League report week   9 February 2020

It would have been hard to script a better finish to the division 2 league season. Going  into the last round of matches the title was between Littleham, Holsworthy B and Paddlers. To add a little twist, Littleham and Holworthy B were meeting at Panoramic House.

In the end, Littleham and Holsworthy fought out, as you would expect, a very close battle. Dave Stone was the unbeaten architect of a 6-4 win for the home team, with Mike Bellew and Alan Pomeroy picking up a point each. Doug Genini led the charge of the Holsworthy brigade with two wins.

However, that close result, if my maths is correct, helped Paddlers,playing on the same night, run into the number one spot. They did not have it all their own way against a determined Despicables, but their 7-3 win was enough to get their hands on the trophy. Will their be an open top bus ride around Instow? Paddlers team of Sam Coutu-Oughton, Joe Percival and Dave Sweeney each contributed two wins, with Joe and Sam producing an imperious doubles victory.

All this was just enough for Paddlers to take the title by just one point from HolsworthyB, with Littleham two points behind. To emphasise how close it all was, Alan Pomeroy beat Jill Knightley 12-10 in the fifth set – had Jill taken that game Holsworthy and Paddlers would have tied! You can't get much closer.

In the other game in division 2 West Buckland beat Dolphins 6-4. Alan Briggs picking up a good three wins. The evening was also notable for a fine win by Derek Preston over Mike Ware.

In division 1, it is definitely a two horse race. Smugglers did themselves a power of good with a 10-0 humbling of Herons – Messrs Thomas, Hedge and Babulik clearly in no mood to let Bridgerule in.

Bridgerule themselves though had a nearly-as-emphatic 9-1 result at Spin Doctors. Dave Streak and Steve Cragg won three each, with Michael Sussex taking the Doctors' consolation point.

Elsewhere, Ben and Kevin Taylor helped Blazing Paddlers to a fine 7-3 win over Misfits, while the two Holsworthy sides fought out a 5-5 draw.

These results mean that Smugglers top the league on 101 points from 14 games with Bridgerule on 92 but with a game in hand. The top two meet on Friday 14 at Bridgerule. It might be St Valentine's day but there will not be a  lot of love on display!

Compiled by Steve Richardson