If it’s tough at the top, it’s even tougher at the bottom, and this
week witnessed a meeting of the two teams at the foot of
Division Three of the Clacton League.
And, in the all-Nomads clash, victory went to the Lynx, who
defeated the Ocelots 9-1. Gerry Widnell and Ian Gwillim both took
hat-tricks, and they combined to share a narrow 7-11, 11-4, 8-
11, 17-15, 12-10 doubles victory over James Horsler and Anne
Bonny.
For the Ocelots, the improving Bonny had an excellent individual
win over Dave Wright, and took Gwillim close before going down
11-5 in the fifth.
At the other end of the table, leaders Brotherhood E were 7-3
victors over Nomads Leopards, taking three of the four matches
which went the distance. Fred Gallone stayed undefeated while
Tony Edmonds took two, as did Bob Jillins for the losers.
Windsor Harriers beat Brotherhood F 8-2, an undefeated Isabel
Barton the player of the match. Brotherhood’s Joe Sherwin and
Tom Bryden each picked up a win over Jenny Higgins.
Dan Grindrod, Danny Still and Gary Simpson recorded trebles for
a second successive week as Brotherhood G defeated Nomads
Bobcats 10-0, a repeat of their early season score. No individual
match went the distance, but seven were extended to a fourth
set.
Three for John Plummer, two for Alan Rutledge and one for
Malcolm Caley saw Windsor Magpies to a 7-3 win against Walton
E. Maggie Earle won two for Walton and Adrian Sexton one, and
although Debrorah Pallett failed to get on the score-sheet for
Walton, her three defeats came in matches which went to five.
In Division One Brotherhood A beat Walton C 10-0, Kevin
Gowlett, Gary Young and Russell Hillier undefeated. The closest of

the two five-setters saw Young and Hillier scrape the doubles 9-
11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-17, 11-7 against Mark Gale and Mark Ratcliffe.
The result puts the Brotherhood side one point ahead of Nomads
Panthers at the top of the table.
Nomads Lions and Windsor Buzzards each fielded a reserve but it
was the Lions who came out 7-3 winners, Ethan Lloyd taking
three, Jason Lloyd two and reserve Dave Miller one. Buzzards’
reserve Scott Campbell played well to take two for the losers.
It was also 7-3 as Walton B defeated a weakened Windsor Eagles.
There were two each for Gavin Price, Graham Buxton and Paul
Newbould but none of them could get the better of Mel Rampton
who secured his hat-trick with an 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7
victory over Price in the final match of the evening.
Finally in Division One, Windsor Hawks were 10-0 winners against
Walton A who fielded a guest player, none of the matches going
the distance.
In the meeting of Division Two’s top and bottom teams,
Brotherhood predictably beat Windsor Kestrels, but the 6-4 score-
line was something of a moral victory for the Kestrels. Windsor
captain Graham Bunce had good wins over Kevin Pryor and James
Smith-Daye, Allen Denyer recorded an unexpected 9-11, 8-11,
14-12, 11-5, 12-10 win over Smith Daye, whilst Bunce and Debra
Found shared an excellent three-straight doubles success. But,
through all this, Simon Smith-Daye notched up yet another treble
for Brotherhood who now look unstoppable at the top.
Lawford are clear of the pack in second spot, this week defeating
Walton D 6-4 in a hard-fought encounter in which six matches
went the distance, Lawford winning two of them. Every player
picked up at least one point but James Tindle remained unbeaten
for Lawford. Clive Allenby won two for Walton.
Chris Petrou took a hat-trick for Nomads Jaguars with fine wins
over John Owen, Barry Allen and Paul Alden, but Brotherhood C
emerged 6-4 winners, Alden and Allen each taking two.
Trebles for Denes Somodi and Dave Miller were good enough to
give Nomads Tigers a 7-3 victory over Brotherhood C. Both
players were involved in tight five-setters, Somodi beating Mark
Boyland 11-6 in the decider and Miller going even closer against
the same player, winning 9-11, 8-11, 15-13, 15-13, 14-12.
RESULTS

Division 1
Brotherhood A 10 Walton C 0;
Windsor Buzzards 3 Nomads Lions 7;
Walton B 7 Windsor Eagles 3;
Walton A 0 Windsor Hawks 10.
Division 2
Windsor Kestrels 4 Brotherhood D 6;
Nomads Jaguars 4 Brotherhood B 6;
Lawford 6 Walton D 4;
Brotherhood C 3 Nomads Tigers 7.
Division 3
Brotherhood F 2 Windsor Harriers 8;
Nomads Bobcats 0 Brotherhood G 10;
Walton E 3 Windsor Magpies 7;
Nomads Leopards 3 Brotherhood E 7;
Nomads Ocelots 1 Nomads Lynx 9.