Lee Harvey worked his magic for Brotherhood D this week in Division Two of the Clacton & District League with a top-class hat-trick in his side’s 6-4 victory against Windsor Owls.

Harvey’s treble included excellent wins over the previously unbeaten Frank Burbidge and the much-improved Adam Jackson. But it was Lee’s son, Morgan, who contributed the vital match-winning point, beating Sue Watson in the final encounter of the evening. Burbidge and Jackson each won two for Windsor, both enjoying good wins over the durable Paul Alden.

Relegated last season, Brotherhood D are aiming to make a swift return to the top flight and are one of four teams emerging as promotion contenders alongside Lawford, Brotherhood C and Nomads Ocelots.

Current leaders Lawford chalked up a third consecutive 10-0 win, this time against Brotherhood E. Richard Spence, Paul Hewitt and Ian Sherwood were all unbeaten, with only two of matches going to a fourth set.

But the Lawford trio found Brotherhood I tougher proposition, only Spence remaining unscathed as they edged a narrow 6-4 victory. There were a couple each for Brotherhood’s Tom Wilkin and Kelvin Olano who both played well to take the scalp of Paul Hewitt. The two closest matches saw Wilkin beat Sherwood 11-5 in the decider and Olano defeat Hewitt 11-8 in the fifth.

Brotherhood I also gave a Windsor Harriers a good workout but, once again, they ended up on the wrong end of a 6-4 scoreline. Olano and Mark Beckham each won two for Brotherhood but the Harriers crucially took the doubles, Ferdy Rodriguez and Isabel Barton beating Olano and Jonathan Found by an interesting 3-2 scoreline (4-11, 11-0, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7).

Brotherhood C are looking ominous and they moved into third place with wins over Windsor Magpies and Nomads Tigers.

Despite fielding a guest player, they were 6-4 winners against the Magpies, Lawrence Torr taking his three. Torr’s colleague Fred Gallone was denied his own hat-trick by Windsor’s Dave Sweetland, who won their individual match 11-8 in the decider.

The Brotherhood team were at full strength when they defeated lowly Nomads Tigers 8-2, Gary Stallwood unbeaten. Torr and Kevin Pryor each won two but neither was able to get the better of Nomads’ John Marshall whose 11-6 in the fifth win against Pryor was the tightest tie of the evening.

Nomads Ocelots were 6-4 winners against Brotherhood H but Brotherhood’s Grant Sharpe showed he’s getting back to his best form with an undefeated treble. James Smith-Daye took the fourth Brotherhood point with an unexpected win over Harry Hawkes.

But the closest match of the week, and possibly of the season so far, was the Brotherhood F v Nomads Jaguars encounter – despite the score ending 9-1 to Brotherhood. Six of the matches went the distance with Brotherhood taking five of them.

Barry Allen was the best player on the night, none of his three wins requiring a fifth set. Sandie Isaac also won three but it was 3-2 (9-11, 12-10, 12-10, 10-12, 11-5) against Kevin Hume and 3-2 (11-8, 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 12-10) against Caroline North. Brotherhood’s Lee Allen defeated Hume 11-6 in the fifth and Caroline North 11-9 in the fifth but narrowly went down to Andrew North who enjoyed Nomads’ only success with a five-set (7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 9-11, 13-11) victory.

Windsor Buzzards faced their toughest test so far in Division Three

and although they came out on top 7-3 against Nomads Leopards the match left three players – Windsor’s Ray Chillingworth and Pete Bloomfield, and Nomads’ John Bonner – with dents in their previously unblemished records.

The most surprising result saw Leopards’ junior Harry Beezer end Pete Bloomfield’s 100 per cent record, but Bloomfield then inflicted a first defeat of the season on John Bonner – who did the same to Chillingworth. The tightest match of the evening saw Bonner defeat Dan Malinowski 3-2 (10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-6), a win that denied Malinowski his hat-trick.

The Buzzards and Nomads Lynx, who were without a match this week, are proving the class sides of the division but Nomads Pumas are aiming to be the best of the rest and they moved up to third place with a 9-1 victory over club-mates Nomads Bobcats. Alan Dockerill and Andrew Cousins, on his first appearance of the season, stayed unbeaten.

Mike Monschau took three, Jackie Bunce two and Zoe Strange a debut League win as Windsor Penguins defeated Windsor Swallows 7-3. Iris Howlett won a couple for the losers.

Debra Found and the fast-improving Woody Fitzpatrick both took trebles as Windsor Ospreys defeated Nomads Wildcats 8-2, although Found was made to fight all the way by Paul Dale, edging it 12-10 in the fifth. Windsor’s Millie Easton confirmed her promise with a win over Hazel Blanche.

Walton D enjoyed a good scrap against Windsor Kites and ran out 7-3 winners. Rivhu Khan was undefeated whilst Lynette Sparks and Toni Hayhoe-Khan won two each. Sparks was involved in two close matches, beating Carl Hubbard 11-9 in the fifth but narrowly losing 3-2 (10-12, 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-13) to Chris Simson.

In Division One Annabelle Rodriguez produced her best display of the season with a fine hat-trick in Windsor Condors’ 7-3 win against Walton B. Her treble included an 11-9 in the decider win against Paul Newbould and an even better 11-5 in the fifth victory over Gavin Price. In another five-setter, Windsor’s Paul Woolnough defeated Newbould 3-2 (10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6).

Nomads Panthers fielded an unfamiliar line-up against Brotherhood B but were still good enough to win 9-1. James Denyer and Charlie Bates, making his Clacton League debut, were unbeaten, whilst reserve Brian Parish chipped in with two surprise victories. Martin Edwards picked up the consolation Brotherhood point.

Walton A had to field a guest and thus conceded three points against Windsor Kestrels but otherwise it was plain sailing for the Championship challengers, winning 7-3.

It was also 7-3 for Brotherhood A against Windsor Hawks, Alan Burgess and Greg Green unbeaten. Andy Vincent, Felipe Rodriguez and Ian Fielder each won a point for the losers, Fielder just making it with a 12-10 in the decider victory over Elliot Attrill.

* The Handicapped Singles Tournament takes place on Saturday 29th November at the Coastal Academy Sports Hall with play starting at 9.30am. Entries can be made by post or email to Tony Oswick but entries will be limited to 40. The closing date is Monday November 24. Full details are with Team Secretaries and are also on the League’s website. Any queries contact Tony Oswick (Tel: 01255 429869).

* The Windsor Club’s Quiz Evening is being held on Saturday December 6 at 7.30pm at St James’ Hall. For more information ring Jenny Higgins on 01255 432397 or 07790 240566. Full details are also on the League’s website.

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RESULTS

Windsor Condors 7 Walton B 3
Windsor Hawks 3 Brotherhood A 7
Nomads Panthers 9 Brotherhood B 1
Walton A 7 Windsor Kestrels 3

Division 2
Brotherhood F 9 Nomads Jaguars 1
Brotherhood C 6 Windsor Magpies 4
Brotherhood H 4 Nomads Ocelots 6
Brotherhood D 6 Windsor Owls 4
Lawford 6 Brotherhood I 4
Lawford 10 Brotherhood E 0
Windsor Harriers 6 Brotherhood I 4
Nomads Tigers 2 Brotherhood C 8
Nomads Jaguars 0 Brotherhood D 10

Division 3
Windsor Buzzards 7 Nomads Leopards 3
Windsor Swallows 3 Windsor Penguins 7
Nomads Bobcats 1 Nomads Pumas 9
Windsor Kites 3 Walton D 7
Nomads Wildcats 2 Windsor Ospreys 8

Tony Oswick
November 17, 2014