DENYER’S STAR SHINES BRIGHT
Clacton’s bright young star, James Denyer, stayed unbeaten as reigning champions Nomads Panthers came through two potentially stern tests in Division One the Clacton and District League with hard-fought victories over Windsor Eagles and Walton D.
Every player picked up a point in the Panthers’ encounter with the Eagles, Denyer taking all his singles in three-straight and, with Gill Locke, snatching the doubles 11-9 in the decider against Gary Cattermole and Phil Smith.
In a series of surprises, Colin Webber defeated Gary Cattermole in four sets but lost three-straight to Fred Button. And although Locke more predictably beat Button, she went down 11-9 in the fifth to Phil Smith who also played well to edge past Webber 11-6 in the fifth.
Denyer was again the Panthers’ undefeated hero in the 8-2 success against Walton D, his hat-trick including a superb 11-5 in the decider victory over a previously-unbeaten Kevin Gowlett.
A weakened Walton D also lost 9-1 against club-mates Walton C, Paul Woolnough’s victory against Mark Gale their solitary point.
Brotherhood A are moving into gear nicely and enjoyed a 9-1 win over Nomads Lions, although not without a fight. Greg Green, Alan Burgess and Dave Binns all took trebles but Binns struggled 11-7 in the decider against John Fenton, whilst Fenton and John Hatley took the doubles 3-2 (9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9) against Green and Binns.
Five of the matches between Windsor Hawks and Walton B went the distance before the Hawks, with Felipe Rodriguez unbeaten, edged it 6-4. Gavin Price took two for Walton, Paul Newbould beat Andy Vincent 3-2 (8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 13-11), with Price and Graham Buxton taking a tight doubles against Rodriguez and Ian Fielder 3-2 (13-11, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 12-10).
In their second match, Price remained unbeaten as Walton B defeated Nomads Cougars 8-2. Newbould and John Rankin each won twice. Sam Hume played well for the losers to win two and take Price all the way before losing 11-7 in the fifth. Hume and Colin Beaumont shared an 11-9 in the decider doubles victory against Price and Newbould.
Sam Hume won another couple in the Cougars’ 7-3 defeat at the hands of Windsor Condors, for whom Annabelle Rodriguez excelled to beat both Beaumont and Paul Hume in four.
In the all-Brotherhood clash, the ‘B’ team recorded a welcome 9-1 win against their ‘D’ side. Martin Edwards and John Owen took maximum points, and David North won twice. The closest match of the evening was the doubles, Edwards and Owen beating Shaun Beckham and Russell Hillier 11-7 in the fifth.
In Division Two Windsor Kestrels’ continued their move up the table with a 10-0 whitewash victory over Windsor Harriers, only Dave Martin’s topsy-turvy 3-2 (1-11, 11-3, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6) victory over Jenny Higgins going to a fifth set.
Windsor Ravens are another team on the up, their 8-2 win against Brotherhood F heavily reliant on Gary Stallwood and John Harvey hat-tricks. Harvey had tight matches against both Mark Beckham, 11-8 in the fifth, and Elliott Attrill, 3-2 (13-11, 13-11, 10-12, 9-11, 12-10).
There was a maximum also for Peter Giles of Nomads Ocelots against Windsor Owls but two each from Frank Burbidge and Adam Jackson and one from Tricia Salter gave the Owls a deserved share of the spoils.
Brotherhood J are now finding their feet and they made no mistake in defeating lowly Brotherhood I 8-2. Tom Burton and Kelvin Olano were unbeaten and Tom Wilkin won two, although Olano struggled before beating John Wrigley 13-11 in the fifth. However, the closest match of the encounter saw Wrigley and Allen Denyer take the doubles for the losers, 14-12 in the decider, against Burton and Wilkin.
But it was a week Windsor Magpies will want to forget, losing 10-0 to both Brotherhood C and Lawford, results which keep them firmly rooted to the foot of the table.
In Division Three leaders Brotherhood E kept up the pace with a 9-1 success over Nomads Pumas, the Pumas’ sole point a John Houghton win against Gary Bayliss. Nomads’ Alan Dockerill will consider himself unfortunate not to get on the score-sheet, going down 11-9 in the decider to Duncan Dunne.
Brotherhood H are taking on the mantle as the ‘E’ team’s chief challengers, this week beating Brotherhood L 7-3. Graham Parkes took three, Gerald Batt two and David Wilkin one, with Morgan Harvey winning twice for the losers.
Brotherhood G moved into third place following their 10-0 victory over Windsor Kites, a straightforward win with the exception of Alan Fryer’s 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7) victory against Carl Hubbard.
Windsor Penguins defeated a Windsor Swallows’ side fielding a guest 7-3, the Swallows’ points coming from Malcolm Caley with two and Iris Howlett one.
Finally, it was 9-1 for the Lynx against Windsor Ospreys, Lucy Burton the only point-getter for the losers.
* The draw for Round One of the Handicap Knock-Out Cup is :
(A) Nomads Wildcats v Windsor Magpies; (B) Windsor Penguins v Windsor Ospreys; (C) Nomads Pumas v Walton E; (D) Nomads Leopards v Brotherhood G; (E) Brotherhood E v Windsor Kites;
(F) Nomads Lynx v Windsor Swallows; (G) Brotherhood L v Brotherhood H
The Round Two draw is : Walton C v Nomads Tigers; Nomads Jaguars v Windsor Eagles; Windsor Owls v Nomads Cougars; Nomads Ocelots v Brotherhood A; Winner (C) v Winner (D);
Nomads Lions v Windsor Hawks; Brotherhood D v Nomads Panthers; Lawford v Winner (A); Brotherhood B v Windsor Condors;
Walton D v Brotherhood I; Winner (B) v Brotherhood C; Winner (G) v Windsor Kestrels; Brotherhood F v Walton A; Windsor Ravens v Brotherhood J; Windsor Harriers v Walton B.
Round One matches are to be played in w/c 16th December and Round Two matches during w/c 6th January.
RESULTS
Division 1
Nomads Cougars 2 Walton B 8;
Nomads Panthers 6 Windsor Eagles 4;
Walton C 9 Walton D 1;
Nomads Lions 1 Brotherhood A 9;
Walton B 4 Windsor Hawks 6;
Brotherhood B 9 Brotherhood D 1;
Windsor Condors 7 Nomads Cougars 3;
Walton D 2 Nomads Panthers 8.
Division 2
Windsor Kestrels 10 Windsor Harriers 0;
Brotherhood J 8 Brotherhood I 2;
Windsor Magpies 0 Lawford 10;
Windsor Magpies 0 Brotherhood C 10;
Windsor Owls 5 Nomads Ocelots 5;
Brotherhood F 2 Windsor Ravens 8.
Division 3
Nomads Pumas 1 Brotherhood E 9;
Windsor Penguins 7 Windsor Swallows 3;
Brotherhood H 7 Brotherhood L 3;
Windsor Ospreys 1 Nomads Lynx 9;
Brotherhood G 10 Windsor Kites 0.
To view the full tables click here
Written by Tony Oswick (December 1, 2013)