SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE

With a break from the League for most teams, the Challenge Cup took the limelight.  The Cup competition is a team handicap event and with several of the top teams not competing, and with severe handicaps on the better sides, there is a real opportunity for the lower division sides.

The youngsters from Torbay Academy 6 started their Cup run with a convincing 5-1 victory at Dawlish over the Aces.  Marldon Tykes defeated Dawlish Diamonds 5-0. There was also a strong performance from Brixham Imports who saw off Torre Tigers 5-1.  Torre Bats held off a fine challenge by the youngsters of NA Kites: although losing 1-5, the Kites made the Torre side battle for every set.  The Battlers came away from Bishopsteignton with a 5-2 win over Hasbeens.

The two ties of the round were close encounters which went to the wire between two Newton Abbot sides Hawks v Owls and another Newton Abbot side, the Buzzards at Torbay Academy 4.  Both matches went to the last singles, Mike Halse defeated his nephew Mark Halse in a 5-setter to win the tie for N A Hawks, despite the Owls’ Ross Embury gaining a maximum, while Ed Crawford completed a maximum by defeating Ben Hoare to win it for N A Buzzards against Torbay Academy 4.

  Ross Embury with a maximum for N A Owls

Denbury Imports climbed back to the top of the First Division with a 6-4 win over Brixham Sharks,  with Naomi Jackson unbeaten for the Imports. Last year’s champions Torbay Academy 1 defeated Brixham Gulls 7-3. Grzeg Wojtowicz gained a maximum for the Academy, previously undefeated Patrik Cincala lost his 100% average at the hands of Chris Dunn.

  Chris Dunn inflicted first defeat of the season on Patrik Cincala

Disappointingly, all 3 games in the Third Division were played with players missing. Torre Bats lost twice, with only 2 players in both encounters against Dawlish Diamonds and against Brixham Diamonds, who themselves could only muster 2 players. Hasbeens managed a win over bottom side Dawlish Drifters, despite only having two players.

Two close encounters in the Fourth Division involving Brixham Swifts saw Torbay Academy 5, helped by a Craig Collins maximum, share the points with the Swifts. Torre Tigers narrowly defeated the Swifts 6-4 despite a fine maximum from the Swifts’ Tom Andrews.

Results

Challenge Cup 1^st Round

Marldon Tykes  5 v 0 Dawlish Diamonds

Torbay Academy (6) 5 v 1 Dawlish Aces

N A Hawks 5 v 4 N A Owls

Brixham Imports 5 v 1 Torre Tigers

Hasbeens  2 v 5 Battlers

Torbay Academy (4)  4 v 5 N A Buzzards

Torre Bats 5 v 1 N A Kites

Div 1

Denbury Imports 6 (Jackson 3, Cheung 1, Harries 1, Dbls)  Brixham Sharks 4 (Millman 2, Shipway 2 Johns 0)

Torbay Academy (1) 7 (Wojtowicz 3, Cincala 2, Furgol 1 Dbls) Brixham Gulls 3 (Dunn 2, Mercer 1, Smith 0)

Div 3

Hasbeens 6 (Smallshaw 3, Wickens 3, Forfeit 0) Dawlish Drifters 4 (Curl 0, Copley 0, Bussell 0, Awarded 3, Dbls)

Torre Bats 3 (Nguyen 1, Excell 0, Awarded 2)  Brixham Diamonds 6 (Williams 2, Meah 1, Awarded 2, Dbls)

Torre Bats 4 (Nguyen 3, Excell 1, Forfeit 0)  Dawlish Diamonds 6 (Freeman 1, Beck 1, Beesley 0, Awarded 3, Dbls)

Div 4

Brixham Swifts 4 ( T Andrews 3, Hilton 1, K Andrews 0)  Torre Tigers 6 (Neafcy 2, Burridge 2, Ryan 1, Dbls)

Torbay Academy (5) 5 (Collins 3, Sharp 1, Wooster 0, Dbls)  Brixham Swifts 5 (Hilton 2, T Andrews 2, K Andrews 1)

Division One

Division Two

Division Three

Division Four