DALLAM EASE RELEGATION WOES
Dallam A’s relegation woes were eased this week in Division One of the Kendal and District Table Tennis League after a narrow 6-4 victory against fellow strugglers Burton B.
This was only the Milnthorpe side’s third win of the season and things started well for them after Paul Gosling and James Neal beat Phil Goymer and Martin Wakelin in four sets. An in form George Pickering responded instantaneously for Burton, triumphing 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 and 15-13, 7-11, 12-14, 11-7, 11-6 against Jon Cooper and Gosling respectively. Despite Pickering completing his three wins and Phil Goymer defeating Cooper, Dallam arrived at the doubles 5-4 up thanks to Cooper and Gosling’s late victories against Wakelin. Dallam’s pairing tasted victory in the doubles 11-7, 11-8, 14-16, 11-6 to snatch the victory 6-4. This result leaves Dallam in seventh place, eleven points from the relegation zone.
Dalton CC A moved up into fourth position following a 10-0 whitewashing of Natland B. Andrew Hudson came closest to hauling Natland on the scoresheet, narrowly losing out 11-9 in a tense fifth set against Paul Ackred. Keith Dymond and Ryan Smith were more at ease for Dalton as they comfortably won their matches.
In Division Two, Burton D moved up to fifth in the table following a 6-4 defeat of Crook B. Bryan and Shelley Rhodes helped forge Burton’s sixth triumph of the season thanks to five victories between them. Crook’s resistance came courtesy of Bob Bagot’s wins against Shelley Rhodes and James Burton, while Jonathan Lister also beat Burton 11-5 in an exhausting fifth set classic. Despite the defeat, Crook remain fourth in the table.
A promotion place looks promising for second placed Burton C, who could only manage a 5-5 draw against Dallam B. Graeme Wheelhouse impressed for Burton, triumphing against Paul Capstick-Newell and Matt Neal, while Tony March chipped in with a brace thanks to wins against Tom Parkinson and Neal. The Milnthorpe side deservedly salvaged a draw thanks in part to Capstick-Newell’s two four set victories against Aidan Branch and March.
In Division Three, Dallam D continue to head the table with a 22-11 triumph against their E team, while Dent A are thirty-five points behind their rivals after a narrower 21-16 success also against Dallam E.
Grayrigg B are still in the hunt for a promotion place thanks to a 19-13 victory against Crook C. Hugh Symmons scooped the man of the match award thanks to his three wins for Crook, while Margaret Dixon was Grayrigg’s driving force, posting successes against Bev Abley and Paul Metsers. The triumph- Grayrigg’s sixth of the campaign- leaves them in third place, eighteen points off a promotion place, having played one game fewer than their rivals.
Meanwhile, an ever improving Natland E side are still rooted to the foot of the table despite scoring a creditable fifteen points in a 26-15 defeat at the hands of Burton E. Burton’s Srikanth Gandavaram masterminded his side’s fourth win of the season after achieving an unbeaten night of table tennis.
