www.bostonbuzz.co.uk

The prime platform for Boston and District sports news

BOSTON TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE

All the up-to-date news from the Boston and District Table Tennis League 2005-2006

Round-up for December 2005 by Mick Williams

Report for week ending Friday December 30:

Park no match for runaway leaders

Several teams in the A D Dickinson Division Two used the festive break in scheduled league action to pull in some outstanding fixtures.

The biggest match of the season saw second placed Graves Park B take on runaway leaders Mayflower B, who before this match had a lead of 11 points. This clash attracted the Park's biggest attendance of the season, the six away supporters stretching the Park’s hospitality suite to the limit. The Park pitched up again with only two players, being unable to persuade to join them on a temporary basis (they didn’t ask). A score of 3-0 down before you start is not the best way to prepare and Mick Maltby and Dave Graham were taken apart by the Mayflower lads. Although Maltby took the third set 11-2 Dave Graham managed to take the third set out of all the Mayflower lads but he was well beaten in the fourth by both Greg Dombek and Mario Hering. He was a little unlucky not to take Adrian Hering to five, just losing the vital fourth leg 10-12. The only crumb of comfort for the Park was the doubles (which is not always their strong point), Maltby and Graham combing well, to overcome Dombek and the young Hering 11-2, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8 saving the Park from an embarrassing whitewash. This win stretches the Mayflower lead to 19 points and although the season is only halfway through, I cannot see anybody to touch them.

Graves Park D (the Spalding team), were less than amused when they turned up at Mayflower to play William Lovell, only to find out that Michael Bradshaw was the only Mayflower player to turn up. I wonder whether there will be any repercussions from this. In the event it was no contest the Park lads winning comfortably by a 10-0 scoreline. Five days later, Lovells entertained Nomads (no apology for not turning up for the Park match was forthcoming), Tom Phoenix surprising the two Clows, beating them in straight legs. He had no answer to Harry Paul though, and although winning the second leg 11-9 Harry made no mistake in the next two. Tom Huskisson although pushing the Clows close, just lost out at the death but he had some reward, beating the experienced Harry Paul 12-14, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 in what was possibly the tightest game of the night. All the Nomads team picked up two apiece, while Paul and Dean Clow put the icing on the cake brushing aside Huskisson and Phoenix in the doubles for a 7-3 victory.

Stickney B pulled in their outstanding fixture with a hard fought win over Mayflower D. Although turning up with three, they only finished with two, Tony Hall giving his games to Mayflower in a dispute over a double bounce in the second set of the first game. However, Tim Sampson didn’t let this dispute affect him, winning his three very easily, while Toy Sharpe after his first game defeat at the hands of Sasha Martin had his work cut out to beat Andrew Benjamin and Rachael Searles, the game with Searles being very close and on another night it could have swung her way. The doubles, therefore, were vital. But the Sharpe/Simpson duo was determined, beating Martin and Searles 11-6, 11-8, 11-10 to guide their team to a 6-4 win for only their second victory of the season.

Boosted by the above result, Stickney travelled to take on Shodfriars C pitting some very old adversaries against each other. Shoddys got away to a flyer taking the first two, John Shortland despite a blip in the second and making short work of Cliff Davey, while Roly Sharp, after tussling with Tim Sampson over four legs, won the decisive fifth 11-4. Tony Hall redressed the balance beating Paul Maxwell in straight ends but Shoddys surged into a 3-1 lead, Sharpe beating Davey 11-3, 13-11, 11-6. Stickney hit back, Hall beating Shortland in the one of the few five setters of the night and then they drew level through Sampson, who once he had got the measure of Maxwell, won the last two ends with consummate ease. The on-form Hall completed his hat-trick, making short work of Sharpe and Stickney were looking at their second win two days. It was not to be however, Maxwell who up to this point had had a disappointing night, played well to beat Davey, while Shortland regained Shoddys the lead, grabbing his second of the night with a good win over Sampson. Shortland then combined with Maxwell to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, beating Hall and Sampson in four, this making up for their earlier singles defeats by Hall.

