Former Colchester & Ipswich Ladies Singles champion Janet Faiers put in a captain’s performance for Gt Horkesley B in a 6-4 win at Colchester and District Division Two leaders Walton D, inflicting their first defeat of the season. Faiers beat Walton star player Paul Meikle in three straight sets and was joined by Wudong Liu playing up winning his three Matt Watson was responsible for Faiers only defeat, as he won two. The win opens the door for Faiers’ club mates Gt Horkesley C who took full advantage of Walton’s slip up winning twice, 9-1 against Tollesbury A and 8-2 at Pegasus A. Wudong Liu continued his unstoppable form, unbeaten in both as was Lloyd Bennett-Smith, with Pegasus’s Steve noble recording his first ever blank in the league that totals some sixty matches! Gt Horkesley C move up to second place, six points behind Walton D with a game in hand. Tollesbury gained some consolation in a 6-4 victory over H20 Rowhedge E that moves them off the bottom. Paul Freeman starred winning his three including a tight five set win over Peter Kirkland.

Tollgate A return to the top of Division One as they beat bottom team Walton C 10-0. Gary Young and Greg Green were joined by Sue Welham, each winning three. With the H20 Rowhedge A versus B fixture again postponed Gt Horkesley A also made ground at the top with another clean sheet, defeating Lawford A, Jimmy Farrow turning out along with Richard Goodhand and Colin Bennett, all unbeaten. Tollgate B move up to fourth beating H20 Rowhedge C 9-1 with Martin Hogg and Colin Stallwood both maximum men. In the all Walton clash the B team showed no mercy to the C team with a resounding 10-0 win, James Denyer with three wins means he can no longer play in Division Two or for the ‘C’ team. Colin Webber and Colin Dearman also were undefeated.

In Division Three second placed Lawford C failed to capitalize on their game in hand over St Peters, drawing 5-5 at home to a spirited H20 Rowhedge G. Richard Spence was pushed all the way by the lion-hearted Daryl Lott, finally downing him in five sets to secure the draw as the pair went into their final game unbeaten. Tom Lewis also won a brace for Rowhedge. Gt Horkesley D have moved into promotion contention following two 7-3 results the first a win against Dedham A and the second a defeat at the hands of H20 Rowhedge F. Phil Wolski suffered mixed fortunes going from zero to hero as he won three in his teams win. It was Nigel Claydon that sparkled for Rowhedge winning all three which included a 12-10 fifth set win over Wolski. The defiant Colin Powell went even further beating Steve Holland 16-14 in a tight fifth end. The University of Essex won their first match without the prolific Rob Bozier thanks to a Julian Capron maximum in a 6-4 win over Pegasus B for whom Paul Woolnough won two.

Pegasus E’s 9-1 over Dedham B moves them to within two points of a promotion spot, albeit having played two games more than H20 Rowhedge H. Vic Little and Derek Miller both won three. Gt Horkesley E had a 6-4 win over their ‘F’ team despite Neil Storey’s treble and drew 5-5 with Lawford D. They were indebted to Denise Thompson taking an excellent treble to keep the gap between the teams down to just one point. Jacky Leung recorded two more maximums, one in a 5-5 draw with Gt Horkesley F the other a 6-4 defeat at Dedham B for CRGS.

Division One

P W D L A F
Tollgate A 13 10 1 2 36 94
H2O Rowhedge A 11 9 0 2 24 86
Gt Horkesley A 12 8 0 4 35 85
Tollgate B 12 8 0 4 46 74
H2O Rowhedge B 9 8 1 0 20 70
Walton B 12 4 0 8 74 46
H2O Rowhedge C 13 3 0 10 92 38
Lawford A 12 1 1 10 97 23
Walton C 12 0 1 11 106 14
Walton A 0 0 0 0 0 0

Division Two

P W D L A F
Walton D 12 10 1 1 31 89
Gt Horkesley C 11 10 0 1 27 83
Pegasus A 14 6 2 6 64 76
Lawford B 12 6 3 3 56 64
H2O Rowhedge E 13 4 3 6 70 60
Clairmont A 11 5 3 3 52 58
Gt Horkesley B 10 3 3 4 52 48
H2O Rowhedge D 12 3 1 8 72 48
Tollesbury A 14 2 2 10 97 43
Walton E 13 2 2 9 89 41

Division Three

P W D L A F
St Peters A 13 10 2 1 41 89
Lawford C 13 7 4 2 51 79
H2O Rowhedge F 13 6 2 5 52 78
Gt Horkesley D 13 7 3 3 54 76
Tollesbury B 12 7 1 4 52 68
Pegasus B 11 2 3 6 57 53
University of Essex 12 4 2 6 69 51
Pegasus C 11 5 1 5 63 47
H2O Rowhedge G 13 4 1 8 84 46
Dedham A 13 0 1 12 97 33

Division Four

P W D L A F
Pegasus D 13 10 2 1 41 89
H2O Rowhedge H 12 10 2 0 34 86
Pegasus E 14 7 2 5 54 86
Gt Horkesley E 13 7 2 4 58 72
Lawford D 12 5 4 3 53 67
CRGS A 14 2 5 7 78 62
Dedham B 12 6 1 5 61 59
Lawford E 13 3 2 8 82 48
H2O Rowhedge I 14 2 3 9 94 46
Gt Horkesley F 13 1 1 11 95 35

By Martyn Green