Things are hotting up in Division One of the Clacton League
following two significant results.
Champions for the last ten seasons, Nomads Panthers are facing
one of their toughest challenges, this week losing for a second
time in a month to Windsor Hawks.
The Panthers, who were without James Denyer, still fielded a
high-class trio in Greg Green, Gill Locke and Gracie Edwards, but
fine hat-tricks from Daniel Young and Andy Vincent gave the
Hawks a well-deserved 7-3 victory. The crucial match proved to
be match nine, with Young defeating Green 11-9 in the decider.
And the Panthers’ insecurity was compounded when their nearest
challengers, Brotherhood A, recorded an emphatic 10-0 win over
Windsor Buzzards. Kevin Gowlett, John Cleasby and Martin
Edwards, who was making his first appearance of the season,
were all unbeaten, with only the doubles extended to a fourth set.
The result leaves Brotherhood just seven points behind the
Panthers but with a game in hand.
Trebles for Adam Cuthbert and Charlie Fulcher, and a couple from
Jason Lloyd, saw Nomads Lions home 9-1 against Walton A. Their
closest win was an 11-8 in the fifth success for Fulcher over Dave
Binns. Derek Willis took Walton’s consolation point with a hard-
fought 11-7, 7-11, 14-12, 11-13, 11-8 win over Lloyd.
Walton B took three of the four matches which went the distance
to edge past Walton C 6-4. Pete Burrows was unbeaten, although
he was taken to five by both Mark Ratcliffe and Mark Gale. Gavin
Price won a couple and shared an 11-7 in the fifth doubles win
with Graham Buxton against Gale and Ratcliffe. For Walton, Gale
won two, and Ratcliffe and Paul Meikle one each, Meikle beating
Buxton 15-13, 9-11, 13-11, 7-11, 12-10.
In Division Two, Brotherhood D strengthened their position at
the top with a 10-0 victory over a Nomads Tigers’ side without
Denes Somodi and fielding a guest player. Simon Smith-Daye,
Sam Plummer and Joe Plummer all stayed unbeaten. Colin
Webber took Smith-Daye to the limit before going down 11-5 in
the fifth, whilst the Plummer brothers were pushed by Dave Miller
and reserve Bob Jillins in the doubles, eventually taking it 11-6 in
the decider.
Windsor Penguins had an excellent 7-3 result against Lawford,
Scott Campbell and Neil Chegwidden each recording trebles.
Campbell defeated Charlie Denholm 11-6 in the decider, the same
score by which Chegwidden beat Richard Spence. Denholm and
Spence took a point each for Lawford, with Denholm and Ian
Sherwood winning the doubles.
The Penguins followed this with a 6-4 success against
Brotherhood B, although the Brotherhood side was hampered
when Barry Allen was forced to concede two matches. Scott
Campbell was again unbeaten for the Penguins, beating Mark
Salter 9-11, 7-11, 15-13, 11-6, 11-9 in the encounter between
the team’s leading players.
Andy Foster and Paul Woolnough remained unbeaten, and Mo
Hardy took two, as Walton D beat bottom team Windsor Kestrels
8-2, the same score as their early season encounter. For the
Kestrels, Debra Found beat Hardy 11-7 in the fifth and, with
Graham Bunce who only played in the doubles, shared a doubles
success against Foster and Hardy.
In Division Three, pace-setters Brotherhood E won 10-0 against
a Walton E side fielding a guest. Fred Gallone, Tricia Salter and
Tony Edmonds were the winning team, Edmonds involved in the
only five-setter of the match, beating Adrian Sexton 11-5 in the
decider.
Tom Bryden, JJ Barry and Joe Sherwin of Brotherhood F were too
good for Nomads Ocelots, winning 10-0. The closest match was
the doubles, Bryden and Barry defeating Anne Bonny and James
Horsler 11-6 in the fifth.
And, in a third 10-0 result, the Bobcats defeated the Lynx in an
all-Nomads clash, Alex Baldock, Matt Sage and Jack Riddleston
taking maximum points. Riddleston just getting the better of
Gerry Widnell 11-7 in the fifth.
Finally, Brotherhood G beat Windsor Magpies 7-3, Dan Grindrod
taking three, and Danny Still and Gary Simpson two apiece. Dave
Sweetland won a couple for the Magpies and, with Alan Rutledge,
beat Grindrod and Simpson in the doubles.
- Entries for the Handicapped Singles Tournament, which takes
place on Saturday 3rd February at Windsor’s St James’ Hall,
should be sent to either Tony Oswick or Peter White. The closing
date for entry is Saturday 27th January. The entry fee is £4.00.
Full details have been sent to all players.
RESULTS
Division 1
Walton B 6 Walton C 4;
Brotherhood A 10 Windsor Buzzards 0;
Nomads Panthers 3 Windsor Hawks 7;
Walton A 1 Nomads Lions 9.
Division 2
Windsor Kestrels 2 Walton D 8;
Windsor Penguins 7 Lawford 3;
Brotherhood B 4 Windsor Penguins 6;
Nomads Tigers 0 Brotherhood D 10.
Division 3
Brotherhood F 10 Nomads Ocelots 0;
Windsor Magpies 3 Brotherhood G 7;
Nomads Bobcats 10 Nomads Lynx 0;
Brotherhood E 10 Walton E 0;
Brotherhood G 3 Brotherhood E 7.