TOLLGATE A TAKE OVER AT TOP OF TABLE

Tollgate A maintained their 100% record with a convincing 10-0 win over Pegasus A and, in doing so, take over at the top of the Colchester and District Table Tennis League Division One. Greg Green and Nigel Hodder were joined by Andy Warner, all unbeaten in a result that proves their title credentials.

Gt Horkesley A also go up one, to second place courtesy of a 7-3 win over their ‘B’ team. No player could achieve the maximum three wins as the ‘A’ team changed their complete team that beat H20 Rowhedge A the previous week. Most noteworthy game was Mike Emerson’s five game win over the experienced Mike Wright as both won two.

H20 Rowhedge A have slipped to third, two points behind the leaders with a game in hand and still have yet to play Tollgate so these two fixtures will go a long way to deciding the title. H20 Rowhedge C moved to within a point of Tollgate B following their 7-3 win over the Holmwood House based team. Gary Cattermole and Mark Smith were both in sparkling form, both recording impressive maximums.

Division Two leaders Lawford A slipped up at H20 Rowhedge D going down 6-4 with Alan Burgess recording his seventh successive player of the match making it nine in total. His team move up to fourth with Tollgate C riding high still in second place after a 7-3 win against Pegasus A.

Tom Elder recorded his first wins since joining Tollgate, the best of which was a three game victory over Steve Noble. Tollesbury A are fifth as they won 7-3 at H20 Rowhedge F, Roger Clarke the pick of the Blackwater players winning his three including an excellent five game win over Chris Brook. Clairmont go sixth as they recorded a fine 7-3 win over H20 Rowhedge E, both Mike and Paul Tracey beating the prolific Martin Edwards as they finished undefeated.

Lawford B consolidated their lead at the top of Division Three with a 9-1 win over Pegasus C with Peter Freeborough and Rob Wood both unbeaten as Tony Eversden recorded a rare blank.

St James C went one better against Pegasus C, Paul Weston coming closest to a win for the Marks Tey club going down 12-10 in the fifth end to Tony Oswick. They are now second following another maximum victory, 10-0 at Gt Horkesley E. Oswick joined by Ferdy Rodriguez and Terry May all unbeaten as was Ian Fielder in the previous game.

Neil Grandy took the player of the match award in Tollesbury’s 7-3 win over H20 Rowhedge H with Tom Lewis also unbeaten, making it twenty wins from his last twenty-one games. Pegasus E and D fought out a 5-5 draw thanks mainly to Phil Weston’s maximum. Jermaine Fearon’s excellent treble led his H20 Rowhedge G team to a good 6-4 win over the University of Essex. The Colchester junior’s wins included a tight five set success over the experienced Chester Chung.

Division Four is the most hotly contested of all the divisions and following two 9-1 wins, St James D and Gilberd A are in the driving seat for promotion. The Clacton based side beat a two player Gt Horkesley F whilst the school team beat Pegasus G.

Fifth placed CRGS beat third placed Dedham B 7-3 and have games in hand which they need to win if they want to go up. Tollgate D are fifth as they beat H20 Rowhedge I 7-3 with Richard Baxter and Karl Baldwin returning maximums, including the doubles. Pegasus F beat Lawford D 9-1 with trebles from Colchester Cadets Dan Rhodes and Keir Brown leading Gilberd B to an 8-2 win against Lawford C.