The 2022/2023 season of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues continues to be one of the closest run seasons in recent memory as three Divisions remain up for grabs with just 2 fixtures remaining. The Second Division title was however concluded this week.
The fight for the honours in the top-flight continues to be very close and there are 3 sides in contention for the title, with just 2 points separating them. A huge top of the table clash takes place between the leading 2 sides next week in a fixture which will likely decide the champions.
The league leaders remain to be Lions C, who are a point ahead of Whistlers C ahead of their crunch clash next week. They made no mistakes against a 7th placed Lions E side and comfortably won 7-3. Joshua Butler, Liam Robilliard and Matthew Stubbington all defeated Steve Ozanne and Sam Clark in singles action to secure the points. This was not all plain sailing however as Robilliard needed to fight back from 2-1 down to overcome Clark in 5 sets, whilst Stubbington needed the full 5 sets against Ozanne in the final match of the night. The doubles was won by Butler and Stubbington over Ryan Bichard and Ozanne in 4 sets to extend the margin of victory. Recently crowned Jack Carrington champion Bichard continued his blistering form from 2 evenings prior with an assured evening of singles wins. He beat all of the C side's players for the loss of just a single end to Robilliard in the process.
The Whistlers C side were missing their top player Alice Edwards, but managed to avoid dropping points after squeezing past bottom placed side Lions D 6-4. Dawn Morgan and Mark Pipet each defeated Andy Gill and Charlotte Casey in singles action and they also teamed to win the crucial doubles match against Paul Hainsworth and Casey in 4 sets. The Whistlers 2nd Division reserve Craig Dunning earned the Whistlers side the narrow victory when he defeated Casey in straight sets. The returning Hainsworth bounced back from losing the opening end to Morgan by winning the next 9 sets and thus ending the evening with a trio of singles wins, whilst Gill battled back from losing the opener to emphatically beat Dunning in 4 sets.
The battle between 3rd and 4th resulted in the second most in-form side of the Division ending as victors. Whistlers B are just a single point behind their C side and 2 off the leading Lions side after they beat Lions A 7-3. Their form has been strong since December and only behind that of the league leaders as they are unbeaten in 9 matches and have won 6 of them. This victory was key as it kept them in the title hunt and ended Lions A's chances in the process. Joshua Stacey was the key factor in the victory as he experienced an unbeaten evening. This kicked off with a very important 5 set win over Phil Ogier in a match which he had trailed 2-0 in. He followed up with a 4 set win over Jez Powell and a straight sets win over reserve Connor Powell. He also combined with Matthew Casey to win the doubles against the strong combination of Ogier and Powell in 4 sets. Casey himself also had an excellent evening as it saw him earn his first ever victory over Ogier as he edged through the 4th end 13-11 following a fightback from Ogier. He also dispatched Connor in straight sets, but he was unable to go the evening unbeaten as he lost in 5 sets to Jez. Joseph Bourgaize added a further victory for the Whistlers side when he beat Connor in straight sets.
Division 2
The first Divisional title of the season has been claimed with 2 weeks to spare as the dominant Lions F side hold an almighty 6 point lead after a heavy victory over a weakened St Pauls A side this week. The champions have been almost untouchable all season and have tasted just 1 defeat and been held to 1 draw across the 19 fixtures. Nye Matthew in particular has been utterly impressive as he has lost just 1 singles match of the 57 contested, whilst Caden Brouard has also been strong and has won 49 of the 57 played. Connor Powell has also chipped in with some very important victories along the way and continues to improve.
The victory over the St Pauls side was 9-1 as the Lions players earned victories over Maurice James, Trevor Bourgaize and reserve Derek Carter. The doubles was won by Brouard and Powell against James and Bourgaize in 5 sets. Powell had needed the full 5 sets to get past Bourgaize in singles action and he was the player to taste defeat in this fixture as James fought back from 2-0 down in the penultimate game of the match to win in 5 sets and prevent the whitewash.
The top of the table clash ended as a 5-5 draw between Lions I and Ravenscroft Panthers C in a result which will likely suit the league leading Lions side, who maintain their 2 point advantage at the top with just 2 matches left to play. The fixture saw a clash between the leading 2 players in the averages, GTTA development officer Becks O'Keefe and Steve Potter. Potter started well and led 2-1, however O'Keefe powered through the remaining games to emerge victorious in 5. She also won her other matches against Jenny Powell and Thomas Ruff. Juliette Yeaman added a 4 set win over Powell and junior reserve Albie Lihou also impressed with a straight sets win over Powell, however the Panthers side could not find the elusive 6th rubber on the night. Yeaman came closest during her match against Ruff, however the Lions man won in 4 sets.
League leaders Lions O had a ghost week this time out and had their lead at the top cut to just a single point following a narrow victory for their closest rivals Lions L. They have however played 1 match less than their nearest rivals and can thus clinch the title next week if they beat 9th placed side Bribar 2.
