ALBANY FLORISTS-SPONSORED SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE

Although this week was set aside for the cup competitions, several important League matches were also played.

At the top of the First Division, Torbay Academy 1 found themselves behind for the second week running, this time against their closest challengers, NA Batmen.  Dennis Gibbs’ victory over Grzeg Wojtowicz put the Batmen 5-3 up but with unbeaten Kris Piwowar playing in the last two sets victory was still a long way off. Batmen’s Kelvin Cheung at 9-9 in the fifth pushed Piwowar all the way, but an excellent last couple of points from the Polish star took the set. He then combined with Dan Barnett to defeat the Gibbs combo in the final doubles and secure the draw.  The other First Division match was a very one-sided affair, as NA Buzzards whitewashed Brixham Gulls.  Buzzard’s leader, Sonja Ryland, was back to her best picking up her first maximum of the season alongside Kevin Nicholls and Jon Cheung, as the Buzzards dropped just 2 games in their 10-0 win.

Brixham Gulls: Chris Dunn, Mick Mercer & Mark Smith; NA Buzzards: Sonja Ryland, Kevin Nicholls, Jon Cheung

NA Buzzards’ Kevin Nicholls v Brixham Gulls’ Mick Mercer

Taverners pushed Division 2 leaders Torbay Academy 3 close, just going down 6-4, as Daniel Webster-Hall took another maximum for the Academy.

The top of the table clash in the 3^rd Division had similarities to that at the top of the First.  Newton Abbot side the Hawks had a 5-2 lead over their Academy 3 rivals, but they also let it slip, thanks to a great recovery from Ben Hoare who was down and virtually out against the experienced Mike Coxhead.  The final 3 sets all went to the Academy in the fifth game. Doug Morgan secured a fine maximum for the Hawks including the scalp of previously unbeaten youngster Jakub Piwowar.  The Hawks still have a 4 point lead at the top of the table.

Torbay Academy 5’s whitewash victory over clubmates Academy 6 takes them level on points at the top of the 4^th Division with Torre Tigers.  Craig Collins, Anne-Marie Gibbs and Harrison Grainger were far too strong for their inexperienced opponents.

There were some tight games in the Challenge Handicap Cup.  The holders, Torbay Academy 2, squeezed past NA Ospreys 5-3, thanks to a fine maximum from Szymon Furgol.  In an all-Torre battle, an inspired Andrew Connor led Torres R Us to a narrow 5-4 victory over club mates the Tigers.  Another close encounter took place at Dawlish, where 2^nd Division NA Eagles just prevailed over 4^th Division strugglers Dawlish Drifters, with Jim McIvor unbeaten for the Eagles. A Helen Glover maximum saw her side, Marldon, defeat Denbury Tykes 5-3.  NA Falcons, having a poor time near the bottom of Division Three, had a fine 5-1 win over Torbay Academy 5 who currently sit at the top of the 4^th Division.

NA Ospreys’ Rob Ferguson v Academy 2’s Szymon Furgol

Torbay Academy’s Sam Perkins v NA Ospreys’ Jeremy Beck

In the Dyment Doubles shield, Torbay Academy 4 defeated NA Hawks 5-2.

Division  One

N A Buzzards 10 (Ryland 3, J Cheung 3, Nicholls 3, Dbls)  Brixham Gulls 0 (Mercer 0, Dunn 0, Smith 0)

Torbay Academy (1) 5 (Piwowar 3, Barnett 1, Wojtowicz 0, Dbls)   N A Batmen 5 (D Gibbs 2, K Cheung 2, S Gibbs 1)

Division Two

Battlers v Brixham Imports

Taverners 4 (Harrop 2, Read 1, Dilkes 0, Dbls)  Torbay Academy (3) 6 (Webster-Hall 3, Hernandez 2, C Sage 1)

Division Three

Torbay Academy (4) 5 (Piwowar 2, Cooper 1, Hoare 1, Dbls)  N A Hawks 5 (Morgan 3, Swettenham 2, Coxhead 0)

Division Four

Torbay Academy (6) 0 (Sniegocki 0, Cramond 0, Valentini 0)  Torbay Academy (5) 10 (Grainger 3, Gibbs 3, Collins 3, Dbls)

Challenge Cup

N A Ospreys  3 v 5  Torbay Academy (2)

N A Falcons   5 v 1  Torbay Academy (5)

Dawlish Drifters  4 v 5  N A Eagles

Torre Tigers 4 v 5 Torres R Us

Marldon  5 v 3  Denbury Tykes

Marldon Tykes 2 v 5 Brixham Pirates

Dyment Doubles

N A Hawks 2 v 5 Torbay Academy (4)

DIVISION ONE

DIVISION TWO

DIVISION THREE

DIVISION FOUR