Over the years, there have been few more determined and dogged competitors in the Clacton League than Mark Ratcliffe of Walton A.
This week in Division One of the League, Ratcliffe chalked up his second hat-trick in as many matches, his unbeaten performance helping to secure his Walton A side a 6-4 success against Brotherhood C.
There were a couple of wins for his team-mate Paul Meikle, which included a 12-10 in the decider success over John Cleasby, while Derek Willis added an important point with an 11-4 in the fifth victory against Dave Miller.
In a match where no player left empty-handed, Brotherhood’s Cleasby, Miller and Tim Leung each won once.
Elsewhere, Brotherhood A were predictable 10-0 victors against bottom team Windsor Buzzards, who were further disadvantaged by being forced to use a guest. Kevin Gowlett, Gracie Edwards and Daniel Young were the winning trio.
It was equally as comfortable for Nomads Lions against Walton B, Ethan Lloyd, Jason Lloyd and Adam Cuthbert all unbeaten in their 10-0 victory.
Andy Vincent and Felipe Rodriguez remained undefeated in Windsor Hawks’ 8-2 success over Brotherhood B. There was a point apiece for Brotherhood’s Simon Smith-Daye and Joe Plummer but Sam Plummer, making a welcome first appearance of the season, just failed to get on the score-sheet, going down 11-5 in the fifth to Scott Campbell.
The Brotherhood Club is dominating Division Two, with their four teams currently occupying the top four places in the table.
Hat-tricks for Mark Boyland and John Gallagher saw leaders Brotherhood G home 6-4 against Windsor Harriers, although the pair failed to take the doubles, losing 11-7 in the fifth to Barry Allen and Isabel Barton. In the only other match to go the distance, Gallagher defeated Allen 11-6 in the fifth.
Bottom team Windsor Kestrels, playing with a reserve, took the opening two matches against second-placed Brotherhood F, Peter Aumord beating Paul Alden 11-4 in the decider and Allen Denyer defeating Tricia Salter 12-10 in the decider. But these were the Kestrels’ only successes, the ‘F’ team running out 8-2 winners, Neil Chegwidden taking a maximum, and Alden and Salter two each.
Kelvin Olano-Harper of Windsor Penguins beat Tom Bryden of Brotherhood J 11-5 in the fifth on his way to his sixth treble of the season. But two each from Bryden and Ruby Gallagher, one from Lucy Carvell, and a Bryden/Joe Sherwin doubles win was enough to give the ‘J’ team a 6-4 victory.
Trebles for Kevin Pryor and, in a second outing of the season, Adi Kamma, were enough to give Brotherhood D the 7-3 win against Nomads Jaguars. Pryor had a tough tussle against Chris Petrou before emerging an 11-9 in the fifth winner, whilst Pryor and Kamma took a close doubles, 11-8 in the fifth, against Petrou and Andy Hart.
In Division Three, the top-of-the-table clash between Brotherhood H and Holland Hurricanes ended in victory for Brotherhood but, with both teams forced to field a guest player, the winning score was an unusual 5-4. Gary Stallwood stayed unbeaten for the Hurricanes but Brotherhood took a crucial doubles, Dan Grindrod and Owen Woollard, in only his third appearance of the season, defeating Stallwood and Ian Gwillim 11-7 in the fifth.
Peter Evans recorded a hat-trick for Holland Lancasters but it was Nomads Leopards who ran out the winners, Doug Green and Dominic Joannou each taking two in their team’s 6-4 victory. Dave Wright picked up a point for the Lancasters, edging past Anne Bonny 11-9 in the decider.
Mike Wellum of Nomads Ocelots was another to stay unbeaten but end up on the losing side, the Ocelots, playing with a guest player, going down 6-4 to Windsor Falcons. Gary Barnes, Nigel Rolph and Nikki Hayes each took one for the Falcons, Hayes defeating Hazel Blanche 11-6 in the fifth in the closest contest.
Finally, Brotherhood E were 9-1 winners against a Windsor Magpies’ side also fielding a guest player. Jack Hillier and Rodney Betts each won their allocated two matches, Hillier edging past Dave Sweetland 11-4, 3-11, 14-12, 11-13, 11-9. Magpies’ skipper John Plummer saved his side’s blushes by winning the final match of the evening against Tony Edmonds.
* The draw for the Group stage of the Handicap Knock-Out Cup, which takes place during the first three weeks of January, has been made. Holders Nomads Lions have been drawn in a three-team Group which includes the young guns of Brotherhood J from Division Two, and Lynette Sparks’ Walton C team from Division Three. The most intriguing of the Groups sees four teams from the Windsor Club – the Hawks and Eagles of the First Division and the Penguins and Kestrels of the Second – drawn in the same Group.
Full details have been sent to all players. This information can also be found on the League’s website.
RESULTS
Division 1
Brotherhood B 2 Windsor Hawks 8;
Brotherhood A 10 Windsor Buzzards 0;
Walton A 6 Brotherhood C 4;
Nomads Lions 10 Walton B 0.
Division 2
Brotherhood G 6 Windsor Harriers 4;
Nomads Jaguars 3 Brotherhood D 7;
Windsor Penguins 4 Brotherhood J 6;
Windsor Kestrels 2 Brotherhood F 8.
Division 3
Windsor Magpies 1 Brotherhood E 9;
Nomads Ocelots 4 Windsor Falcons 6;
Holland Lancasters 4 Nomads Leopards 6;
Brotherhood H 5 Holland Hurricanes 4.
Report by Tony Oswick