Nomads Pumas hold the distinction of being the longest-serving team in Division Three of the Clacton and District League but, after seventeen continuous seasons, this could be the year that sees them move up the local table tennis ladder.
The Pumas made it seven wins out of seven with a 7-3 victory over Windsor Penguins, a result that puts them thirteen points clear at the top of the table.
Eric Lemke, who joined the team this season, remained unbeaten but it was a close-run 12-14, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9, 12-10 against Penguins’ super-veteran Ron Dacey.
Lionel Goddard, now in his tenth year with the Pumas and his sixth as captain, won a couple and John Bowers – a Pumas’ player for fifteen of the last seventeen seasons – took one.
Dacey won two for the Penguins with another super-veteran, Harry Barlow, taking their third point with a 12-14, 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5 victory over Bowers.
Nomads Ocelots got back to winning ways and moved up to second place with a 9-1 victory against Nomads Cougars. Both Mike Wellum and Scott Campbell stayed unbeaten. Dave Wright took two but lost to Gill Knight who picked up the Cougars’ consolation point.
Walton D are in third position following their 9-1 victory against a Windsor Ospreys’ side forced to field a guest player. The most competitive match of the fixture was between two of the League’s improving women players, Lynette Sparks edging out Debra Found 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 12-10.
There was a treble for Andrew Cawley as Nomads Wildcats defeated Windsor Kites 7-3. There was a couple for Hazel Blanche in her first appearance of the season and a debut two League wins for Jordan Webb. Chris Simson won two for the Kites and shared a 3-11, 11-6, 11-7, 13-11 doubles victory with Jack Haylett against Cawley and Webb.
Brotherhood G and Windsor Swallows were involved in only the second drawn match of the season in the Division. Brotherhood’s Paul Metcalf excelled to take his three singles, Graham Healey took one and the two players shared a doubles success. Kayley Lamb and Sue Chillingworth won a pair apiece for the Swallows, and Kayleigh Stratford one.
In the all-Nomads’ encounter, it was 9-1 for the Leopards against the Lynx. Ethan Lloyd and Jason Lloyd recorded hat-tricks and Norman Jacobs, another player making a first appearance of the season, won two. Liam Harris picked up the Lynx point with a hard-fought 10-12, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 win over Jacobs.
In Division One Windsor Hawks moved up to the heady heights of second place following their 7-3 win over Walton B. No-one stayed undefeated with Felipe Rodriguez, Andy Vincent and Ian Fielder all winning two for the Hawks. Gavin Price took a couple for Walton but lost out in five to Vincent. However, Paul Woolnough recorded a surprise 1-11, 14-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8 victory over Vincent but was denied a second point, going down 12-10 in the fifth to Fielder.
A full-strength Walton C defeated a weakened Windsor Condors 9-1. Derek Willis and Gary Young were unbeaten for Walton although Willis was pushed all the way before scraping past Martin Hogg 11-6, 11-9, 11-13, 11-13, 11-9. Hogg notched up the Condors’ consolation point with an 11-4, 11-8, 20-18 win over Paul Meikle.
Brotherhood C’s big guns, Kevin Gowlett and Alan Burgess, took hat-tricks in the 7-3 success against Nomads Lions. Their Brotherhood team-mate, Fred Gallone, was unfortunate not to get to get on the score-sheet, going down 11-6 in the decider to both Brian Parish and John Hockley.
Three for Bob Sawyer, and a couple apiece for Graham Bunce and Dave Martin, saw Windsor Kestrels home 8-2 against bottom-side Brotherhood D. Sawyer was involved in the closest match of the evening, beating Lee Harvey 11-13, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11. Paul Alden played well to pick up Brotherhood’s two points, including a win in five over Martin.
In Division Two Windsor Owls defeated Brotherhood F 6-4 to regain their lead at the top of the table. Mark Salter and Frank Burbidge took trebles whilst there was a point each for Brotherhood’s Barry Allen, Lee Allen and Gerald Batt. The two Allens took the doubles in three straight against Burbidge and Tricia Salter whilst Batt’s 8-11, 4-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-8 win over Salter was the only match extended to a fifth set.
In-form Graham Parkes took a maximum as Brotherhood H defeated Windsor Magpies 8-2. But the result could easily have been closer, four of Brotherhood’s winning points coming from matches that went the distance. John Wrigley beat Dave Sweetland 11-4 in the fifth and Dan Wright 11-6 in the fifth, whilst James Smith-Daye defeated John Plummer 11-4 in the decider and the unfortunate Wright 11-6 in the decider.
Tom Wilkin’s excellent season continued with yet another hat-trick as Brotherhood I beat Windsor Buzzards 7-3. There was also a first treble of the season for Mark Beckham. Jonathan Found concluded the Brotherhood scoring with a tight 5-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 12-10 win over Ray Chillingworth.
Jenny Higgins picked up her first hat-trick for twelve months, both she and Isabel Barton unbeaten in Windsor Harriers’ 7-3 victory over Brotherhood E. Higgins’ 10-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 win against Duncan Dunne was the only match that went to five.
Three for Andrew North, two for Caroline North and one for Kevin Hume gave Nomads Jaguars a 6-4 success against Nomads Bobcats. Tony Beezer’s two victories for the Bobcats were both 11-9 in the decider wins against Hume and Caroline North. Vic Little picked up a welcome singles win for the Bobcats whilst Tony Beezer and Harry Beezer combined to take a fine doubles’ victory against Hume and Andrew North.
* 5th November began with a big bang for the League with the new TT365 website going live amidst a blaze of rockets and roman candles. The existing website will remain live until the vast amount of historical information can be transferred over.
Much credit and many thanks for setting up the system must go to Gavin Price who will continue to be responsible for the weekly inputting of results. However, there’s no change in the existing procedures and all result cards should still be delivered to Press and Records Secretary, Tony Oswick, as soon as possible after matches have been played.
RESULTS
Division 1
Nomads Lions 3 Brotherhood C 7;
Windsor Hawks 7 Walton B 3;
Windsor Kestrels 8 Brotherhood D 2;
Walton C 9 Windsor Condors 1.
Division 2
Windsor Buzzards 3 Brotherhood I 7;
Windsor Harriers 7 Brotherhood E 3;
Nomads Bobcats 4 Nomads Jaguars 6;
Brotherhood H 8 Windsor Magpies 2;
Brotherhood F 4 Windsor Owls 6.
Division 3
Nomads Pumas 7 Windsor Penguins 3;
Nomads Ocelots 9 Nomads Cougars 1;
Windsor Kites 3 Nomads Wildcats 7;
Windsor Ospreys 1 Walton D 9;
Brotherhood G 5 Windsor Swallows 5;
Nomads Lynx 1 Nomads Leopards 9