Southend Division 2 promotion hopefuls Canvey B were dealt a blow to their ambitions by Rawreth Megazone D who just pipped them 5-4 in a tight encounter this week. Three matches went the distance and the lead swapped back and forth Canvey going 2-0 down, then leading 3-2, down 4-3 and then levelling at 4-4. Just as well for Rawreth that Gus Heath stepped up to play that final game as he beat Tony Westwell in straight sets, completed a perfect hat trick and took the POTM award to boot. Heath was supported by a win each for Richard Kidd and Amar Al-Soufi whilst Trevor Hayes got a brace for Canvey plus a point each for Westwell and Kevin Walsingham. Canvey stay fourth as a result and Rawreth sixth.
Big winners of the week were league leaders Stanford B who duly swept aside their own C team 8-1. Rob Salvage and Adrian Armstrong were both unbeaten, albeit Armstrong was taken to five sets by Martin Winter and Vaughan Chambers, and Russell Bright picked up a brace but fell to Chris Crooks in another five set match for the C team’s consolation point.
In another inter club match Matchpoint B beat their C team 7-2 with John Lott and Max Mayo recording hat tricks and Samuel Morgan getting the remaining point. Mayo was taken to five sets by Alwine Jarvis and Oliver Milchard and it was they who picked up the C team’s points both beating Morgan. Matchpoint B stay second in the table 19 points behind Stanford.
Hannah Harbour of Hockley D has been in fine form in recent weeks and this continued as she picked up another hat trick against Invicta B. Team mate William Evesham matched this performance with his own maximum and together with a point from Elliot Brackenbury they ran out 7-2 winners. It wasn’t all straight forward as Harbour was taken to five sets by John Blackman and Evesham did likewise extended by Blackman and Mike Keeble. Hockley go fifth nine points behind Canvey whilst Invicta stay one but bottom of the table.
Team of the Week – Rawreth Megazone E
Player of the Week – Gus Heath
Report by Paul Strutt
In Division 3 another week and another win for league leaders, Basildon C, making it 10 wins on the trot. Dave Walton fired a hat-trick in their latest match against Hadleigh Forum D, well supported by skipper Andy Roff with a double and Ross Letham who chipped in with a single win. 6/3 being the margin of victory. Todd Barker with two wins was the best on the night for Hadleigh.
Second placed Invicta C closed the gap at the top, but by only one point following their 7/2 win over Rawreth Meggazone E. Keith Baxter took the POM honours with a maximum, with his wingmen Brendan Raja and David Barlow adding a brace apiece. For Rawreth there was a win each for Graham Back and Mike Webb.
Canvey C recorded only their second win of the season when they travelled to Hullbridge to take on Matchpoint D. Captain Ray Baker led the way, turning in an unbeaten performance and with Che Martin and Stephen Parker each adding a pair, it was left to Matchpoint’s Richard Sloman to add an air of respectability to the final score with a double of his own. Finally, a youthful Evolve team found things a bit too hot to handle when they took on Stanford D. whose trio of Randy and Jake Santiago plus Andrew Jessop made no mistakes and a 9/0 whitewash ensued. Mention should be made however of Evolve’s Ben Berwick who pushed both Jake and Andrew to a deciding set before falling short.
Report by Dave Woolmer
