After 60 years of hurt Woodham A are finally crowned league champions of the Burnham & District Table Tennis League Division 1. The Woodham A team are both fearless and unstoppable, with an amazing 100% win rate all season with just their nearest rivals to play in what many might think as a dead rubber – but actually could really matter to both sides as they set their stalls out for the next campaign.
As we approach the annual Burnham Closed tournament there was limited league action this week but there was one crucial match as league leaders Woodham A hosted their B side needing just a single point to secure their inaugural league championship. That task was given to captain Dan Piglet who survived the huffing and puffing of rival captain Eamonn Hall to keep his house intact and open the champagne before his team-mates had even arrived. So with the job done in the very first encounter both teams settled down for a relaxed evening of sport. A repeat whitewash of 10-0 to the A team was a bit harsh on the hard-working B team who took 4 games to 5 sets and most of the others went to 4 legs. The B team’s Sanjay Saptarshi went the distance with both Piglet and Lee McHugh, and Hall repeated the 5 set drama with McHugh, and the B team duo paired up for doubles that also went to 5 sets. But alas it was a night for celebration for the A team with Kaung Htet Paing in great form for a player of the match hat-trick, and of course hat-tricks for Piglet and McHugh. With the addition of the other core squad members of Harry Chivers and Chris Penrose it has been an amazing journey for the A-Team this season – Captain Piglet mused ‘I love it when a plan comes together’.
In Division 2 this week there were very strong performances from Maldon’s Steve Aspland and Stow Maries’ Peter Chastin. Aspland led his Maldon C team to a 6-4 victory over higher placed Blackwater A with an impeccable display in both singles and doubles. Aspland’s 4 points overall formed the bedrock of the victory with the extra 2 points coming from trusty wingman Colin Barrell. For Blackwater plucky captain Alan Scammell had 2 wins on the night. Later in the week Chastin also scored a hat-trick against the busy Blackwater A side but unfortunately his wingpeople weren’t able to chip in to help the cause as Blackwater ran out 7-3 winners with a brace apiece for Scammell, Neil Thompson and Neil Freeman. In Division 3 Maldon F signed off with a 6-4 win against Blackwater C. A hat-trick for star player John Leavett did the most damage on the night with Blackwater’s Norman Hayes and Phil West able to pick up two wins each.
Pic 1 – Woodham A Trio – Lee McHugh, Kaung Htet Paing & Daniel Piglet
Pic 2 – Woodham A’s captain Daniel Piglet hits the championship winning shot this week
Pic 3 – Action from the Woodham derby 5 setter – Lee McHugh (A team) versus Sanjay Saptarshi (B team)
Pic 4 – Woodham A player of the match – Kaung Htet Paing
Pic 5 – Stow Maries hat-trick man – Peter Chastin
