In the last week of league fixtures before the break for the SDTTL Closed Championships, at the wrong end of the Division 1 table, an encounter between home side Brand Identity B and Wakering TTC was a close run affair that the home side eventually won 5 – 4. The evening was notable for Wakering’s Callum Turner losing for just the second time this season in the very first rubber of the night. Mick Grout was his nemesis. Mick went on to take the Player of the Match award with an unbeaten evening. However, everyone had a part to play in this contest. Dale Gutteridge and Jenny Harrison won one each for Brand, whilst Callum won his two other rubbers and Andy Deadman and Paul England got one each for Wakering.
Basildon A firmed up their hold on the top spot with an emphatic 9 – 0 home win over Hadleigh Forum B. However Forum, and in particular Mick Tappenden, put up considerable resistance. Two of Mick’s encounters went to five sets, eventually losing 11 – 9 in the fifth to
Arun Joy and 11 – 8 in the deciding set to Rob Burton. The home side’s trio of Arun, Rob and Les Hoey look destined to take the title unless Matchpoint A can make up some ground in their remaining fixtures.
This week Matchpoint were away to bottom team Hadleigh Forum C. They won 7 – 2. However, Forum were very unfortunate not to get more out of the match. Two of Mark Everard’s rubbers went to five sets, with him losing them both 10 – 12 in the fifth; first to Alex Deacon, and then to Debbie O’Neil. Paul Fawell got both Forum’s successes, whilst their Graham Farmer also suffered a 10 – 12 defeat in the fifth set of his match-up with Debbie. The visitor’s Stephen Heard was POM with an unbeaten hat trick.
Report by David Barnes
Eyes turned to the bottom of Division 2 this week as bottom club Matchpoint C pulled off something of a surprise win coming back from 4-1 down to beat Rawreth D 5-4. It was an all round team performance by Matchpoint for whom Roger Sherman and Zach Samuels both won two and Alwine Jarvis got a crucial point, coming back from two sets down to beat Amari Al-Soufi 14/12 in the decider. Al – Soufi was denied his hat trick by Jarvis having won his other two games and Jaspreet Singh and Jonathan Allen both won one to ensure every player on the night had at least one win to their name. The result lifts Matchpoint off the bottom of the table and two points clear of Invicta B who have a game in hand.
Fellow strugglers Invicta went down 6-3 to Hockley C but it was a close match, 2-2 at one stage, and three matches went the distance two of them involving Invicta’s Sarah Ball who was pipped in both 12/10 in the final set. Star of the night was Hockley’s Paul Ogden who was unbeaten and dropped only one set all evening. Paul Strutt weighed in with a brace and Tony Molisso a single win to give Hockley the points. Steve Lennox was Invicta’s best with two wins and John Blackman chipped in with one.
At the other end of the table Matchpoint B, who have lost their way a little bit in recent weeks dropping to fourth, took on leaders Stanford B but were edged out 5-4 despite John Lott’s maximum. Matchpoint actually led Stanford 4-3 at one stage but wins from Mark Downey and John Handscombe swung the match in Stanford’s favour. Both sides were missing regulars Dennis Squirrell for Matchpoint and Rob Salvage for Stanford so Handscombe came into Stanford’s side whilst Matchpoint had to call on Richard Sloman from their D team. Sloman pulled off a good win against Adrian Armstrong to get Matchpoint’s fourth point whilst Handscombe’s brace was matched by Mark Downey with Armstrong adding one for Stanford. Matchpoint are now level on points with Canvey B (who didn’t play) but have played two games more.
With just three weeks to go Stanford look certain to finish top currently having a 14 point lead from Hockley C who do have a game in hand, but this is against third placed Canvey B and unlikely to give Hockley what ideally would be a nine point win to put some pressure on Stanford. At the other end of the table, despite having a game in hand on rivals Matchpoint C, Invicta B face the toughest remaining fixtures having to play Stanford B, Matchpoint B and Canvey B. Matchpoint C face Stanford C and Hockley D.
Player of the Week – Paul Ogden
Team of the Week – Matchpoint C
Report by Paul Strutt