'Copy Shop edge ahead of Ramsey F in Div3 table tennis'   

Week 8 of the Fun88 sponsored Isle of Man Table Tennis Association League fixture list took place last week. There were a few match cards yet to be updated at the time of going to press, but these will be updated in due course.     

Division 1

Ramsey A (7) Travellers B (2)   

Ramsey A: Chris Holland (3); Chris Holmes (2); Wael Kassim (2) 

Travellers B: John Shooter (2); Malc Lewis (0); William Shooter (0)

Chris Holland led the way for Ramsey with 3 wins, but he didn't have it easy. Malc Lewis had a 2 set lead having blasted his way ahead 11-6 and 11-9, only for Holland to claw his way back 11-9, 11-7 and 11-6. John Shooter gave Holland an equally stiff challenge but eventually lost in 5 ends in a topsy turvy match. Elsewhere for the home side, Chris Holmes notched 2 points with wins over William Shooter in 3 sets and Lewis in 4, with the final one going to Holmes 12-10. Holmes could not match Shooter senior and lost in straight sets. Wael Kassim (pictured) continued his excellent form this season having stepped up to play for the Ramsey A team in this fixture. He beat Shooter junior in 3 ends and Lewis in 4 ends, with the final end going to 11-9. 7 points enables Ramsey to stay in touch with league leaders Travellers A but having played one more fixture. 

Arbory (2) Travellers A (7)    

Arbory: Khayee Vinas (0); Jason Quirk (1); Mike Tamarov (1)

Travellers A: Scott Lewis (3); Liam Chan (3); Malcolm Cummings (1)

This fixture had the makings of a classic encounter between league leaders Travellers, and third placed Arbory. It went mostly Traveller's way with Lewis leading the charge, taking his customary 3 points. No mercy for Vinas, Quirk and Tamarov, swiping them all to one side in straight sets. His team mate Liam Chan is also unbeaten this season and he added 3 points. He had to work a little harder however with Vinas taking the first game 11-7, only to lose the next 3. Some close games were seen in Chan's match with Jason Quirk in what was an interesting clash of playing styles. Quirk got close - but not close enough with Chan taking the final tense game 12-10. 

Ramsey B (6) v Ramsey C (2) 

Ramsey B: Tim Baker (3); Glenn Callow (3) 

Ramsey C: Adrian Slater (1); Lisa Lord (1) 

Both teams were short of a player for this tie unfortunately, but it made for a quick night. Tim Baker and Glenn Callow took advantage and both swept aside Adrian Slater and step up player Lisa Lord, in straight sets. The 6 points takes Ramsey B back up one notch to 6th place, but leaves the C team floundering second from bottom unfortunately. 

Copy Shop A v Desmonds Douglas A and Strathallan v Tower A were previously re-scheduled and will now be played on 22nd December. 

Division 2

Tower B (10) Tower C (0)

Tower B: Graham McFarlane (3); Simon Radcliffe (3); Dario Mazzotta (3) 

Tower C: Mike Chapman (0); Barry Jenkins (0); Margaret Forsyth (0)

Despite Tower C's valiant efforts, this looked like a fairly routine win for the Tower B team, with most matches won in straight sets. Barry Jenkins fought hard against stalwart Graham McFarlane and took the 3rd set 11-9 but lost 11-8 in the 4th end. Jenkins also had a close fight with Dario Mazzotta but eventually lost out 11-9 in the 4th end. This win places Tower B firmly in the driving seat in Division 2. 

Peel B (4) Peel A (6) 

Peel B: Stuart Perry (1); Nathan Evans (2); Maggie Mulhern (1)

Peel A: Stuart Mason (3); Ken Hegarty (2); Ronan Thompson (0)

Stuart Perry and Stuart Mason had an enticing tussle with the first game going to Perry 16-14. However, Mason managed to claw his way back after getting the measure of his opponent, and took the next 3 games 11-8, 11-4 and 11-8, and the point. Ken Hegarty then added to that with a tremendous victory over the unfortunate Perry - this match went all the way to 5 sets. Perry redeemed himself however with a good 3 set win over an off-colour Ronan Thompson. Stuart Mason added another win in 5 sets against Nathan Evans in what looked to be another close match. Mason was then subjected to yet another tricky match with Maggie Mulhern, who pushed him all the way only to run out of steam in the 5th set. An excellent 3 points then for Mason on the night. Ken Hegarty also had a good win against Mulhern but he managed it in 4 ends. The doubles went all the way to the 5th set with Mason and Hegarty ending up as victors taking the last 2 games 15-13 and 11-8. 

Division 3 

Copy Shop E (9) Ramsey E (1)

Copy Shop E: Ege Niyazi (3); Daniel Levine (2); Mike Levine (3)

Ramsey E: Lisa Lord (0); Martyn Howard (1)  

Ramsey E were without one of their players for this tie unfortunately so immediately forfeited 3 points. Ege Niyazi was his usual efficient self and earned 3 points beating Martyn Howard and Lisa Lord. Howard did well to retrieve a point from Dan Levine to make it 9-1 (result to be corroborated at time of going to press). The doubles went to Copy Shop with Corbyn Scade teaming up with Daniel Levine, and beating Howard and Lord in 3 sets.   

Ramsey F (10)  Copy Shop D (0)

Ramsey F: Matthew Bell (3); Ryan Holland (3); Tom Tsitsos (3)

Copy Shop D: Darren Shaw (0); Pat Halliwell (0); Jake Saulnier (0)

Matthew, Ryan and Tom are flying high at the moment and it's only the equally amazing form shown by Copy Shop E that has kept them off the top position in Division 3. Matches were mostly won in straight sets although Tom Tsitsos had a notably tight second set againts Darren Shaw with Tom pulling through 11-9 in the 4th end. 

Peel D (2) Peel C (8)

Peel D: Liam Bibby (1); James Devereau (0); Ali Ramirez (1)

Peel C: Amit Lannin (3); Vlad Lannin (2); Bob Borland (2)

Amit Lannin had another successful night for Peel D, dismantling the opposition of Liam Bibby and James Deveral in 3 sets, and Ali Ramirez in 4. Brother Vlad did similar but had a little more trouble against James Deverau but eventually pulled through in 5 close games. He had less success against Ali however with Ramirez winning in the 5th by 12-10 - an excellent win for him. Bob Borland also had a very good night with 2 solid wins over James Deverau in 4 ends, and Ali in 4 ends - 13-11 in the 4th. LIam Biby had an excellent win over Borland in 5 ends. The doubles went to Amit and Vlad in 3 straight sets against James and Ali. Peel C remain in 3rd place, just in touch with the top 2 teams in Division 3. 

Picture 1 narrative: Ramsey player Wael Kassim continues to impress this season