Lodgers D and Pilgrim, two teams who look like having to settle for a mid-table place met and from two evenly balanced teams, an equal sharing of the points came as no surprise. Pilgrim, though, were fielding their heavy squad but this had no effect on Tony Kime, Tony brushing away the attentions of Alan Davy and Barry Frankish. Fred Calvert surprised him a bit by taking the third leg off him, but Tony got his game back on track to win the fourth set 11-8. Graham Bonsor chose to have an off night, narrowly losing to 11-13 in the fifth to Frankish, but against Calvert he was never in the game. However it was not all doom and gloom Graham finding some inner strength to beast Davy 12-10, 11-4, 11-7. With the result resting on the doubles, Kime crowned an excellent evening, combining with Bonsor to win the doubles in three straight to ensure an equal share of the spoils.

Mayflower C closed the gap between themselves and Park B to a mere four points and with a game in hand and the Park only turning out with two players for the forseeable future, Mayflower look set to overtake them.
For their fixture with Shodfriars C, both No 6 ranked Mick Dodes and No 8 ranked Paul Gilbert were in sound form, both of them winning their singles. On closer examination, though, things weren’t so clear-cut, Dodes needing four ends to see off Dave Hocking and Roly Sharp. Gilbert's games were in much the same vein, Sharp extending him all the way, while against Hocking all five ends was either 12-10 or 10-12 and two points the other way at the vital time, could have swung this game in Hocking's favour. Emma Watson failed to register a win, surprisingly extending Hocking to five but never getting to grip with the styles of Sharp or Shortland losing in straight legs. There was no joy for the Mayflower pair of Hocking and Shortland in the doubles either, the experienced Dodes and Gilbert easing home to give their team a 7-3 victory.

A D Dickinson Division Two: Shodfriars C 5, Lodgers D 5; Pilgrim 8, William Lovell 2; Mayflower D 3, Graves Park B 7; William Lovell 1, Shodfriars C 9; Graves Park B 1, Mayflower B 9; Graves Park D 10, William Lovell 0; William Lovell 3, Nomads 7; Mayflower C 7, Shodfriars C 3; Stickney B 6, Mayflower D 4; Lodgers D 5, Pilgrim 5; Shodfriars C 6, Stickney B 4.

Report for week ending Friday December 16:

Advantage switches to Shodfriars B

With a lot of pre-Christmas action concentrated on catch-up matches, all eyes in the Yates and Greenhough Division One were concentrated on the all-Shodfriars clash, which over the last few years has traditionally gone the way of the A team.

However, the pendulum appears to have started to swing this season, the B team coming our narrow winners in their first meeting. This is mainly down to a certain Alan Ashberry, who signed for Shoddy’s in pre-season and the team probably doesn’t realise how lucky they are to get a player of this calibre. Alan, who so far had a 100 percent record, kept his run going. And although "Jake the Pegg" took an end out of him forcing Ashberry to attack (what a match this must have been). Jake finally succumbed 7-11, 6-11 in the last two. Maurice Buck had no real answers to Ashberry with Alan running out a comfortable winner. His game with Neil Snaith might have been a clash of styles (both players not noted for their attacking prowess) but the consistency of Ashberry proved to be too steady for Snaith, Alan easing home 11-3, 11-4, 11-5. Scott Sykes gave him excellent support chipping with two beating Snaith in what is generally a close encounter in four sets. Against Buck who Scott has never beaten in a league match things looked to be going in the same direction, as Buck surged into a two set lead, winning 12-10, 11-3. Scott managed to scrape the third 11-9 before overcoming a stubborn Buck 11-4, 11-8 for his first league win over the veteran. However, against Jake the Pegg, with whom last season he shared the honours, Jake started off well, winning the first leg, before Sykes got his attack going, storming to an 11-3 victory. Jake, though, the wily character that he is was not to be denied, outfoxing Sykes to win the next two for victory. Dave Smith, despite suffering with an arm injury started strongly against Buck, winning the first end 12-6. However, with his injury preventing him from playing his most fluent shots, Buck ran out a comfortable winner easing home in the next three. Against Snaith and Pegg it was much the same story with his arm visibly playing on his mind and although taking a leg out of both of them he (Smith) lost out in the fourth. With both teams needing the doubles for different reasons, the A team fielded Pegg and Snaith against the Ashberry/Sykes duo who in recent weeks have looked good in the doubles. This continued, the B partnership proving too strong winning in straight ends for a 6-4 victory.

