STRATHY SHOCK COPY SHOP

There were shocks in the Isle of Man Table Tennis League this week with Division One leaders Copy Shop A losing to mid-table Strathallan while Division Three table-toppers Peel C were beaten by third placed Travellers D.  The only divisional leaders to win their match were Travellers B in Division Two but they were far from comfortable in scraping a narrow 6-4 victory over Copy Shop B.

DIVISION ONE

Stratallan 6, Copy Shop A 4

Strathallan have claimed a few big scalps this year and this was another.  Ronan McDonnell won three for the defending champions but one from Ewan Watterson was all they could add to it.  Andrew Horne and Andy Patterson each won two for Strathy with Julian Briercliffe contributing a fifth.  Strathallan then won the doubles to claim victory.  Two important results saw Julian beating Jane Kneale 11/9 in the fifth and Horne edging out Watterson 13/11 in the decider.

Tower A 0, Breakaway A 10

Mark Johnson, Paul Corran and Malcolm Cummings quickly wrapped up all the points for Breakaway against Tower with no match requiring a decider. Tim Baker came closest to winning as he took the first set against Cummings but down 11/8, 5/11, 11/13, 9/11. Neither Dave Parsons nor Paul Kozlowski could get beyond three frames. Despite Copy Shop's defeat Breakaway are probably too far behind to mount a late title challenge but could still take the runners-up spot from Arbory who are 16 behind them but have a game in hand.

Foxdale A 9, Foxdale B 1

There were no shocks in this local derby with Ken Mitchell putting the B team's only point on the board with a fine 11/9, 14/12, 4/11, 11/6 win over Mike Bayley. David Lovelady and Will Bayley were taken to a fourth set by Mitchell who was batting on his own for the B team so couldn’t contest the doubles.

DIVISION TWO

Copy Shop B 4, Travellers B 6

Travellers now have a nine points lead at the top over Zurich Spinners who weren't playing.  Keeran Chan almost inspired Copy Shop to victory, winning all his three singles including a notable straight sets victory over Colin Brown.  Travellers' reserve Dave Stevenson was again in good form taking two victories and helping his team win the doubles as well.  Captain Stu Douglas won a further point by beating Pedro Cardoso but lost out to Chan and then Malcolm Lambert who came back from two sets down to for Copy Shop's other point.

Tower B 6, Peel A 4

These two mid table teams change places after Tower's victory which was gained thanks to two wins apiece from Graham McFarlane and Steve Curtis and one from Simon Radcliffe.  Radcliffe's marathon first set success over Matty Evans proved crucial, it ended 21/19 and those two points were all that separated them at the end of five close and oscillating games. Les Wilson and Mal Lewis each registered two points for Peel.  A doubles win for the westerners would have salvaged a draw but Tower were untroubled and won in straight games.

Surestrike Ramsey A 8, Breakaway B 2

Forced to field two reserves, Jack Christian and Kieran Lane, Breakaway's promotion challenge ended with this defeat.  Aaron Faragher fought hard to put two points on the board for them but three wins for Rhys Yardley backed up by two each from Marcus Koske and Carl Blatcher saw Ramsey home with something to spare.

Tower C 2, Copy Shop C 8

Margaret Forsyth and Dave Callow were the winners for Tower while Rob Sim and Adam Davies were unbeaten for Copy Shop, Henry Hyde adding one more by beating Heather Kennet 11/4, 9/11, 11/7, 11/6.  This result means that Tower are five points behind Travellers C in their bid to avoid relegation.

DIVISION THREE

Peel C 3, Travellers D 7

This was the big match in Division Three and while Peel C still head the table their lead has been cut.  David Buck was the star for Travellers winning all three singles and having a hand in the doubles victory as well.  Juan Moore Jnr won two more while Alex Buck added a further point against Sasha Thomas.  Harry Walters was best for Peel with two wins, Nathan Evans recorded another but Thomas lost out in three close matches.

Copy Shop E 0, Surestrike Ramsey B 10

Calvin Koske, Marcus Koske and Karenza Baker made sure there were no slip-ups against the Copy Shop girls.  Pat Halliwell almost got Copy Shop off the mark, just losing 11/7 in the fifth to Marcus. Kitty Thomas took a set off Baker but Sophie Sheard was not so fortunate.

Breakaway C 2, Surestrike Ramsey C 8

Kieran Lane and Jack Christian, with a win each, ensured Breakaway had something to show for their efforts but Billy Cain and Liam Cooper were untroubled for Ramsey, Olly Brew adding another point by being present as Breakaway were a player short plus Lane and Christian had to play up for their B team as well.

Copy Shop D 10, Junior Development 0

All over in straight games as Kevin Drewry, Zac Walker and Max Walker consolidated second spot by taking ten points against Corin Haddock, Tom Noble and Kyle Dodd.  Peel C lead the division with 139 points, followed by Copy Shop D on 136 and Travellers D on 131, although Travellers have a game in hand.  This division looks like going down to the wire.

Finally, the remaining Divisional quarter-final matches took place in the Division Two individual competition with Malcolm Lewis coming through in straight games against Les Wilson while Rhys Yardley defeated Adam Davies in four.  The line-up for next week's semi-finals sees Malcolm Lewis playing Keeran Chan and Malcolm Lambert taking on Rhys Yardley.