Week 12 Match Report

MATCH REPORT 3 DECEMBER 2014

TRAVELLERS B ARE NOW 23 POINTS CLEAR IN DIVISION TWO

In the First Division of the DLP Adapted Bathrooms sponsored Isle of Man Table Tennis League Colin Barron broke his duck and helped Zurich Spinners to record their second win of the season and move clear of the relegation zone.

The top two teams both won but Copy Shop A edged a point further ahead of ABC Arborists. Travellers B won 9-1 against second-placed Peel A and are now 23 points clear of Copy Shop B in Division Two. In another top of the table clash Surestrike Ramsey C lost 4-6 to Victory Roll Saints who are now just three points behind them in Division Three.

DIVISION ONE

Zurich Spinners (8) Foxdale A (1)

After ten weeks of trying Colin Barron was delighted to open his account for bottom placed Spinners with a well deserved 5/11, 11/8, 11/7, 9/11, 11/9 maiden point in Division One. His opponent, Ken Mitchell, from six-placed Foxdale, also lost narrowly to Tommy Cowin and Nigel Beattie who then both beat Andy McLarney. The score jumped to 8-0 as Foxdale were once again a player short. McLarney avoided the white-wash by beating Barron but it was not enough to stop the Spinners leap frog above them and get free of the relegation zone by five clear points.     

 

Copy Shop A (8) Tower A (1)

Tower’s Dave Parsons got stuck on seven points until the last set against Jane Kneale. Apparently he won that 11/7 so the match result was 11/7, 11/7, 7/11, 7/11, 11/7. Whilst the recorded score may be dubious it did add up to the only point for fourth-placed Tower. Paul Kozlowski was pipped at the post 12/10 by Ewan Watterson in their fifth frame and Mike Bayley got to the fourth set on a couple of occasions. However, Kneale, Watterson and Sean Drewry increased Copy Shop’s winning streak to eleven games and they now enjoy a seven point lead over second-placed ABC Arborists.

ABC Arborists (7) Strathallan A (2)  

Seventeen points now separate the Arborists from third-placed Strathy who started well when Andrew Horne used his pimples out rubber to bamboozle pen-holder Liam Chan. Mike Tamarov and John Magnall both beat Andy Patterson to make it 2-1 to the Arborists but Julian Briercliffe levelled the score by taking Tamarov11/8 in the last leg. Then Magnall mugged Horne 12/10 in their fifth set. After that it was not quite as easy as ABC but the Arborists accumulated the remaining points.

DIVISION TWO

Travellers B (9) Peel A (1)

Top placed Travellers were playing second-placed Peel but only Mal Lewis was able to prevent a complete capitulation. He beat Gary Shilling 11/8, 6/11, 11/7, 11/4. Lewis, Matt Evans and Maggie Mulhern had no luck against Colin Brown or Paul Nelson and Shilling didn’t drop a set in his other matches. Travellers are now 23 points clear of Copy Shop B who take over second-spot from Peel A.

Surestrike Ramsey B (5) Copy Shop B (5)

Tim Baker remained unbeaten for sixth-placed Surestrike Ramsey B who recorded their sixth draw of the season when Carl Blatcher edged out Vishal Patel and then joined Baker to win the doubles in five close sets. Patel, Adam Davies and Rob Sim all beat Surestrike’s substitute Jack Yardley who had earlier won all his games for their D team in Division Three. Davies and Sim delivered the draw for Copy Shop B by out-smashing Blatcher.

Tower C (2) Surestrike Ramsey A (8)

Both Mike Chapman and Margaret Forsyth took a point off young Frank Feeney who was playing up for Surestrike. Mind you, it was close run thing for Forsyth who scraped through 8/11, 11/7, 8/11, 11/5, 12/10. However, Feeney bounced back to beat Heather Kennett in straight sets. Rhys Yardley and Wael Kassim added the doubles to their hat-tricks and in so doing they helped move Surestrike up to joint third-place with Peel A.

Copy Shop C (8) Travellers D (2)

Juan Moore Jnr prevented Pedro Cardoso and Max Walker from gaining their hat-tricks for eighth-placed Copy Shop C. Alex Buck came back from two sets down but lost to Walker 8/11 in their last leg. Similarly, David Buck went down 11/13 to Walker. Copy Shop’s coach Malcolm Lambert sat out of the doubles leaving Cardoso and Walker to battle their way to a 11/3, 12/10, 10/12, 15/17, 11/6 marathon win over Moore and Buck Jnr.  

Peel B (4) Travellers C (6)

Maurice Campbell motored in with a well-timed hat-trick for fifth-placed Travellers. Jackie Gill and Alan Harding added a point apiece by beating Nathan Evans. Harry Walters and Sasha Thomas hit back for ninth-placed Peel by both bagging a brace, although it took a last gasp effort from young Thomas to beat Gill, sixty years his senior and recovering from a hip operation, 5/11, 11/9, 11/9, 13/15, 15/13. The Travellers got their own back on the youngsters from Peel by hanging on to take the doubles 11/8 in the final frame and so win the match.

DIVISION THREE

Surestrike Ramsey C (4) Victory Roll Saints (6)

Both teams were unbeaten before this match but the school teachers from St Ninian’s closed the gap between them and top-placed Surestrike C to just three points thanks mainly to a Matt Harvey hat-trick. Matty Kelly and Rob Campbell both beat Surestrike’s Kerenza Baker to ensure at least a draw. Harvey brought home the bacon for the Victory Roll Saints by disappointing Frank Feeney who did well to beat Campbell in straight sets. Young Billy Cain top spun his way to victory over Campbell and Kelly and then he and Baker combined to harvest the doubles 5/11, 11/8, 11/5, 12/10.  

Copy Shop D (7) Surestrike Ramsey D (3)

Third-placed Copy Shop D called up Pat Halliwell from the E team. Together with Kyle Dodd and Zac Walker they all beat Alex and Dylan Yardley in the singles and the doubles. Former cricketer Jack Yardley was suffering from a sore arm but he showed his grand-children how it should be done by earning a hat-trick for Surestrike. However, Walker made him sweat, their marathon match ended 11/6, 11/9, 4/11, 14/16, 13/11.

Junior Development (0) Surestrike Ramsey E (10)

Tiernan Garvey came closest to converting a point for JD. He lost 7/11 and then 9/11 in the last leg of his matches with Tyler Hannay and Fin Hill respectively. Jack Gilbert also got to the final frame against Hill and it looked like he won 11/5 according the card, but it must have been 5/11 as the point was awarded to Hill. By contrast Jack Craik didn’t lose a set all night so Gilbert, Garvey and Leo Doyle were hard pushed to make any headway against fifth-placed Surestrike.

Peel C (4) Breakaway B (6)

There were more anomalies on this score card but it looks like Breakaway’s Steve Walker won all his matches and Jack Christian converted two more. Breakaway then took the doubles to win the match. Peel’s Corin Haddock, Tom Noble and Mason Prince gained three points as Breakaway failed to field a third player and Prince earned Peel’s final point by beating Christian 10/12, 6/11, 11/5, 11/4, 12/10.

MALCOLM LAMBERT

Author: via Isle Of Man Table Tennis Association
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