Lodgers G completed their half season with a 10-0 victory over Stickney A. And it is many a year that Lodgers have not occupied top spot at this time of the season. Conversely their opponents used to be up there with them but this season is a much-changed Stickney. This was a fairly straightforward victory with every game but two being over in straight legs, although Paul Hartnett did well to take the first leg off Kelvin Clements. Steve Blanchard thought he might be on to something, taking the first leg off Andy Kirk but Andy eased home in the next three.

Wrangle and Lodgers F, the only two teams in this division without a win met so unless the result was a draw something had to give. Their game as expected was a close affair but Wrangle grabbed the lead and held it, Frank Burbidge beating Pete Truepenny, Dennis Pattrick beating David Kime but Steve Harker pulled one back for Lodgers, with a four set win over Dave Coulson. Nevertheless Wrangle piled on the pressure, Pattrick adding to Lodgers' woes with a good victory over Truepenny, while Burbidge added his second of the evening with a four set win over Harker. Kime got his name on the board with a good win over Coulson to reduce the arrears but Wrangle were not to be denied, Pattrick completing his hat-trick with a straight sets win over Harker, while Coulson picked up his first of the night beating Truepenny 11-9 in the fifth. Kime pulled another one back for Lodgers, ruining Burbidge's perfect night but it was too little too late, Burbidge and Pattrick added the icing on the cake, nicking the doubles 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9.

Lodgers B, despite losing 1-9 to Penmaen have done what a lot of teams have failed to achieve so far this season — took a point. Lodgers must have felt a little hard done to by the score, Vic Clements pushing Andy Gilbert all the way while losing out to Brett Heppenstall 8-11 in the fourth. Tim Day was perhaps the unluckiest player on show, and leading Heppenstall 2-0 he looked in a strong position. However, he crumbled in the next two but got his game together in the fifth, but losing by the narrowest of margins. Pete Evans was Lodgers’ saviour and from never being in the game against Gilbert or Jimmy Brewster, he turned in a sterling performance against Heppenstall saving his team from a whitewash.

Lodgers A, without the services of Graham Lacey (back injury), only look a shadow of last season’s team and looked to be heading for defeat against Graves Park A when fortune shined upon them, or misfortune for the Park depending on how you look at it. With the Park leading 4-0, reserve David Graham (standing in for Phil Brooks) beat Trev Blackbourn, Rob Smith beat Colin Bell and also Blackbourn, while Nick Langley gave the Park a comfortable lead, beating Ian Stones. Lodgers pulled a couple back through Stones and Bell but the Park never sensed trouble and got within sight of the winning post, Smith beating Stones in straight legs. It seemed nothing could stop the Park from going on to victory in the next game, when Nick Langley leading 1-0 had to retire due to a pulled leg muscle. Bell went on to defeat Graham 10-12, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4 and the result was back in the melting pot. The Park, with only two fit players and Lodgers with only Bell and Blackbourn (Stones having left earlier), it was left in no doubt as to who would play in the doubles. The first set was not even close and although the Park pairing of Smith and Graham did better in the next two it was not enough, Lodgers rather luckily equally sharing the points.

Yates and Greenhough Division One: Stickney A 5, Shodfriars B 5; Lodgers B 1, Penmaen 9; Lodgers G 10, Stickney A 0; Shodfriars B 6, Shodfriars A 4; Wrangle 7, Lodgers F 3; Graves Park A 5, Lodgers A 5.

