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BOSTON TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE

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

Round-up for January 2006 by Mick Williams

Report for week ending Friday January 20 (see update in latest tables section)

Park C team are making an impact

The second half of the Boston Table Tennis League season is now well under way. And it is Graves Park C who appear to be making an impact in Yates and Greenhough Division One. Despite losing to Penmaen in the first match after the Christmas break, they then turned in two stunning results, beating Stickney A 9-1 and a few nights later beating Shodfriars A 10-0. Apart from one game it was stalwart Paul Hartnett who showed the most resolve for Stickney, taking all the Park lads to four legs. He managed to win an early end but was not able to capitalise from it. Geoff Bourne had a dismal night and although taking Martin Walters to four he went down tamely to James Quinton and Mick East. Steve Blanchard’s first two games were a nightmare, but in his last singles of the evening he put up a great fight against Walters, being unlucky to go down 9-11 in the fifth. Just when all seemed lost, Hartnett and Bourne teamed up for the doubles, surprising their more illustrious opponents, beating them 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 thus saving the team from a whitewash.

Graves Park 10 Shodfriars A 0. That’s what the scoresheet said. But this match was closer than the scoresheet suggests and Shodfriars must feel disappointed that they came away with nothing. Despite only two of the singles going to five legs, Martin Walters just gained the edge against both Jake Pegg and Neil Snaith, a further five games were four setters and in each of these games the scores were all within two points of a fifth decisive leg being played. However, the games kept swinging the Park’s way and even when Shoddys were 0-9 down they kept going, the doubles being a tightly fought five-setter, the Park pair of East and Quinton scraping home 11-8, 4-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 to secure a rather flattering win.

Lodgers G consolidated second spot in the table with a resounding 9-1 win over stablemates Lodgers F. None of the F team had much idea on how to handle Kelvin Clements, all his games being over in three.

They all did a little better when taking on Ian Royle but here it was only in flashes, Pte Truepenny losing one end 14-16 while in another Steve Harker just went down 12-14. It was left to David Kime to rescue the F from total oblivion, scraping a narrow win over Andy Kirk. This result has done nothing to lift the F’s gloom, which sees them rooted in the bottom two and coming adrift from the pack.

Shodfriars B remain in third place, beating Graves Park A 7-3. The Park, despite this defeat, are along with Shodfriars A and Lodgers B in a mini-league of their own and are in no danger of going down but not winning any honours either. After losing his unbeaten record the previous week, Alan Ashberry returned to his wining ways, picking up his singles although Rob Smith took an end out of him. Rob won the third end with some impressive backhand and forehand drives but in the fourth, the result was never in doubt. Roger Hooton, after missing the Lodgers match, was back in action picking up two, easily beating Rob Smith but having an epic battle against Nick Langley, Roger winning 17-15, 5-11, 11-8, 16-18, 14-12. He should have wrapped it up in the fourth, losing a four point advantage to go down 16-18. The final set was not without excitement either, Roger being 6-10 down but calling on all his resolve, rescued the four points to run out a 14-12 winner. Dave “Smiler” Smith chipped in with one beating the unlucky Langley in four, although losing the first set 10-12. However, after this setback, Smiler raised his game to pick Nick off with some fine attacking table tennis winning the next three. Ashberry and Hooton paired up for Shodfriars to take on the formidable Park duo of Brooks (who on the night was the Park star) and Smith, the Shoddys lads turning in solid performance, winning the doubles in four and guiding the team to a 7-3 victory.

The A D Dickinson Division Two promotion race is hotting up nicely and although Mayflower B are going to win it, it remains to be seen who the other promoted team is going to be.

Mayflower B kept on course for the title with two sound victories beating the young William Lovell 10-0 and Lodgers D m8-2. The match against Lovell was pretty much a one-sided affair and Tom Phoenix was perhaps unlucky against Greg Pacho, just losing the vital fifth end 13-15. Most of the others went according to plan, none of the Lovell players threatening either Greg Dombek or Adrian Hering. Perhaps the doubles were the second closest game of the night, Pacho and Hering teaming up to beat Phoenix and Michael Ackerman 11-3, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 but it would not have mattered anyway as Ackerman is not even signed on.

