OSPREYS CAUSE CUP UPSET
Windsor Ospreys produced the stand-out performance in Round One of the Clacton and District League’s Handicap Knock-Out Cup with a shock success over club-mates Windsor Penguins.
Kayley Lamb and Woody Fitzpatrick (+1) got the Ospreys off to a flying start against Sue Chillingworth and Jackie Bunce (-6) in the opening doubles, and Lucy Burton (+1) followed this with an 11-5 in the fifth victory over Ray Chillingworth (-6).
From then on, the Ospreys were never behind and they went on to win 5-2. Fitzpatrick remained unbeaten on the night whilst Burton won both her singles.
The tightest tie of the round was a see-saw affair in which Brotherhood H trailed Brotherhood L 0-2 before taking a 4-2 lead. They eventually got through 5-4, with Graham Parkes and Gerald Batt (-1) defeating Morgan Harvey and Jonathan Found (+1) 3-1 (11-3, 11-4, 6-11, 14-12) in the final match of the evening.
Nomads Lynx and Windsor Swallows enjoyed a good scrap which, at 3-all, could have gone either way. But the Lynx took the next two matches, Tom Collins (+1) clinching the tie in match eight with an 3-2 (11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 14-12) victory against Iris Howlett (-1). Brian Friday was unbeaten for the Nomads’ side.
Brotherhood E faced a potential banana-skin against Windsor Kites but they made no mistake, winning 5-1 with all the matches settled in three-straight, Duncan Dunne and Tony Edmonds undefeated.
Windsor Magpies were the only Division Two side in the First Round draw but they got through 5-0 against Nomads Wildcats. The closest matches saw Dave Sweetland (-5) edge past Andrew Cawley (+1) 11-9 in the fifth, and John Plummer (-5) defeat Harry Barlow (+1) 11-5 in the fifth.
It was also 5-0 for Brotherhood G against Nomads Leopards but the scoreline did scant justice to a brave Leopards’ performance. None of the five matches was settled in three-straight whilst the results of two of them could easily have been reversed, Lee Allen (-3) defeating Tony Rayner (+1) 3-2 (7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9) whilst Allen and Mark Trayhorn (-1) sealed the Brotherhood victory with an even narrower 3-2 (9-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-9, 15-13) win over Rayner and Harry Beezer (+1).
The revised Round Two draw is :
Nomads Lynx v Brotherhood E; Walton C v Nomads Tigers; Nomads Jaguars v Windsor Eagles; Windsor Owls v Nomads Cougars; Nomads Ocelots v Brotherhood A; Nomads Pumas v Brotherhood G; Nomads Lions v Windsor Hawks; Brotherhood D v Nomads Panthers; Lawford v Windsor Magpies; Brotherhood B v Windsor Condors; Walton D v Brotherhood I; Windsor Ospreys v Brotherhood C; Brotherhood H v Windsor Kestrels; Brotherhood F v Walton A; Windsor Ravens v Brotherhood J; Windsor Harriers v Walton B.
These matches are to be played during week 6th January.
In Division One of the League, Colin Stallwood’s absence in the Windsor Condors’ line-up eased the task for Nomads Panthers and it was no surprise the Panthers ran out 9-1 winners. Windsor’s John Pattrick defeated Colin Webber in match one and just lost 11-9 in the fifth to Joe Andrews in match ten but that was the extent of the Condors’ resistance.
Andrews, in his first outing of the season, and James Denyer were unbeaten for the Panthers who go into the second-half of the season heading the table with a twelve-point lead over their nearest rivals.
Walton A maintained their challenge with a 10-0 victory over bottom team Brotherhood D. Shaun Beckham took both Colin Dearman and John Rice to five but was unable to convert either into a point.
Windsor Hawks were narrow 6-4 victors against a Windsor Eagles’ side fielding a reserve. Andy Vincent took three and Ian Fielder two but the doubles proved the pivotal match, Vincent and John Barton beating Fred Button and John Hobson 3-2 (8-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10).
In Division Two Windsor Ravens finished their first-half programme with two 7-3 victories, wins that take them to the top of the table, a point ahead of Windsor Kestrels having played a game more.
There were three for Gary Stallwood and two for John Harvey against Brotherhood C. John Long chipped in with a point against a fit-again Kevin Pryor but lost 11-6 in the fifth to Laurence Torr and 11-8 in the fifth to Brotherhood reserve Adam Wilkin. Wilkin won two for the losers.
Both Harvey and Stallwood remained undefeated against Windsor Harriers but the Harriers had the satisfaction of inflicting a first doubles’ defeat of the season on the Ravens, Ferdy Rodriguez and Isabel Barton beating Harvey and Stallwood 11-9 in the decider.
The Harriers had better fortune against the gallant Windsor Magpies, winning 8-2 with Jenny Higgins recording her first hat-trick in over two years. Magpies’ skipper John Plummer had a good win over Ferdy Rodriguez and, with Dave Sweetland, picked up a second successive doubles victory.
Everyone took a point in the Lawford v Nomads Tigers encounter but Richard Spence emerged as the only undefeated player, Lawford winning 7-3. Ian Sherwood’s two for Lawford included a 3-2 (7-11, 16-14, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7) victory over Tony Beezer but he failed to convert his double to a treble, losing 11-9 in the fifth to Tony Robinson.
Lawford were given another stern test in the match with Brotherhood J but emerged narrow 6-4 victors. Spence was again unbeaten, Paul Hewitt took two and Sherwood one. Tom Burton won twice for Brotherhood, narrowly losing 11-9 in the fifth to Spence but beating Hewitt by the same score. Kelvin Olano took one and, with Burton, shared a tight 3-2 (11-5, 11-13, 8-11, 11-8, 14-12) doubles win against Spence and Sherwood.
Finally, there were three each for Frank Burbidge and Tricia Salter, and two for Sue Watson as Windsor Owls beat a below-strength Nomads Jaguars 9-1, a result that leaves the Jaguars facing a New Year’s fight against relegation.
But we trust that they don’t dwell on any potential table tennis problems over the festive period. The holiday break is a time for players to re-charge their batteries and to emerge refreshed in the New Year. Your website correspondent wishes all players, supporters and readers of this column an enjoyable, relaxing Christmas, and a peaceful, successful 2014.
RESULTS
Division 1
Windsor Condors 1 Nomads Panthers 9;
Windsor Hawks 6 Windsor Eagles 4;
Brotherhood D 0 Walton A 10.
Division 2
Windsor Harriers 3 Windsor Ravens 7;
Brotherhood F 8 Nomads Jaguars 2;
Windsor Ravens 7 Brotherhood C 3;
Nomads Tigers 3 Lawford 7;
Windsor Magpies 2 Windsor Harriers 8;
Lawford 6 Brotherhood J 4;
Nomads Jaguars 1 Windsor Owls 9.
Handicap Knock-Out Cup : Round 1
Windsor Penguins 2 Windsor Ospreys 5;
Brotherhood E 5 Windsor Kites 1;
Brotherhood L 4 Brotherhood H 5;
Nomads Lynx 5 Windsor Swallows 3;
Nomads Wildcats 0 Windsor Magpies 5;
Nomads Leopards 0 Brotherhood G 5.
Nomads Pumas w/o v Walton E.
To view full tables click here
Tony Oswick (December 22, 2013)