Hat-trick of newcomers break their duck
Three players new to competitive table tennis, Woody Fitzpatrick, Martin Cunningham and Toni Hayhoe-Khan, celebrated debut wins this week in Division Three of the Clacton and District League.
Nomads Wildcats and Windsor Ospreys had a terrific scrap with five of the matches going the distance. Appropriately the match ended all-square. Lucy Burton was unbeaten for the Ospreys whilst Woody Fitzpatrick recorded his first success for the Windsor side with a hard-fought 13-11 in the decider victory over Martin Cunningham.
Fitzpatrick then combined with Burton to take the doubles 3-2 (11-9, 12-10, 11-13, 7-11, 11-5) against Cunningham and Andrew Cawley. But Cunningham later had his own cause to cheer, notching up a first league victory of his own. Hazel Blanche and Cawley won two each for the Wildcats.
On the other side of the marshes, bottom-side Walton E faced Nomads Lynx and, although they went down 9-1, Walton’s Toni Hayhoe-Khan became the third newcomer to celebrate with an 11-3 in the decider win against Tom Collins.
At the top, leaders Brotherhood E won 8-2 against a Nomads Leopards’ side forced to field a guest player. Tony Rayner and Harry Beezer took the losers’ points, Beezer having a tight 3-2 (5-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9) victory over Gary Bayliss.
The race behind Brotherhood E is hotting up nicely and, come the end of the season, one of the most significant results may turn out to be Brotherhood G’s unexpectedly convincing 9-1 victory over Nomads Pumas. Pete Bloomfield and Lee Allen took trebles with John Bowers’ success against Mark Trayhorn in the opening match the only consolation for the Pumas.
Ray Chillingworth was on the mark again for Windsor Penguins in their 6-4 win over Brotherhood L. But he was hard-pressed to maintain his season’s unbeaten record, only just keeping out Morgan Harvey 12-10 in the decider. Harvey took two points for Brotherhood as did Jonathan Found, Found’s wins coming from close wins in five against Mike Monschau and Sue Chillingworth.
But Brotherhood H could prove the dark horses and they moved up the table with a straightforward 10-0 win over Windsor Kites.
In Division One Nomads Panthers brought in their heavy artillery against Brotherhood A, John Monk and James Denyer staying unbeaten in their 9-1 win. But Brotherhood will feel unfortunate not to have come closer, John Andrews losing to Denyer 11-9 in the fifth, Dave Binns losing by the same score to Gill Locke, with the two Brotherhood players going down 11-7 in the decider to Denyer and Monk in the doubles. Alan Burgess beat Locke for Brotherhood’s sole point.
Windsor Eagles, for the first time in many seasons, head the table following two good wins this week.
Fred Button, Sue Welham and Phil Smith all won twice in the Eagles’ 7-3 success over Nomads Cougars. But none of them could get the better of Paul Hume who took a fine hat-trick that included a 13-11 in the fifth victory against Welham.
The Eagles followed this with a 9-1 win against a Walton D side forced to field a guest. The closest match was the doubles, Smith and Gary Cattermole defeating Jenny Binns and Paul Woolnough 11-9 in the decider.
Brotherhood B’s pairing of Martin Edwards and John Owen won the doubles against Walton A’s Colin Dearman and John Rice 3-2 (11-7, 11-13, 3-11, 17-15, 11-6) but that was their only success of the evening, Dearman, Rice and Matt Watson all unbeaten in Walton’s emphatic 9-1 win. The result leaves Walton A handily placed in third position but pushes Brotherhood B deeper into the relegation battle.
Kevin Gowlett was back in the Walton D line-up against Windsor Condors and his maximum, which included a 3-2 (11-7, 11-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6) win over Jim Pallett, proved the difference, Walton winning 6-4. Pallett and John Pattrick won a couple each for the Condors.
Felipe Rodriguez was unbeaten for Windsor Hawks but Walton C edged the match 6-4. Derek Willis and Paul Meikle won a pair apiece for Walton although Meikle struggled before defeating Ian Fielder 11-8 in the decider.
Walton B picked up welcome points with an 8-2 win over bottom team Brotherhood D. Gavin Price won his three, Paul Newbould and John Rankin taking two each. Russell Hillier played well to win Brotherhood’s two points. Unusually, all four matches that went the distance ended 11-6 in the fifth, Price beating both Hillier and Paul Alden by that score, as did Walton’s Rankin against Lee Harvey, and Brotherhood’s Hillier against Newbould.
There were no surprises as three of the top teams met three of the bottom teams in Division Two.
Nomads Ocelots led the way with a 10-0 success over Windsor Magpies. But the Magpies will feel aggrieved not to have come away with at least a point, John Plummer losing 11-6 in the fifth to Doug Green and 11-7 in the fifth to Andy North whilst Dave Sweetland went down to North 11-7 in the fifth.
Windsor Kestrels were 8-2 winners against Brotherhood I, Dave Martin and Graham Bunce undefeated. John Wrigley and Allen Denyer took the Brotherhood points, Denyer’s 11-9 in the decider victory against Alan Rutledge being the closest match of the evening.
Super-vet John Long was the hero for Windsor Ravens with a fighting hat-trick in his side’s 7-3 success against the Brotherhood J youngsters. Tom Burton’s two for the losers included the scalp of John Harvey and a 3-2 (10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9) win over Brian Thiel, whilst Tom Wilkin beat the unlucky Thiel 3-2 (7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 16-14, 11-8). Kelvin Olano failed to get on the score-sheet but took Long close before losing 11-9 in the fifth.
Windsor Harriers were narrow 6-4 winners against Windsor Owls, five of the matches going the distance, three of them ending 12-10 in the fifth. Isabel Barton of the Harriers beat both Tricia Salter and Adam Jackson by that score but went down 11-6 in the decider to Frank Burbidge. Burbidge and Adam Jackson won two each for the Owls, Jackson beating Ferdy Rodriguez 3-2 (7-11, 11-3, 16-14, 8-11, 11-9).
Finally, in another close match where four matches went the distance, Brotherhood C beat Nomads Tigers 7-3. Lawrence Torr and Kevin Pryor took maximum points for the winners.
RESULTS
Division 1
Walton A 9 Brotherhood B 1;
Walton D 6 Windsor Condors 4;
Windsor Eagles 9 Walton D 1;
Windsor Eagles 7 Nomads Cougars 3;
Windsor Hawks 4 Walton C 6;
Brotherhood A 1 Nomads Panthers 9;
Brotherhood D 2 Walton B 8.
Division 2
Windsor Harriers 6 Windsor Owls 4;
Brotherhood I 2 Windsor Kestrels 8;
Brotherhood C 7 Nomads Tigers 3;
Windsor Ravens 7 Brotherhood J 3;
Nomads Ocelots 10 Windsor Magpies 0.
Division 3
Windsor Kites 0 Brotherhood H 10;
Nomads Wildcats 5 Windsor Ospreys 5;
Brotherhood E 8 Nomads Leopards 2;
Brotherhood L 4 Windsor Penguins 6;
Nomads Pumas 1 Brotherhood G 9;
Walton E 1 Nomads Lynx 9.
To view full tables click here
Tony Oswick (November 11, 2013)