Fielding an unchanged team Mayflower travelled to Lodgers D, coming away with a comfortable 8-2 victory, Greg Dombek proving too good for any of the Lodgers team. Adrian Hering also picked up his singles but he had to work hard being taken to four by both Nev Leggate and Graham Bonsor, while against Tony Kime he went the full distance, only to fall 7-11 at the final hurdle. Greg Pacho had to settle for one with an easy win over Leggate but after two close sets against Kim, he was heavily beaten in the third. Against Bonsor, his (Pacho) match was much tougher and despite taking the first and 11-7, he lost his way in the fourth and fifth to fall 5-11, 4-11.

Mayflower C moved into second place with a narrow 6-4 win over Nomads but had a more convincing 8-2 against Mayflower D. Mick Dodes proved to be a tower of strength for the Nomads match, winning his singles beating the two Clows and Harry Paul. It was far from easy though all of them going to the wire in the fourth. Paul Gilbert chipped in with two beating Tris Clow and Harry Paul but going down rather surprisingly in straight sets to Dean Clow. Emma Watson failed to register but she should take something from this performance, taking a leg out of all her opponents who are all seasoned campaigners. Against Mayflower, Dodes and Gilbert eased their way through, though both of them must have been surprised by Sasha Martin, who took Gilbert to four and pushed Dodes all the way, only to lose the final end 8-11. Emma Watson had to be content with one, losing to Sasha Martin and Rachael Searles but getting her name on the board in a tight game against Andrew Benjamin.

Despite beating Nomads 7-3, Graves Park D dropped into third place, Paul Matschull being the destroyer-in-chief picking up his singles. Having said that it was far from easy, the two Clow boys pushing him all the way, Tris just going down 11-4, 13-11, 6-11, 13-15, 12-14. Sam Smith chipped in with two, comfortably beating Harry Paul and Dean Clow but he never got to grips with the style of Tris Clow, going down in straight ends. Captain Dave Walters had to be content with one, beating Harry Paul and even though taking the Clow boys to five, he (Dave) lost out in the final leg.

Graves Park B, complete with new signing Zenda Kwok, took on Stickney B and just won 6-4. And they now find themselves in fourth place, the lowest they have been all season. However, with two games in hand they might make up some of the leeway. Zenda was making his debut but unfortunately was unable to make his mark in his first match in the UK. The other Park lads Mick Maltby and Dave Graham, ground out victories, everyone but one of their singles being straight set wins. The Park looked to be on control of the doubles after taking the first two but faded in the third and let the next two slip from their grasp for victory, but giving Stickney four priceless points.

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

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

Report for week ending Friday January 20

Mixed fortunes for Shodfriars

Shodfriars B began the second half of the season in some style with a creditable 9-1 victory over Lodgers F. But a few days later they were brought down to earth, being well beaten by a Lodgers A side, who like Shoddy’s, are looking at third place in the Yates and Greenhough Division One table.

Against the F team it was pretty one way traffic. Scott Sykes was also in fine form, not dropping a set, although he had to work hard to defeat Pete Truepenny. Roger Hooton picked up two, beating David Kime in four and Steve Harker in five but he blotted the team’s copybook, losing to Truepenny, who on the night was the pick of the Lodgers lads.

Against Lodgers A it was a different matter. Alan Ashberry lost his unbeaten record when going down in the first match of the night to Graham Lacey. Graham, after losing the first two legs 5-11, 9-11, picked up his game to win the next three 11-8, 11-8, and in a cliffhanging fifth end edged home 14-12.

Despite this setback, though, Alan brushed aside the attentions of Ian Stones and Colin Bell to win his remaining two singles. Scott Sykes chipped in with one beating Bell and although needing five to beat Stones, he could do nothing with Lacey. With captain Hooton not playing, Dave ‘Smiler’ Smith was called upon and although giving Bell a run for his money, he was well beaten by Lacey and Stones. The obviously on-form Lacey and Stones then put the seal of approval on victory beating the strong Shodfriars pair, who prior to this defeat had lost only one doubles all season. Lodgers look a different team with Graham in the side but when he is not playing they look very ordinary.

