WEEK 3 REPORT WINTER LEAGUE 17-18

SDTTL 2017-8 Week 3 Reports

• Premier Division
Performance of the week actually came from a late result from last week as Liam Squirrel of Thorpe Bay B showed the vast improvement he has made by beating the experienced Rawreth B campaigners of Babul McLeod, Eric Green and Mike Hayes. Not only was it three fine wins but it was central to his side's 6-3 win.

In his next match he took another scalp, this time Rayleigh Mill's Steve Sawyer a win that contributed to another 6-3 win for the Bay. Two wins for Duncan Taylor and a win for Colin Chatfield over Squirrel were all the Millers had to show for their night's work as no one could get the better of man of the match Keiran Skeggs who was in great form.

A first win for Hadleigh Forum  B in a season when wins could be as rare as hens teeth. The win v Hockley A was secured by Tony Jacks in the final end, with a very nervy, 5 set win over Dan Patynski.  For Hockley,  a fine maximum for Tim Pang and a solitary win for Matt Stringer over Anthon Ranjit Singh, which looked most unlikely when he trailed by 2 sets and 8-3 in the 3rd before recovering to win took the match in the deciding game.

Elsewhere there were big wins for the big 3 as Hullbridge A, Thorpe Bay A and Rawreth A beat Stanford le Hope, Warehouse A and Hadleigh Forum A 8-1, 8-1 and 9-0 respectively.

In the final match of the week there was a great performance for Chris Jacob of Brand Identity A as he won all 3 games against Rawreth B leading his team to a 5-4 win over a Rawreth B of Mike Hayes, Babul McLeod and Bruce Kettle. Mcleod and Kettle picking two wins a piece against Simon Jacob and Barrie Delf.
Duncan Taylor DRS

• Division 1 
• There was a clash between two early pacesetters this week with 3rd place Canvey A taking on leaders Lentern B and it was the islanders who came out on top 7-2 to take over the early lead. An unbeaten night for Ray Wilson, including coming back from 2-1 down to John Lott, was backed up by 2 each for Harry Keys and Terry Giddens. John Lott scored both Lentern points in a match where Jan Fuller (playing up) and Paul Sims were unable to make any impact leaving them to drop into joint 2nd.
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• Despite losing their first game, Hullbridge E retained the 2nd spot a point behind the leaders. The experienced Hullbridge C came away with a 5-4 win, with Andy Seaman and POTM, Sid Dorn scoring two each for the Hullbridge C team. Matt Rolfe added the winning game for Hullbridge C. In a topsy-turvy match, with no less than 5 games going to 5 sets, Hullbridge C took an early 3-1 lead before, the E team pegged them back to lead 4-3 and looked to be in a winning position before the C team won the last two games to take the victory. Reece Harris-Griffiths played well to win two games, with Dan Zeffie and Adam Jackman adding one each.
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• In another local derby, Hockley B & C met to decide bragging rights, with a decisive 9-0 win for the C team, showing the strength in depth for the club. David Chenery, Alex Barnetson and Dan Patynski all were unbeaten, with no game going more than 4 sets. The unlucky team on the end of the strong performance were James Spencer (playing up), Keith Abbott and Harry Sawford who were unable to make any impression and leaving Hockley B rooted to the foot of the table looking for their first win. Hockley C moved up into 4th position, 3 points off the lead but with a game in hand and look as though they may be in the mix at the end of the season.
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• Brand Identity B had a good 7-2 win over a two man team from Lentern C. David Jacob, Sean McNabb and Mike Grout were all able to get the better of Peter Pond, but only Mike (POTM) was able to overcome Mark Jupe who scored the two consolation points for Lentern. This pushes Brand into 5th place but with a game in hand over those above them, whilst the Lentern team drop into the bottom 3.
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• Hadleigh Forum C picked up where they left off last week with an impressive 6-3 win over a strong Rawreth C team. Russell Bright was unbeaten for the Forum team and ably supported by Charles Yeung with two wins, Mark Everard picking up the final point. In a return to the Southend scene, Garry Hartgrove scored two points for Rawreth with Colin Clements adding the final point, John Blackman not troubling the scorer’s this week.
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• Invicta A picked up a welcome first win in a close tussle with Customs A, 5-4, leaving relegated Customs without a win this year yet and falling to second from bottom in the league. Invicta did not have it all their own way however, with a return to form for Roy Thomas who took all 3 of his games and the POTM award although Michael Piper did take him to 5, losing 11-9 in the fifth. Steve Marr and Mike Piper scored two each for the Invicta team with Neil Daines scoring over Dave Morgan for the final point. An off-form Dale Gutteridge was only able to pick up the one point for Customs, although it was 4-4 coming into the final game of the night.
• Barrie Delf DRS

• Division 2

A Canvey C 6 – 3 away victory at Stanford Le Hope B has put them at the top of the table. Andrew Murray was again their Player of the Match, winning all his three. Gordon Johnstone, playing up from Division 3, won two and Steve Robinson one. Daniel Harris was the pick of the home side, taking two wins, with Mark Farley adding the other one.

