With just 2 weeks remaining the Doric Insurance sponsored senior league campaigns for the 2023-24 season, all but one Division are all to play for in the title races.
The first title was however claimed this week in the second Division.
Defending champions Lions A had no match this week and it enabled their closest title rivals, Whistlers A to move level on points.
The Whistlers side have however crucially played a match more than the league leaders, but they did excellently to secure a 7-3 win over Whistlers B this week, despite missing Matthew Casey. Captain Joshua Stacey was key towards this result as he was unbeaten throughout the fixture. He beat twin Lawrence in 4 sets and both Mark Pipet and Shelby Timms in straight sets. He also combined with Joseph Bourgaize to beat Lawrence and Timms in 4 sets in the doubles match. Bourgaize himself got his side over the line due to a 4 set win over Timms and a straight sets win over Pipet. 2nd Division reserve Oskar Cleal also had a super night which saw him earn an excellent straight sets win over Pipet to extend the margin of victory. For the beaten Whistlers side, Lawrence beat Bourgaize in 4 sets and Cleal in straight sets, whilst Timms added a straight sets win over Cleal.
The only other top flight match of the week was a battle between the sides at the bottom of the table and this was edged 6-4 by Lions D over Lions E. Ryan Bichard continued his impressive season with an evening of unbeaten singles action. He beat Paul Hainsworth, Andy Gill and Connor Powell without dropping a set. Sam Clark contributed well with a 4 set win over Gill and a straight sets win over Powell, whilst Steve Ozanne crucially won the final match of the night against Powell in 4 sets to secure the points. For the beaten side, Hainsworth beat Clark in 4 sets and Ozanne in straight sets, whilst Gill fought back from 2-1 down to squeeze the final 2 ends 12-10 against Ozanne. The doubles was the other match to go the way of the beaten side in 5 sets, as Hainsworth and Gill fought back from 2-1 down to overcome Bichard and Clark.
Whistlers E are the first crowned champions of the season as their 7-3 victory over Ravenscroft Panthers A this week gives them an unassailable lead of 6 points ahead of Lions F.
Their victory over the Panthers side saw Craig Dunning once more unbeaten. The averages leader has lost just 2 singles matches this season and can clinch the averages with just 1 more win from his remaining 6. In this fixture he was pushed to 4 sets by both Ben Foote and Peter Vivian, but he dispatched Brandon Ferbrache in straight sets. Tim Le Page defeated Foote in 5 sets and Vivian in 4 sets, whilst Oskar Cleal's straight sets win over Vivian sealed the victory. The doubles was won by Dunning and Cleal over Foote and Vivian in straight sets. Ferbrache had a good night for the defeated side as he overcame Le Page and Cleal in 4 sets, whilst Foote also earned himself a nice 4 set win over Cleal in the final game of the night.
The Lions F side also officially clinched the runners-up spot as they are 5 points clear of the chasing Whistlers D side, in third. They were in ruthless form this week as they crushed 6th placed side St Paul A 10-0. Ellis Tomlin, Caden Brouard and James Crocker all beat Terry Trustum, Maurice James and Trevor Bourgaize in singles action. The doubles was won by Tomlin and Brouard over Trustum and Bourgaize in straight sets.
Ravenscroft Panthers C and Lions J continue to win and the title is likely to go down to their clash in the final match of the season in a few weeks time.
The Panthers side are top by a single point and they were 7-3 winners over Lions I this week. Barnaby Groves, Shaun Mosley and Steve Martin all defeated Ollie Sparks and reserve Alexis Aquino in singles action, whilst Groves and Mosley battled back from 2-0 down in the doubles match to edge past Steve Potter and Sparks 12-10 in the final set. Averages leader Potter held firm on the night in singles action and beat Groves in 5 sets, Mosley in straight sets and Martin in straight sets.
Lions J on the other hand extended their advantage in the games ratio element, which is unlikely to make any difference on the bearing of the league, following a heavy 9-1 win over Ravenscroft Panthers D. Aiden Ozanne and father Andy each beat Vikki Stacey, Richard Wellfair and reserve Jamie Regan in singles action. Luke Evans beat Wellfair and Regan and also teamed with Aiden to beat Stacey and Wellfair in straight sets in the doubles match. The walkover was prevented when Stacey edged past Evans 12-10 in the deciding set of their game, which was the penultimate match of the night.
Similar to the 3rd, the crucial top of the table clash, likely to decide the title, is still to take place. In the 4th this is however due to take place next week.
Lions O lead the way from Ravenscroft Panthers F by 1 point and they were lucky to edge past Lions N 6-4 this week. Lionel Jones and reserve Derek Cave were key in the fixture as each won all of their singles matches over Val Guilbert, Rolands Tracums and reserve Marion Carre. The closest of these matches saw Jones battle back from 2-1 down to edge Guilbert. All of the N side's players defeated Katy Collenette in singles action, although for Tracums this only came in 5 sets. The doubles was won by Guilbert and Tracums over Jones and Collenette in straight sets.
