Division 1
Lions B held onto their 3 point lead at the top of the 1st Division after a crushing 9-1 win over the side at the foot of the table, Lions C. Joshua Butler romped through straight game wins over Paul Hainsworth, Andre De Carteret and reserve Matt Stubbington. Olly Langlois also came through in straight games over De Carteret and Stubbington, however he was extended to the full 5 game distance by Hainsworth, coming through 11-5 in the decider. The duo combined well to dispatch Hainsworth and De Carteret in a straight game doubles win. Junior Ryan Bichard continues to pick up fine wins during his debut season in the top flight and he earned respectable 5 set wins over Stubbington and De Carteret. This was ever more impressive as he trailed 2-1 to De Carteret and 2-0 to Stubbington before fighting back to victory. He was unable to go through the evening with an unblemished record though, Hainsworth winning in 4 and preventing the whitewash.
Lions A continue to chase and earned a hard fought 6-4 win over Whistlers A this week. Phil Ogier and Ben Foss led the way with singles wins over Mark Pipet and reserve Ryan Gilson. Jez Powell added a win over Gilson in addition to teaming with Ogier for a pivotal doubles win. That win in question came against the strong pairing of Garry Dodd and Pipet, who had seen off the challenge of Butler and Langlois last week. Ogier and Powell trailed 2-1, but did well to battle through, 13-11 in the small margin of victory in the decider. Dodd retained his 100% singles record with wins over all Lions players, Ogier the only player to take an end during the 4 set encounter. Pipet contributed with a 4 game win over Powell.
Whistlers C leapfrogged their B side after a tight 6-4 win in an encounter littered with reserves. Joshua and Lawrence Stacey contributed to 4 of the required 6 wins as each beat reserves Ian Fitchet and Joseph Bourgaize. It was the C side’s reserve Derek Webb that starred as he also crucially beat Fitchet and Bourgaize. Alice Loveridge did everything that she could in the encounter due to her 3 singles wins and doubles triumph. Included in her singles wins was a 5 set victory over Joshua, despite her having faced a 2-0 deficit. Her doubles win alongside Bourgaize against the Stacey twins was a notable success.
Division 2
Lions F and Lions D are still yet to drop a point after each recording their 8th successive wins of the season.
The F side were on the back of two consecutive 10-0 results, but only managed to record an 8-2 victory over Whistlers G this week. It was junior Dan Collenette who took the plaudits this week with singles wins over Matthew Casey, Albert Unden and Miles Bishop-White. Fellow junior Luke Bichard added wins over Casey and Bishop-White, but he was surprisingly beaten in 4 by Unden. Jamie Ferbrache added wins over Unden and Bishop-White, but was defeated in straight games by Casey. Bichard and Ferbrache combined to comfortably dispatch Unden and Bishop-White in a straight game doubles win.
Lions D were emphatic 10-0 winners over their H side this week. Martin Sarre, Andy Gill and Ian Le Page all recorded singles wins over Dave Finn, Ken Tucknott and Rob Vile. Sarre and Gill also teamed to win the doubles clash over Vile and Tucknott in straight games.
Division 4
The top of the table clash ended in a 7-3 win for Lions I over St Pauls B. Andy Ferbrache held onto his 100% record with singles wins over Brian Le Cras, John Wills and Brandon Ferbrache. Sue Ferbrache defeated Wills and Le Cras, but her 100% record was ended by junior Ferbrache, who put in an exceptional performance to win in 5. Andy and Sue teamed to win the doubles over their St Pauls opposition in 4 games. Reserve Rose Powell added an excellent 5 game win over Le Cras, however she was beaten in straight games by Wills and Ferbrache.
The defeat for the St Pauls side has seen them slip into 3rd spot as Lions J earned a comprehensive 9-1 win over Ravenscroft Panthers C this week. The team of Mike Brehaut, Lynn Finn and Bolette Hjorth were comfortable during their matches against Mark Windsor, Nick Windsor and Billy Ogier. Ogier impressed during his 5 set win over Brehaut, having trailed 2-1.
Division 5
Lions L and Whistlers O remain locked at the top, with the Lions side on top due to a superior games ratio.
The leaders were strongly tested this week during a narrow 6-4 win over Whistlers M. Graham Mallett spearheaded the win with singles triumphs over Darren Sarre, Josh Lewis and Nathan Pinchemain. Derek Cave and Janine Mallett added wins over Pinchemain and it was the teaming of Mallett and Cave that combined to win the crucial doubles encounter over the team of Sarre and Pinchemain in 4 games.
Whistlers O were also severely tested this week and also edged their encounter 6-4 with their K side the one to narrowly miss out. Young Ellis Tomlin is having a good season thus far and he defeated Callum Gilson, Ben Sharp and Caden Brouard. Shane Cotter added wins over Brouard and Sharp, but he was defeated in 5 by Gilson. As in the other Division 5 fixture, the doubles encounter turned out to be essential in ensuring that a win was obtained for the title contenders. Tomlin and Cotter held their nerve and won the doubles match over Gilson and Sharp in straight games.
