Brotherhood F and Windsor Buzzards this week served up a table tennis feast worthy of bake-off in Division Two of the Clacton & District League.
The Brotherhood side narrowly edged it 6-4 in an encounter where no-one stayed unbeaten but every player picked up a point. Sandie Isaac won two for the victors, including a crucial success over Pete Bloomfield, his first reverse of the season. Laurence Torr also won a couple in his first appearance after a year’s absence, whilst Lee Allen took one and narrowly failed to make it a pair, losing 11-9 in the fifth to Bloomfield.
With little to choose between the two teams, the Buzzards chalked up four excellent points. Bloomfield’s pair included a fine victory over Torr, Alan Rutledge unexpectedly got the better of Sandie Isaac 11-8 in the fifth and Ray Chillingworth recorded a fine win over Allen.
Elsewhere, Kris Stefanov got his now-customary treble for Brotherhood I but it could not prevent his side losing for the first time, Brotherhood H edging the match 6-4. Stewart Murray, Graham Parkes and Grant Sharpe all won two for the winners.
Brotherhood D, with a guest player in their side, were still too good for promoted Walton C and ran out comfortable 7-3 winners. Paul Alden and Russell Hillier stayed unbeaten. The only scare for the Brotherhood team came in the first match of the evening, Alden edging out the evergreen John Long 3-2 (13-11, 9-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9).
Nomads Tigers recorded their first win of the season at the third attempt, a 9-1 success over a weakened Nomads Jaguars.
John Marshall and John Hockley took maximum points for the Tigers although it was a nail-biting 11-9 in the fifth for Hockley against Jaguars’ reserve Mike Wellum. Kevin Hume took the Jaguars’ point with a surprise victory over Daryl Lott. Allen Denyer failed to get on the scoresheet but it was good to see him back in Clacton League action for the Jaguars.
Three for Ferdy Rodriguez, two for Isabel Barton and one for Jenny Higgins was enough to give Windsor Harriers a 7-3 win over Brotherhood E. Cris Edwards played well for the losers, winning two – which included an 11-8 in the fifth win over Higgins – and just losing 11-5 in the fifth to Rodriguez. The closest match saw Barton scrape past Rodney Betts 12-10 in the decider.
The all-Nomads clash between the Pumas and Bobcats was contested by six players who had all plied their trade in Division Three last year. It was the Bobcats’ trio who came out on top 7-3, with Jason Lloyd taking a hat-trick, Brian Friday two and Andrew Cawley one. Eric Lemke got a couple for the Pumas with Andrew Cousins, in his first appearance of the season, contributing a narrow 3-2 (11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-7) win against Cawley.
Walton D made it 19 points out of 20 in Division Three with their 9-1 success against Windsor Ospreys. Jared Chelski and Daniel Young remained unbeaten, with Robbie Strutt recording a win over Jane Young for the Ospreys’ consolation point.
It’s also looking good for Nomads Caracals who swept past Nomads Leopards 10-0. Chris Jones, Denise Thompson and Yasmin Ticquet, on her League debut, all remained unbeaten.
Windsor Kites are enjoying their best ever start to a season, this week defeating Nomads Ocelots 7-3. Chris Simson picked up his maximum whilst Mick Simson’s two included a 3-2 (9-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9) victory over Barbara Rogers. Rachel Simson also registered a point, a hard-fought 13-11 in the fifth win against the luckless Rogers. Martin Cunningham with two, and Sue Lee with one, took the Ocelots’ points.
There were hat-tricks for Iris Howlett and Paul Dale as Windsor Swallows defeated Brotherhood J 8-2. Harley Wood and Georgia Ayton took a point each for the losers.
Windsor Penguins won 10-0 against a Brotherhood G side which fielded a guest player. Zoe Strange won her two for the Penguins.
Nomads Cougars also fielded a guest and, unsurprisingly, went down 8-2 to Nomads Lynx. Liam Harris’ two for the Lynx included a win in five over Vic Little, whilst there was a point apiece for Cameron Cini and Gill Knight. Little took the losers’ two points.
In Division One, Nomads Panthers recorded a third successive win, this week 8-2 against a Brotherhood C team fielding a reserve. There was a hat-trick for Sam Hume, and two each for John Hatley and Colin Webber. The highlight of the evening was Hume’s 3-0 (11-3, 13-11, 11-4) victory over Kevin Gowlett.
Colin Stallwood made a first appearance of the season for Windsor Condors and his treble was the backbone of his side’s 6-4 success over Walton B. Derek Willis and Paul Meikle each won two for the losers although it was a close 11-5 in the fifth for Meikle against Martin Hogg and an even closer 11-7 in the decider for Willis against the same player. But the tightest match of the encounter saw Willis defeat Felipe Rodriguez 13-11 in the fifth.
John Pattrick made a welcome return to local table tennis for Windsor Eagles and he ended unbeaten as the Eagles defeated Windsor Kestrels 10-0. But the scoreline did scant justice for the losers, who lost all four matches which went the distance. Colin Beaumont went down 11-7 in the decider to Phil Smith whilst John Harvey had the misfortune to go down 11-6 in the fifth to Smith and 11-8 in the fifth to both Pattrick and Gary Cattermole.
Andy Warner made a first Clacton League appearance in the colours of Brotherhood B and, alongside John Cleasby, was undefeated in his team’s 9-1 win against a Nomads Lions’ side shorn of its now-back-at-university players. Roger Hance took the Lions’ point with a 3-0 (14-12, 11-9, 11-9) victory over Gracie Edwards.
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RESULTS
Division 1
Walton B 4 Windsor Condors 6
Nomads Panthers 8 Brotherhood C 2
Windsor Kestrels 0 Windsor Eagles 10
Brotherhood B 9 Nomads Lions 1
Division 2
Nomads Tigers 9 Nomads Jaguars 1
Brotherhood D 7 Walton C 3
Brotherhood F 6 Windsor Buzzards 4
Brotherhood H 6 Brotherhood I 4
Windsor Harriers 7 Brotherhood E 3
Nomads Pumas 3 Nomads Bobcats 7
Division 3
Nomads Caracals 10 Nomads Leopards 0
Windsor Penguins 10 Brotherhood G 0
Nomads Lynx 8 Nomads Cougars 2
Windsor Ospreys 1 Walton D 9
Nomads Ocelots 3 Windsor Kites 7
Brotherhood J 2 Windsor Swallows 8