Walton E and Nomads Lions shared the spoils in the first drawn match this season in Division One of the Clacton & District League. No-one stayed unbeaten but every player picked up at least one point in a hard-fought match between six evenly-matched combatants.
Gary Stallwood and Paul Woolnough won two each for Walton, and Mark Ratcliffe one, Woolnough edging past Jason Lloyd 11-9 in the fifth and Ethan Lloyd 14-12 in the fifth. Ethan Lloyd took a couple for the Lions, including a win in five over Stallwood, and Jason Lloyd and Daryl Lott picked up one each, Lott enjoying a fine win over Woolnough, 11-9 in the decider.
Elsewhere, Paul Hume of Nomads Panthers made his first appearance of the season and it proved a comfortable start, together with Gill Locke and Greg Green the Panthers breezing past Brotherhood B 10-0.
Walton A also enjoyed a big win, 9-1 over club-mates Walton B. Daniel Young and Gavin Price stayed unbeaten, with Kevin James taking two. Paul Meikle’s excellent victory over James prevented the whitewash.
A weakened Windsor Eagles were still too good for Walton C, winning 6-4. Mel Rampton took his three, with John Hobson, another player making a first appearance of the season, and reserve Dave Sweetland taking one each. John Marshall and Graham Buxton took a pair apiece for Walton, Marshall enjoying close 3-2 wins – 9-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7 against Sweetland and 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 14-16, 12-10 against Hobson.
In Division Two, leaders Lawford were 6-4 victors over Nomads Bobcats, Paul Hewitt winning all his matches in three-straight. Charlie Denholm won a couple, as did David North for the Bobcats who, in the process, denied Denholm his maximum by taking their individual match 11-6 in the fifth. However, the crucial encounter was the doubles, Denholm and Ian Sherwood taking it 11-8 in the decider against North and Caroline Page.
In the all-Brotherhood encounter, the ‘D’ team were 8-2 victors over the ‘E’ team 8-2. Grant Sharpe stayed unbeaten, whilst Barry Allen and Martin Scarfe took two each. Kevin Pryor picked up both points for the losers.
Brotherhood C beat Windsor Magpies 8-2, Russell Hillier continuing his good form with a maximum which included a fight-back 3-2 (1-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8) win against Dave Martin. Tricia Salter and Mark Salter won two each for Brotherhood, as did Martin for the Magpies.
Three from John Harvey, two from Andy Cawley and an 11-9 in the decider doubles win for Cawley and Ray Chillingworth against Debra Found and Bob Sawyer gave Windsor Buzzards a narrow 6-4 victory over Windsor Kestrels. Sawyer won two for the Kestrels, and Found and Kayley Rodriguez one each. In the crunch match of the evening, Harvey beat Sawyer 3-2 (11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9).
In Division Three, Nomads Jaguars extended their lead at the top by winning 10-0 against Nomads Pumas, the side previously placed second. Mike Vilka, Harry Hawkes and Kevin Hume took hat-tricks, with the doubles being the only match extended to a fifth set, Hawkes and Hume defeating Alan Dockerill and John Bowers 11-8 in the decider.
Trebles for Jackie Bunce, Alan Charman and Paul Dale gave Windsor Penguins all 10 points against Nomads Ocelots. The closest matches of the encounter saw Bunce defeat Hazel Blanche 11-8 in the fifth and Dale defeat Barbara Rhodes 3-2 (11-6, 14-16, 16-18, 11-6, 11-4).
Walton D beat a two-player Windsor Robins 10-0 but the Robins fought hard and might easily have squeezed a point. Maggie Earle edged past Oleksandra Klymenko 11-7 in the decider, with Tony Sharman and Lynette Sparks taking the doubles 11-8 in the decider against Klymenko and Mick Coker.
The closest match in the Division was Nomads Lynx 6-4 success against a Windsor Merlins’ side fielding a guest player. Dominic Joannou of the Lynx was the only unbeaten player on the night whilst Norman Jacobs had a tight 11-8 in the fifth win against Janet Cowie. For the Merlins, Barbara Rogers won two whilst Cowie had a nail-biting 3-2 (5-11, 3-11, 11-3, 14-12, 14-12) victory against James Horsler. Rogers and Cowie shared a doubles success against Jacobs and Horsler.
RESULTS
Division 1
Windsor Eagles 6 Walton C 4
Nomads Panthers 10 Brotherhood B 0
Walton E 5 Nomads Lions 5
Walton A 9 Walton B 1
Division 2
Windsor Magpies 2 Brotherhood C 8
Lawford 6 Nomads Bobcats 4
Brotherhood E 2 Brotherhood D 8
Windsor Buzzards 6 Windsor Kestrels 4
Division 3
Walton D 10 Windsor Robins 0
Nomads Ocelots 0 Windsor Penguins 10
Nomads Pumas 0 Nomads Jaguars 10
Windsor Merlins 4 Nomads Lynx 6