Report for week ending Friday December 9:

Lodgers G set sights on second spot

The race to see who might claim runners-up spot in Yates and Greenhough Division One has moved on apace during the past week. Lodgers G thrashed their rivals Graves Park C 8-2 to stake their claim for the honour. The Park, without Martin Walters, were up against it from the start. Young Sam Snaith from Division Two taking his place. Despite this, the Park got away to a good start. Mick East, after a hiccup, in the second set against Andy Kirk, edged home 14-12 won the third with the same ease as the first set, winning 11-5. Things went sadly askew for the Park, Kelvin Clements beating James Quinton, while Ian Royle took some time to get to grips with reserve Sam Smith. Clements made short work of East and Kirk narrowly defeated Smith (who played really well), and it was just a matter of how big the defeat would be. Lodgers duly stormed on, Royle brushing aside Quinton while Smith had no real answer to Clements. Royle then won the game of the night with a 5-11, 11-4, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7 victory over East, a game in which East held the lad twice but succumbed in the final end. It looked as though a 9-1 defeat would be on the cards when Kirk held a 2-0 lead over Quinton in the last singles of the evening. The Park man didn’t panic and fought back narrowly winning the next three to reduce the arrears. It was all to no avail though, the Clements/Royle duo comfortably winning the doubles for an 8-2 victory. This result must be a body blow for the Park and as the Christmas break beckons they now find themselves 14 points adrift of Lodgers, which — over the remaining 10 or so matches — is a lot to make up.

The all-Lodgers clash between the A and the F teams went more or less according to form. And even though Pete Truepenny gave the F an early lead, it was never enough. Ian Stones levelled the score, battling hard to overcome David Kime. Colin Bell put the A ahead, dismissing Steve Harker 11-1, 11-3, 11-5. Steve injured his shoulder during this game that forced him to sit and watch the rest. The A team pressed. Stones making short work of Truepenny, while Bell — after losing the first set to Kime — improved as the game went on winning 11-9, 11-7, 11-2. The F team made a fleeting and short-lived revival, Bell somewhat inexplicably losing in straight legs to Truepenny, while Kime overpowered Blackbourne in four. The A team, though, were not to be denied, Stones and Bell combining to win a hard fought five set doubles over Kime and Truepenny giving them a 7-3 victory.

Shodfriars A notched up their third win in a row with an 8-2 victory over a Wrangle team that can’t seem to buy a win. Jake the Pegg and Neil Snaith were in impressive form, both of them sweeping the opposition aside in straight ends. Maurice Buck had a mixed night, narrowly beating Sam Cooper, while losing equally narrowly to both Frank Burbidge (5-11 in the fifth) and Dave Coulson (7-11 in the fifth). Jake and Snaith completed their excellent night with a useful doubles win and despite narrowly losing the third end they put that right in the next one, driving the team to admirable victory.

Lodgers B who are having a fair season back in the first division, pulled in their outstanding fixture with Stickney A, this equally balanced match resulting in a 5-5 draw. Star of the show was No 7 ranked Pete Evans, Pete brushing aside Geoff Bourne and Steve Blanchard and although dropping the first set to Paul Hartnett and looking shaky in the next one, he strode home comfortably in the remaining two. Vic Clements and Tim Day had to be content with one each, Tim beating Hartnett in straight legs but having no answer to either Bourne or Blanchard. Clements on the other hand had little trouble with Blanchard and was perhaps unlucky not to get something from Bourne but he was well beaten by Hartnett going down 6-11, 6-11, 7-11. With both teams requiring the all-important doubles, Clements and Evans took to the stage and looked to be on their way to victory beating Bourne and Hartnett 14-12 in the first. This was just a precursor, though, as the Stickney pair confidently swept to an 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 victory to ensure an equal share of the spoils.

At the top, Penmaen march on with an 8-2 win over reigning champions Lodgers G, Brian Hill and Jimmy Brewster having no trouble at all in winning their singles. Brett Heppenstall chipped in with one beating Amy Kirk but although taking both Ian Royle and Kelvin Clements the full distance he tended to fade in the vital legs.

