Holwell Sports maintained top position in Division One of the Leicester & District League when they defeated Electricity II 7-3 using two players from their second team from division three, although they are no slouches at this level.
Dave Roche and Martin Brunning both won two but star of the show again was Mark Green who continued in his unbeaten vein having now won nine from nine. Adam Pettitt did well to win two and combined with Harry White for the doubles to give the Sparks a consolation point.
Knighton Park’s first team don’t look as though they will be challenging at the top this year with star man, Chris Rogers, sidelined with tennis elbow. Son, Jack Rogers, won three for the Park against Unicorn II, Reza Kiani one and it is giving the club the opportunity of blooding rising star, Brajesh Patel.
For Unicorn, Luke Greenfield and Craig Witheford both took a couple and John Genovese one as well as the all-important doubles for full points.
This Unicorn second string have suddenly sprung to life having two matches in the week including scoring a brilliant 8-2 victory over high flyers, Electricity firsts. This time Greenfield and Witheford each emerged undefeated while Joe Kirkup scored one. For the Sparks David Grundy and Andy LeButt won one apiece.
Meantime Unicorn first team, defending champions, are a bit behind with fixtures with theirs against bottom team, Abbots Road, not yet recorded. The students should win to bring their tally to four wins from four matches.
Closest result was a 5-5 draw between Syston Casuals and Knighton Park II with Syston’s Lucky Obi recording a first class maximum, almost my player of the week, with Jason Woodfield a supporting two. For KP Richard Hayes won two, George McClurkin and James Berry one each, Hayes and McClurkin a very important doubles. It is good seeing most of the doubles being played this season.
Division Three is now running along nice after a faltering start with Holwell Sports II top, but only just after drawing 5-5 with Unicorn III. Mike James won three with his normal team mates playing in the first division, Ray Lambert coming in to take one and the doubles together. Joshua Powell and Tony Geanta each won two for Unicorn, Guan Mei Zhang one.
Knighton Park V are second after beating Electricity IV 7-3 when Steve Bessant continued current good form with another maxi, Simon Aldis a supporting two and Robert Geary One. Chris Woodward scored two for the Sparks.
Third are Regent Sports II who squeezed home 6-4 against Abbots Road III. Three for John Bowness, Richard Anderson two and these two the doubles with Bhulesh Rathod two for Abbots.
Scott Morris is another coming close to player of the week with a maximum for Syston Casuals III against Fleckney in a 6-4 defeat. Jason Prescott and Robert Palmer both won two for Fleckney while Rob Bateman, playing up from five, won an important one.
I am slipping one in from Division Four here for my Player of the Week mention. This is Abbots Road IV’s Ketan Patel who is graded 112 and won three in a 5-5 draw with support from Dave Rana claiming two. Desford Village III were the opponents and all three are graded well above Patel: John Henshaw (147), Luke Blair (142) and Alan Oxbrough (122), making it a very fine performance.
Desford Village first team are determined to make Division Two their own, overcoming Syston Casuals II by 10-0 with Tony Smith, Neil Matthams and Jessica Birbeck in continued fine form. Obviously relegation from the first division did not sit well.
Some very close results in this division including a 5-5 draw when Electricity III entertained Knighton Park IV with the Sparks having Russ Pettitt in sparkling form. He won three and Bryan Moylan, playing up from three, taking one. Pettitt combined with Preetpal Sangha to take the doubles 14-12 in the fifth. For KP Rod Pickering and Zia Malik each won two.
Regent Sports defeated Great Glen 6-4 mainly thanks to a great maximum by Martin Bolton, while Kevin Parker won three for Desford Village II against Winstanley Wizards, but in vain as the Wizards won 6-4 with the deeper team strength of Dan Andrews and Himansu Mishra two each, Mick Box one.