brian Baines.
Brotherhood J were unlucky to find Simon Smith-Daye in the Nomads Tigers’ line-up and went down 6-4, but three for Darren Bunce, two for Mike Monschau and one for Jackie Bunce enabled Windsor Penguins to edge out Nomads Bobcats by the same score.
Finally, hat-tricks for David Wilkin and Gerald Batt were the foundations of Brotherhood H’s 9-1 success against Brotherhood L but Brotherhood G went one better against Windsor Kites, winning 10-0.
* Players are reminded that all players must be registered with the ETTA by next Sunday (16th October).
Any matches played after that date by a non-registered player will be voided and points deducted from their team’s score for failing to play with a full team.
RESULTS
Division 1
Brotherhood A 7 Windsor Eagles 3;
Nomads Jaguars 1 Walton C 9;
Windsor Falcons 5 Brotherhood B 5;
Walton A 7 Nomads Panthers 3;
Windsor Roosters 9 Windsor Kestrels 1.
Division 2
Windsor Harriers 5 Brotherhood C 5;
Windsor Hawks 9 Windsor Ravens 1;
Nomads Lions 9 Windsor Owls 1.
Division 3
Nomads Leopards 0 Nomads Pumas 10;
Brotherhood J 4 Nomads Tigers 6;
Brotherhood H 9 Brotherhood L 1;
Windsor Penguins 6 Nomads Bobcats 4;
Brotherhood K 9 Windsor Swallows 1;
Brotherhood G 10 Windsor Kites 0;
Brotherhood L 4 Nomads Tigers 6 (amended result).
By Tony Ostwick