There was a further twist in the top flight of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues this week as it saw the leaders since the 5th week of the season slip from top spot.
Whistlers C have been top since the 5th week of the season, however they find themselves on a run of bad results, which has seen them slip off the top of the table, a single point adrift of the new leaders, Lions C.
Their poor run of form has seen them pick up just 2 points from the maximum 6 in their last 3 fixtures, where they have yet to find a victory. This week saw them held to a frustrating unexpected 5-5 draw with 5th placed side Whistlers A. Lawrence Stacey was the catalyst of the result for the A side, as the player who had just 2 evenings prior picked up another Spot for Sport title went unbeaten in singles action. He overcame Alice Edwards and Dawn Morgan in 4 sets, before salvaging a draw for his side in the final match of the evening courtesy of a straight sets win against Mark Pipet. Youngster Ben Sharp continues to improve and had one of his strongest evenings of the season. His first singles match resulted in a superb 5 set win over Pipet, despite having conceded the first 2 sets. His best performance however came against Morgan where he earned an emphatic straight sets win. The A side could have come away with the victory, but fell in 2 other closely contested 5 set encounters. Morgan managed to edge past Ryan Gilson in a tough 5 set encounter, whilst the doubles rubber saw Edwards and Morgan battle back from 2-1 down to overcome Sharp and Gilson 13-11, 11-9 in the final 2 ends. Edwards and Pipet each beat Gilson in singles action, whilst Edwards added a further 4 set win over Sharp.
Lions C made no mistake and moved to the top of the table for the first time this season courtesy of a strong 8-2 win over a bottom of the table Lions D side missing Paul Hainsworth. Joshua Butler continued his strong run of form with an evening of straight set singles wins. He beat Andy Gill, Charlotte Casey and reserve Joe Ingrouille. Liam Robilliard and Matthew Stubbington each added wins over Casey and Ingrouille to seal the win, whilst Butler combined with Stubbington to beat Gill and Casey in straight sets in the doubles encounter. Gill played well during his 4 set win over Stubbington and 5 set win over Robilliard in a match where he fought back from 2-1 down.
Whistlers B are just 2 points off the lead and a single point their C side as they continued their impressive late season run. They made it 5 wins out of their last 6 matches and are now on a run of 8 matches unbeaten. Their victory this week was a tight one over 6th placed side Lions B, 6-4. Josh Stacey proved to be the deciding factor as he went unbeaten due to singles wins over Ben Foss, Jamie Ferbrache and Chloe Le Tissier for the loss of just a single end to Foss. Matthew Casey beat Ferbrache in 4 sets and Le Tissier in straight sets. Stacey combined with Joseph Bourgaize to win the crucial doubles rubber against Foss and Ferbrache in 5 sets to seal the points. Each of the Lions players got past Bourgaize in singles action, whilst Foss added a 4 set win over Casey.
Lions A are a single point further back and just 3 behind the league leaders after they edged past 7th placed side Lions E 6-4. Jez Powell was the leading player for the victors as he won all of his singles matches on the night. He did however need to do this the hard way and his opening match against Sam Clark saw him need to overturn a 2-0 deficit before winning in 5. His next match saw him trailing Ryan Bichard 2-1 and once more he battled back to win over the full distance. His final match again saw him need to battle back from a deficit as he won in 4 sets over Steve Ozanne having lost the opening end. Phil Ogier added comfortable straight sets wins over Clark and Ozanne but was beaten in straight sets by an inspired Bichard in the penultimate match of the night. The doubles rubber was won by Ogier and Powell over Bichard and Ozanne in straight sets to seal the win. All of the E side managed to earn victories over Peter Bretel.
Lions F are the closest to sealing a title across all leagues as they maintained their 6 point lead at the top and need just a single point from their final 3 matches to win the league. They did not have it all their way however as they were pushed during a 6-4 result in their favour over Lions G. Averages leader Nye Matthew continues to be near unbeatable in the Division as he won another 3 singles matches, however he did have a tough test in this match. The tough test came against Andy Ferbrache, who came out of the blocks fast and led 2-0. Matthew managed to sneak a tight 3rd end 12-10 and this proved to be the decisive point as he comfortably won the final 2 ends 11-5, 11-6. His other wins came against Ingrouille in straight sets and reserve Terry Trustum in 4 sets. Caden Brouard fought back from 2-1 down to beat Trustum in 5 sets before adding another important 5 sets win over Ingrouille. He came close to making it a hat-trick of 5 sets singles wins, but was defeated by Ferbrache over the distance. The elusive 6th rubber came for Matthew and Brouard in the doubles where they defeated Ferbrache and Ingrouille in straight sets. All of the G side's players earned singles wins over Connor Powell.
Lions I maintained their 2 point advantage at the top after they cruised past 7th placed side Whistlers F. Steve Potter and reserve Tom Ruff each defeated Matthew Board, Darren Sarre and reserve Ian Fitchet in singles action. Jenny Powell added wins over Sarre and Fitchet in 4 sets, whilst she also teamed with Potter to defeat Sarre and Board in straight sets in the doubles game. Board prevented the whitewash due to his battling 5 set victory over Powell in the matches opening game.