This week’s big clash in the A D Dickinson Division Two between long time leaders Mayflower B and second placed Graves Park B has been put back a few days and will now take place the following week. Due to Mike Freeston’s eye operation the Park will continue to play with only two players, and this became apparent when they entertained Nomads. This was an entertaining clash and although the Park won all the singles and the doubles it could so easily have swung in Nomads favour. 3-0 down before you start is already daunting, and it could have got worse, joint No1 Mick Maltby losing the first set 1-11 to Walt Bridges. However, Mick picked his game up to win the next set 15-13 and eased to victory in the next two. No 4 ranked Dave Graham had no trouble with No 10 ranked Dean Clow and the Park bandwagon began to roll, Maltby comfortably seeing off Harry Paul, while Graham struggled to beat Bridges in five hard sets which so easily could have gone against him. Maltby maintained his 100 percent record (what a good season he is having), with a four set win over Clow and Graham wrapped up the singles with a fairly convincing win over Paul. The doubles, which is not always the Park’s strongest point, was the tightest game of the evening, swinging first one way then the other, the B falling over the finishing line for the narrowed victory possible.

Fresh from their defeat against the Park, Nomads answered any critics in the best possible way, beating Stickney B, who are desperately trying to pull away from the depths of Division Two, 8-2. Tris and Dean Clow were in immaculate form, both of them winning their singles, Tris having to work hard to overcome Tony Sharpe, while No 10 ranked Dean was extended to four by both Sharpe and Tony Hall. Harry Paul only had an average night, picking up one, beating Hall but it should have been two and might have been all three. After leading Tony Sharpe 9-2 in the fifth, he (Harry) served off the table setting Tony in motion and from leading 9-2 and almost being home, he went down 11-13.

Stickney B gained some reward when they met Pilgrim and from two very evenly matched teams a 5-5 draw seemed a fair result. The two veterans Tony Hall and Alan Davey played first. This was a long drawn out five setter from two basically defensive players, Tony eventually winning 3-11, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8. Tim Sampson went on next to comfortably beat Kit Calvert but Pilgrim clawed one back when the “two youngsters”, Barry Frankish met Cliff Davey, Barry winning a much quicker game in straight legs. Pilgrim begun to roll, Davey drawing them level beating Sampson, while Frankish despite dropping the third end of what up to then had been an easy ride, struggled to win the fourth 11-9. Stickney hit back to level the score, Cliff beating young Calvert, while Frankish completed his hat-trick beating Sampson in three. Alan Davey nudged Pilgrim into the lead with a narrow win over Cliff Davey but Stickney fought back winning the last singles to leave the result finely balanced. The doubles was a cliff-hanger, and with both teams needing it, it could have swung and indeed did either way. In the end after a long game, Sampson and Cliff Davey staggered over the line totally exhausted from their efforts, winning the final set 14-12 to earn their team a deserved draw.

Yates and Greenhough Division One: Lodgers G 8, Gravs Park C 2; Shodfriars A 8, Wrangle 2; Lodgers A 7, Lodgers F 3; Lodgers B 5, Stickney A 5; Penmaen 8, Lodgers G 2.

A D Dickinson Division Two: Graves Park B 7, Noamds 3; Nomads 8, Stickney B 2; Stickney B 5, Pilgrim 5.

Report for week ending Friday December 2:

Shoddy’s break their duck, at last!

Life down in the basement of the Yates and Greenhough Division One is looking less than rosy, and before this week there were three teams still without a victory to their name. This week however, something was bound to change as two of the above teams were meeting — Lodgers F taking on Shodfriars A.

Shodfriars took early control, Jake the Pegg beating Pete Truepenny in four, while Neil Snaith comfortably spun his way past David Kime. Steve Harker pulled it back beating Maurice Buck but it was tight and could have gone either way. However, Shoddy’s continued to flourish (is this the team that hadn’t won a match), Jake winning his second of the night narrowly beating Kim in four. Buck got in on the act with an excellent win over Truepenny, while Snaith picked up an excellent win over the battling Harker. Kime pulled one back making short work of Buck in fourth, but Shoddy’s were on a roll, Jake and Snaith completing their hat-tricks beating Harker and Truepenny respectively. They (Snaith and Jake) then crowned an excellent night combining to win the doubles fairly convincingly completing the rout.