Hockley D chalked up their first win of the season in a closely fought game against Rawreth D. Sam Thomson continued his perfect start to the season winning all three. There was a good performance too, from the visitors’ young Keanan Ford,overcoming veteran Neal Klyman. However, two wins each for the home side’s Paul Strutt and Jim Nariel plus one from Neal, saw Hockley over the winning line. Jim clinched a 5 – 4 home win with a five-set nail biter against Keanan 11/8 in the fifth.

Another team sealing a tight first win of the season was Invicta B away to Rawreth E’s youngsters. Despite a Matt Barber Player of the Match hat trick for the home side, two wins each for Invicta’s Andy Humphris and David Barnes with a single contribution from Mike Keeble edged it 5 – 4 for Invicta. Rawreth’s George Davis got their other win.

After a great start to their season last week, Canvey B were brought down to earth with a bump when they entertained the team to beat, RESSC. On fire Ron Coutts again recorded a maximum, well supported by Bob Skews (with two) and Sarah Mapes (with one win). RESSC came away comfortable 6 – 3 winners.  Tony Westwell got two for the home side, and Gavin Warner and Des Duffield one each.

A Chudi Ukpaka maximum inspired Basildon Hospital to a 6 – 3 home win against Wakering. Dean Baker pitched in with two wins and Albert Harrison added another. For the visitors, Nigel Cook won two and Stewart Mills one.

Although it’s early days, at present there are only five players in the division who can boast a 100% unbeaten record. They are Rawreth D’s Sam Thomson, RESSC’s Ron Coutts, Hullbridge F’s Harrison Sadler, Wakering’s Adam Deadman and Canvey B’s Lee McGonagle. We will watch with interest to see who manages to maintain their enviable record over the coming weeks.

David  Barnes DRS

• Division 3
• Some key results were missing at the time of going to press but at the moment Stanford Le Hope C sit proudly at the top of the table after recording their third successive 6-3 win, this time against Brand Identity C. Aaron Chandler was man of the match with his hat trick supported by a brace from Peter Handscombe and a single, but vital, point from Tony Papasifakis. It was close early on with Stanford just staying ahead thanks to two closely fought five set wins by Peter against David Humphries and Aaron against Richard Riebold. That left the score at 4-3 to Stanford and Tony’s win against Andy Roff gave them the match winning point. Richard got a brace for Brand Identity and Andy Roff one.

• No doubt about the closest match of the week which was between Customs B and Invicta C with Mark Rose clinching a 5-4 win for the Taxmen in the last game of the evening against John Golding. Earlier three games had gone to five sets and they won all three. Man of the match Amar Al Soufi was involved in two of them coming from 2-1 down against John to win 11-8 in the fifth, and then fighting off a strong comeback from Keith Baxter from 2-0 down to win 11-9 in the fifth. Mark Rose was the other five set winner just edging out Jon Gould. Amar was backed up by a brace from Mark whilst Keith also got two for Invicta plus one each for John and Jon.

• The ever improving Gary Linzell fought a lone battle for Hockley E against Hullbridge G winning all three as Hullbridge won 6-3. Sue Reece, Bob Shingleton-Smith and Ann Lane all recorded braces for Hullbridge whilst Kevin Blythe and Jason Stringer found the going too tough for Hockley.

• The youngsters of Hullbridge I started well against Rawreth F, who included experienced veterans Jan Thorpe and Ken Field in their side, and actually led at the halfway stage 3-2 after a great five set victory for Josh Jones against Jan, coming back from 2-1 down. After that they went into freefall losing the next four matches in succession. Young Josh again made a fight of it in the last match of the evening against Ken, storming into a two set lead before losing the next three 11-5, 11-4, 11-5. There’s obviously life in the old dog yet as Ken took the man of the match honours winning all three plus two for Jan and one win for Bradley Nunn. Josh finished with a brace  for Hullbridge plus one for Ben Hoskins.

• On paper Warehouse C have one of the strongest squads in the Division and this was shown in the match against Hullbridge H as three wins for Dave Walton, and two each for Simon Lisner and Jonathan Allen gave them a 7-2 win. Tony Molisso grabbed both points for Hullbridge but there was no joy for Lewis Richie, who held a two set lead against Simon, but lost 11-5 in the fifth,  or David Booroff, who held a 2-0 lead against Jonathan but also lost 11-8 in the fifth. Longest match of the night was another five set marathon this time between Jonathan and Tony which was won by Tony 4-11, 16-14, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9.

• Player of the Week   Amar Al- Soufi
• Team of the Week    Customs B

• Paul Strutt DRS

 

Author: via Southend Table Tennis League
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