ALBANY FLORISTS-SPONSORED SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE 

 The first week after the Christmas break is set aside for the Team Handicap Doubles event, however, there was one rearranged, eagerly anticipated Division Two encounter by the top two sides, level on points going into the match. 

Torbay Academy 3 travelled to Teign School to take on the NA Eagles, and in an excellent match came away victors 7-3.  Herbie Sage, yet to be beaten this season, won all his games for the Academy and was well supported by Dan Webster-Hall and Lenard Hernandez, while Jim McIvor picked up the Eagles’ points with 2 singles wins and a win in the doubles with Ed Crawford.

Torbay Academy 3 – Dan Webster-Hall, Herbie Sage, Lenard Hernandez, Curtis Sage           

Holders of the Dyment Doubles shield, Torbay Academy 6, started their campaign with a 5-2 win over Marldon Tykes.  Two sides struggling in the League had excellent first-round victories in the Cup: Dawlish Drifters, at the foot of the Fourth Division, defeated NA Owls 5-0; while Hasbeens, towards the bottom of the 3rd Division had a fine 5-2 win over Torbay Academy 3.

Favourites Torbay Academy 1, were pushed hard by Battlers but eventually came through their first round match 5-3.

In a marathon match played over two nights, NA Ospreys finally defeated Brixham Imports 5-2, whilst

Torbay Academy 4 overcame Marldon 5-2.

The closest match of the round saw First Division Torbay Academy 2 go out, beaten 5-4 by Fourth Division Torre Tigers, in another marathon match. The Torre side, trailing for most of the match, saw Donna Ryan & Rob Burridge take the final doubles to go through to the second round.

The one Challenge Cup Singles match played was another tight affair and saw Torbay Academy 5 progress to the second round with a victory over Brixham Imports. Harrison Grainger defeated Geoff Beavington in the fifth game of the final set to win the match 5-4.

RESULTS

Division Two

N A Eagles 3 (McIvor 2, Crawford 0, Andy Tyrrell 0, Dbls)  Torbay Academy (3) 7 (H Sage 3, Hernandez 2, Webster-Hall 2)

Dyment Doubles

N A Owls  0 v 5  Dawlish Drifters

Brixham Imports  2 v 5  N A Ospreys

Torbay Academy (3)  2 v 5  Hasbeens

Torbay Academy (6)  5 v 2  Marldon Tykes

Torbay Academy (1)  5 v 3  Battlers

Torbay Academy (2)  4 v 5  Torre Tigers

Marldon  2 v 5  Torbay Academy (4)

Challenge Cup

Brixham Imports  4 v 5  Torbay Academy (5)