Buoyed by the above result, Shodfriars travelled to take on Graves Park A. who can’t seem to string together two wins in a row. This match was no exception, Jake the Pegg getting Shoddy’s on the board narrowly beating Phil Brooks (promoted to No 1) 11-4, 10-12, 13-15, 11-9, 14-12, in a game that could have swung either way. Maurice Buck increased the lead with a superb win over Nick Langley only to see Rob Smith reduce the arrears beating Snaith in four. Shoddy’s then surged further ahead, Jake disposing of Langley while Snaith rather surprisingly made short work of Brooks. Smith tried to raise the Park’s spirits with a win over Buck but Shoddy’s were on full throttle, Snaith completing Langley’s disappointing night with a straight set win while Jake rounded off his night, easily beating a dejected Smith 11-8, 11-6, 11-2. Buck recorded his second of the evening beating Brooks while Snaith and Jake tidied up in the doubles for an 8-2 victory.

These last two results for Shoddy’s have lifted them up the table a little, from being down in the doldrums they are now up to sixth place but are still well away from the top teams.

After two defeats in a row, Graves Park A returned to the winning trail with a narrow 6-4 win over Stickney A, who themselves would be the first to admit that their season has not really got off the ground. Paul Hartnett gave Stickney an early lead with a comfortable win over Rob Smith but Phil Brooks, who would prove to be the star of the night quickly levelled the score beating Geoff Bourne in three straight. Nick Langley put the Park in the lead beating Steve Blanchard, while Rob Smith made it 3-1 beating what looked like an out of touch Geoff Bourne. Stickney hit back, Hartnett keeping them in the frame with a hard fought win five set win over Langley but Brooks restored the Park’s two game cushion, beating Blanchard 13-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9. Just when the Park thought they were home and dry, Bourne suddenly found some form, beating Langley in four, the first three sets being close but Geoff winning the fourth 11-5. However, with Smith making hard work of it to beat Blanchard it was left to the tow unbeaten players of the night to met. With two attacking players of the calibre of Hartnett and Brooks this was an outstanding game, Stickney drawing first blood Paul beating Phil 11-6. Star man Phil wound up in the second beating Paul 11-5 and kept the momentum going winning the next two 11-8, 11-7 to make sure of victory. However, Hartnett gained some revenge for this defeat in the doubles teaming up with Bourne, to beat the Park pair in straight legs giving the scoreline an air of respectability.

Graves Park C, who are only a shadow of the team I expected them to be, suffered yet another defeat when they met the revelation of the season, Shodfriars B. The Park opened the scoring, Martin Walters beating Scott Sykes who so far surpassed all expectations, Martin looking as though he was going to lose, going down in the first two. However, he put his game together in the next three, grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat. The unbeaten Alan Ashberry made short work of James Quinton but Mick East put the Park back on track, with a four set win over Roger Hooton. Shoddy’s though quickly drew level, Sykes dismissing Quinton (good win this), but Walters

gave the Park the half-time lead with a last gaps win over Hooton. The half-time cup of tea (or was it a quick pint) revitalised Shoddys, Ashberry beating East fairly comfortably, while Hooton brushed aside Quinton who had his worst night probably since joining the Park. Despite East keeping the Parks hopes alive beating Sykes very easily, it was star man Ashberry who made sure that Shoddy’s were going home with something, whipping past Walters in straight sets. With both teams needing the doubles for differing reasons, Shoddy’s fielded their big guns of Ashberry and Sykes, while the Park put out their regular pairing of Quinton and Walters. The first set was all Shoddys, Ashberry and Sykes taking the first 11 points to win 11-0 (virtually unheard of). The Park pair, putting that one down to experience, fought better in the second, just losing 10-12 but in the third they fell apart losing 5-11 to give Shoddy’s a 604 win, moving them up to third place in the table.

Illness and injuries seem to be plaguing teams in league at the moment. Most notably, three teams in the A D Dickinson Division Two have lost key players.

Graves Park B have lost Mike Freeston, recovering after an eye operation, Mayflower C have lost Pete Hamlett knee operation, while Lodgers D have lost Nev Leggate also a knee operation. While Mayflower originally had four players, Graves Park B and Lodgers D do not have this luxury, having no one (as far as I know) to call on. Added to this is the fact that the Park and Mayflower are both involved in the promotion race but with the loss of key players, will they be able to sustain this challenge?

