Week 9 Reports
Premier Division
Division 1
Hockley B and Lentern A are joint top even though both teams slipped up and lost their matches this week, but are matching results point-for-point, the only difference is that Lentern have a game in hand.
Hockley B travelled to Hadleigh Forum B and lost a close match 5-4. Despite a fine, hard-hitting maximum from Alex Barnetson, Hadleigh Forum just maintained their unbeaten record in a close affair against Hockley 'B' who will surely be in the promotion mix come the end of the season. David Colwill won the other point for the away side. It was a good, all round team performance from Forum, with all of their players contributing on the night. There were some fine matches, the best of which saw Mick Tappenden recover from the loss of the first 2 sets to finally get the better of David Colwill at 13/11 in the decider. This moves Hadleigh up into 3rd place, again with a game in hand over Hockley B.
Meanwhile Lentern A travelled to Hullbridge D and ended up losing with the same 5-4 result. This time it was Charles Yeung who did the damage taking all 3 games, ably backed up by Mike Johnston with 2 points. Dawn Baldry was unable to add to the Hullbridge score. For Lentern, Rasmus Stockholm was the most consistent player taking two games, with Peter Cranmer and Pat White taking one each, which leaves Hullbridge in 5th place.
Invicta A kept up their run of good results with a 6-3 win over Customs A, keeping them in 4th place in the table. Once again, Steve Marr, Mike Piper and Tony Ayliffe all scored two points each but none of them were able to get the better of Roy Thomas who took all of his side’s points, Tony taking him closest losing 12-10 in the 5th set. The comment from the Customs team was “Long night, plenty of deuce games, plenty of tight legs and Dave Morgan coming from 2-8 down in the 5th to hold match point at 10-9 and then lose to Steve Marr!!!” (it was Dave who put in the result).
Canvey A kept themselves in the hunt with a fine 8-1 win over bottom club Rawreth D, who are finding points hard to come by. Terry Giddens and Ray Wilson put in top performances for Canvey to take 3 points each with Peter Cray taking two. Sam Thompson scored the consolation point for Rawreth but already it is looking quite bad, dropping off the other teams.
Hullbridge E picked themselves up this week with a good 5-4 win over Lentern B. Ben Matthews and James Goddard each scored two points with Harrison Sadler adding the final winning point. Gus Heath proved unplayable to everyone and with a maximum but only Sue Body could add an extra point with Dave Kirston pointless, leaving both teams mid-table.
Brand Identity B had a good 5-4 win over Rawreth C, pushing them up the table and inflicting the 6th loss in a row for the Rawreth team, who are heading the wrong way down the table. In a match where no-one was unbeaten, Gary Hartgrove and Trevor Ward scored two each for Rawreth with Mick Grout and David Jacob doing the same for Brand. It was left for Sean McNabb to score the extra point for Brand to take the victory.
Finally, in an important bottom of the table clash, Hockley C came up victorious against RESSC, taking a close match 5-4. Dave Chenery and Harry Sawford took two each with Paul Strutt taking the final point for a good all round team performance. Kevin Smart was unstoppable for RESSC with a maximum and Bob Skews took the final point. This result helps pull both teams away from Rawreth D at the bottom but still leaves them battling to avoid the final relegation spot.
Barrie Delf
Division 2
A splendid hat trick from Warehouse C’s Saurabh Mohal was not enough to save his side from defeat in their visit to Stanford Le Hope B. Two wins each from the home side’s Brian Spencer, John Handscombe and Adrian Armstrong led them to a 6 – 3 victory.
Top of the table Hadleigh Forum C go marching on with an impressive 8 – 1 away win at Wakering. Paul Fawell and Mark Everard again recorded maximums, whilst Wakering’s Zac England overcame Satwant Gill to get the home side’s only victory.
In a tight match between two sides in the top half, Hockley D narrowly overcame Invicta B 5 – 4, thanks to a maximum from POM David Cross. Brian Bissenden and Roger Sherman contributed one win apiece for Hockley’s win, whilst Andy Humphris was again Invicta’s best player.
Rob Wood and George Davis recorded maximums in Rawreth G’s comfortable 7 – 2 home win over Hullbridge F. Alice Cole added their other success, whilst Joe Buscombe and Ben Hoskins shared Hullbridge’s points.
An all-round team performance from Canvey B gave them some welcome points in a 6 – 3 home success over Runnymede. Tony Westwell was assisted by two players playing up from their C team - Steve Robinson and Joanna Hills. All three recorded two wins each. Anne Addlington put in a captain’s performance for the visitors, winning two, and Barbara Shead contributed one.
Steve and Joanna had, earlier in the week, had some success for their own Canvey C side. They both won two matches in a handsome 7 – 2 away win at Rawreth F. However, Stuart Curham was their side’s star player, winning all three. Keanan Ford and Noah Unstead shared the home side’s points.
Brand Identity C were the fortunate recipients of all nine points for their home fixture against Rawreth E. The visitors were unable to field a team.
Division 3
Customs B became the fourth team this season to top the division after victory last week and remain top this week. but only after suffering defeat at the hands of Invicta C who ran out 6-3 winners and move up to second place as a result, four points behind.
Jon Gould was the man in form for Invicta chalking up a rare hat trick with Chris Gregory, two wins, and Trish Winter, one win, getting the remaining points. Richard Kidd and Dean Johnson both got a point each for the Taxmen whilst Alex Clark got the other with a notable five set win against Chris, coming back from 2-1 down to win 11-9 in the decider.
Hard on the heels of Invicta are Stanford D and Hullbridge G both with 38 points and just one behind. Whilst Hullbridge were without a game Stanford brushed aside Hockley E 7-2 with Dan Harris taking the MOTM honours with a hat trick and Vaughan Chambers and Mark Farley weighing in with two apiece. Roger Sherman and Ron Rogerson got the points for Hockley.
The two youngest teams in the league, Rawreth H and Hullbridge H, fought out some close matches before Hullbridge eventually emerged winners 6-3. Josh Jones and Joey Page both recorded hat tricks whilst the Rawreth team of Jodie Robertson, Cho Chak Man and Charlie Kauders-Boothby all got a point each. Three games went to five sets with Hullbridge winning two of them. Josh Jones was 2-0 down to Charlie before coming back to win and then edged Jodie in a very tight match 11-9 in the fifth. Earlier Jodie had herself comeback from 2-0 down to beat Ben Cannon.
Two surprise results saw Warehouse D beat Stanford C 5-4 and Hockley F win 6-3 away at Canvey D.
The Warehousemen couldn’t beat Peter Handscombe who took the MOTM honours but Mike W. Webb and Steve Chaffey both won two and Larry Lisner one whilst Mandy Till got the other point for Stanford. Mandy’s win came in a tight five set match with Larry coming back from 2-1 down to win 11/7 6/11 11/9 11/13 11/13.
Hockley’s win came thanks to another MOTM performance from Paul ‘Tubby’ Henlen who, playing up from Hockley G, maintained his 100% record for the season. Hockley actually led 5-0 at one stage before Canvey rallied with Geoff Banthorpe, two wins, and Ray Baker, one win, getting their points. Hermann Maier got a brace for Hockley with Graham Gregory winning one.
Player of the Week – Jon Gould
Team of the Week – Warehouse D
Report from Paul Strut
