New signing Rod Roberts was in form for Springwell C in the second round of the Handicap Cup when his team visited Cramlington Trojans. The match swung one way and then the other with Alan Livingstone and Roberts winning the first two matches, Paul Fairlamb and Alastair Johnson squaring things up only for Springwell to again take a two set lead with victories from Mike Hope and then Roberts. Things were all square  yet again when Johnson beat Hope and Fairlamb defeated Livingstone leaving Roberts to play the decider against Alan Hedley which he duly won in straight games despite an eight point handicap.

Another match which was always in doubt was at Old England when the FATTS entertained Brandon Anacondas in which the visitor’s John Spencer was man of the match  and Alan Perry  clinched the tie. Two sets by Steve Martin and one each from Barry Matthews and Nigel Coe for the home team had given them a 4 –3 lead  with Spencer having won two and  Perry one for the visitors who then hit back to take the match 5 – 4 as Spencer completed his hat – trick and Perry beat Matthews in the decider.

Two wins each from Vince Killen and Steve Dawson together with one from Ken Greatbatch saw Saints defeat Cramlington Swifts 5 – 4 to beat  who fielded a very mixed side which included Andrew Wilkinson who was unbeaten despite giving away at least fifteen points in all of his sets and young Michael Laidlaw who normally plays in the fourth division and who did well to beat Greatbatch.

Results in other matches were as follows: NECA A 7 Ouston B 3, Ouston C 4 Cramlington Tigers 5, YMCA N.Tyneside B 3 Matfen A 6, Spartans 5 Riding Mill 3, Ouston A 5 N.Fire 2, Ravens 3 O.E.Crocks 6, Reivers 5 Cobras 3, Byker A 5 Byker B 3, Jaguars 7 Brandon B 2 and Unionist Club 3 Corinthians 6.

 

Aubrey Drapkin