However, Mayflower C didn’t fare too badly in their first two matches without Hamlett beating the young William Lovell team 8-2 and Nomads 6-4 to move themselves up to second place in the table. Against William Lovell both Mick Dodes and Paul Gilbert picked up their singles, every game but one being over in straight legs and although Tom Huskisson took the first leg from Gilbert, the result was never in doubt. Tom Phoenix showed brief flashes against the experienced Dodes, being a little unlucky to come out the game with nothing, losing the first two fairly easily but just going down in the third end 14-16. Emma Watson picked up one beating Sam

Wood but losing out top both Phoenix and Huskisson who are improving as the season progresses.

The match against Nomads saw Mick Dodes again in top form, Mick winning his singles beating the two Clow’s in three straight, but against Dean Clow it was close and could have swung either way. Despite beating Harry Paul 11-4 in the first, Mick had a close encounter in the second, Harry keeping with him point for point, Mick eventually edging home 18-16. The third however was one way traffic, Mick easing home 11-5. Paul Gilbert

chipped in with two beating Tris Clow and Harry Paul but despite beating Dean Clow 11-5 in the first, Paul faded in the next three. All the Nomads lads beat young Emma Watson but Harry Paul tried hard to lose it, Emma taking him to five, only to lose her way in the crucial set, going down 0-11. With the doubles deciding the issue Dodes and Gilbert combined to narrowly beat the two Clow’s 12-10, 12-10, 11-7 for a hard fought 6-4 victory.

The other two teams with player shortages had mixed results, Graves Park B scraping to a 6-4 victory over Pilgrim, while Lodgers D succumbed 3-7 to Graves Park D. The former got away to a brilliant start in their clash with Pilgrim, opening up a solid 5-0 lead, the unbeaten Mick Maltby dismissing all the Pilgrim lads in straight legs while Dave Graham picked up his first two, beating Fred and Kit Calvert fairly convincingly. However, it was too good to last, Barry Frankish belatedly getting Pilgrim on the board beating Graham 11-6, 13-11, 11-6. Without warning the game was transformed and from a healthy 5-0 lead it was suddenly 5-4 without a ball being hit (Park having only two players). Panic reigned for a while as the Pilgrim pairing of Calvert and Frankish took the first end of the doubles 15-13 but the Park pairing of Maltby and Graham settled down to take the next two.

The Pilgrims duo snatched the fourth 11-9 to throw the game into the melting pot but Park pair held firm sneaking the fifth 12-0 to steer their team to victory.

Meanwhile Lodgers D with only two players were entertaining Graves Park D, who due to events in the past week must see themselves as back in the title race. Sam Smith who is beginning to make a name for himself, opened the scoring for the Park beating Tony Kime 11-4, 12-10, 11-6 but Lodgers hit back Graham Bonsor beating Dave Walters, while Kime repaired the early damage beating Paul Matschull 11-5-, 11-4, 11-8. However, Smith put the Park on level terms beating Bonsor, while Walters overcame the tricky Kime 11-7, 11-4, 3-11, 11-5 and it is not that often that Tony loses more than one a night. Matschull got his name on the board with a hard fought win over Bonsor and it was all over but the Lodgers pairing in a last gaps effort sneaked home in a five set doubles to give the scoreline an air of respectability.

The team of the moment of course in this division is Mayflower B who virtually stamped their authority on the league title with a 10-0 mauling of their D team. Every game except one in this rather one sided match was over in straight ends, Rachel Searles being the only D player to gain anything taking the third end out of Adrian Hering 11-8. Unfortunately she faded in the fourth to go down 6-11. With this division not yet at the half-way mark Mayflower B look to be well on the way to the title, being a massive 21 points in front of second places Mayflower C.

Yates and Greenhough Division One: Lodgers F 2, Shodfriars A 8; Graves Park A 2, Shodfriars A 8; Stickney A 4, Graves Park A 6; Graves Park C 4, Shodfriars B 6.

A D Dickinson Division Two: Pilgrim 4, Graves Park B 6; Mayflower C 6, Nomads 4; William Lovell 2, Mayflower C 8; Lodgers D 3, Graves Park D 7; Mayflower C 10, Mayflower D 0.