This week was all about the Team Handicap Cup in the Burnham & District Table Tennis League. Semi-final stage and the drama, tears and cheers all came in abundance. After the sporting action was completed we can reveal that this year’s Final will be between two very in form teams from different ends of the league spectrum which means plenty of fun and games with the handicap scoring sure to play a major role in the outcome.
Woodham D were recently crowned Division 3 runners-up following a great run of form in the final couple of months of the season and they can now add a cup final to their season’s achievements as they confidently defeated Mapledene C the Division 2 Champions. Aptly it was Woodham’s Alex Wilson who won the important 5th match against Richard Gill (-8) in their 5-1 victory. Wilson won all his 3 matches on the night and made full use of his +15 handicap that no way reflects his current form but is set from earlier in the season. Wilson was ably supported by Val Board (+6) and Joe Cooke (+6), with Mapledene’s single point coming from Andy Seaman (-8) who manged to peg back Cooke’s 14 point advantage to win in straight sets.
The second semi-final was an all Division 1 affair between Stow Maries A and confirmed league runners-up Cold Norton B. With a heavier handicap to manage the Cold Norton trio needed patient and perseverance if they were to win this one. It didn’t start that well as their opponents Stow Maries shocked the two top players from Cold Norton by taking the opening two singles in tight matches. Firstly Richard Storey (-12) beat Eric Green (-16) in a tight one that went to 20-20 in the deciding third leg before Storey left Green feeling blue. It was then the turn of the fast and furious Sam Phillips (-9) who squeezed passed Cold Norton’s top player Ian Wall (-18) 21-19 in both legs. So when unexpectedly 2-1 down in a semi-final you look to your captain for inspiration and leadership, and boy did he deliver. Stow’s Malcolm Storey (-1) had no answer to the defensive prowess of Cold Norton’s Dan Anderson (-12) as he comfortably evened up the match at 2-2. Following the lead of their captain and talisman Cold Norton then dominated the rest of the match and it was left to Captain Fantastic Anderson to seal the victory with a comfortable straight sets win over Phillips.
So the final is Woodham D versus Cold Norton B – two very in form teams with significantly diverse handicaps. Some of the matches will see a 30 point differential starting point in favour of the Division 3 side and this changes the psyche of the match. Will the Cold Norton B trio continue to show the determination that has got them to the Final or will this be a handicap step too far?
Below right – Woodham D’s star player Alex Wilson
Below left – Captain Fantastic Dan Anderson of Cold Norton B