Lodgers G remain in second place beating Shodfriars A 8-2 but in fairness, Shoddy’s could only raise two players, Maurice Buck and Jake the Pegg making the journey. Kelvin Clements won both his games despite being taken to four by Buck, while Ian Royle and Andy Kirk picked up one each both of them beating an out of luck Buck. Jake Pegg rescued Shoddy’s from a whitewash, beating Kirk in three and in a cracking match against Royle which swung both ways, Jake comfortably won the last two 11-6, 11-4 to take the game. The Lodgers pair easily won the doubles and with the three walkovers this gave them a clear 8-2 victory. It got no better for Shodfriars when, with a full team, they met Lodgers B. Both teams were in that collection of four teams in the mid-table position. Jake Pegg got Shoddy’s away to a dream start, brushing aside Tim Day but the dream was short lived, Vic Clements battling his way past Neil Snaith, while Pete Evans who looked sharp, beating Maurice Buck. Despite Snaith putting Shodfriars on level terms beating Day, Lodgers forged on, Evans just getting the better of Pegg and Clements gaining a hard fought victory over Buck. Evans then completed his hat-trick with an 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6 win over Snaith and Lodgers were almost home. Shoddy’s, however, made a last-ditch attempt to force a draw, Buck getting his name on the board beating the unlucky Day, while Pegg put them within touching distance beating Clements 11-6, 11-2, 13-15, 12-10. However Pegg and Snaith couldn’t keep the revival going, the doubles slipping away the Lodgers pair winning in three guiding their team to a 6-4 victory.

Wrangle continue to languish at the bottom of the table losing 3-7 to Graves Park A. This was a bizarre game, the Park holding a 3-0 lead, Wrangle winning the next three to make it 3-3 and the Park winning the next four. The Park got away to a flier, Rob Smith beating a determined Frank Burbidge, with Nick Langley needing five to see off Sam Cooper, while Phil Brooks in a close game just managed to hold off Dave Coulson. Wrangle, though, roared back, Burbidge beating Langley, Coulson holding off the challenge of Smith, while Cooper made the score all square beating Brooks 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6. The Park moved up a gear, Langley giving them the lead beating Coulson, while Brooks, after a terrific battle with Burbidge, just ran out a 12-10 winner in the fifth. Smith put the Park into an unassailable position with a five set victory over Cooper and then combined with Brooks to put the icing on the cake by winning the double in three (in fact the only straight sets win of the evening), beating Cooper and Burbidge 11-6, 11-6, 11-5.

Park D climb to second spot

The A D Dickinson Division Two results were a bit thin on the ground and the only results submitted concerned Graves Park D, who moved into second place with two solid victories, beating Shodfriars C 8-2 and three nights later beating Pilgrim 8-2. Shodfriars took a shock lead, Dave Hocking beating Paul Matschull but the Park then took over and it was only Roly Sharp who kept Shoddy’s in the game, beating Dave Walters and Sam Smith respectively. In between these games, the Park picked valuable points, Smith and Walters both beating Hocking and Paul Maxwell, while Matschull, who had lost his first game of the evening, beat the seemingly all conquering Sharp in straight ends. The doubles were relatively straightforward, Smith and Matschull combining to beat the Shoddy pair of Hocking and Maxwell with comparative ease for a 7-3 victory.

Three nights later it was Pilgrim in action, a team who seem to be playing all their ‘home’ matches at their opponents’ venue of late. Here again it was the opposition who took the lead, Alan Davy beating James Smith (no Sam Smith for this one), and despite Paul Matschull and Dave Walters beating the two Calverts, it was Fred Calvert who put Pilgrim on level terms with a narrow win over Smith. Nevertheless, the Park ground on, Walters getting the better of Davy, while Matschull made short work of Kit Calvert. It only got better for the Park with Walters overcoming a dogged Fred Calvert while Smith got his name on the board, easing past the young Kit Calvert. Matschull made hard work of beating Davy and then combined with Walters to win the doubles in five, guiding the Park to an 8-2 victory and second place in the table.

Results:

Yates and Greenhough Division One: Shodfriars B 9, Lodgers F 1; Lodgers A 7, Shodfriars B 3; Lodgers G 8, Shodfriars A 2; Shodfriars A 4, Lodgers B 6; Graves Park A 7, Wrangle 3.

A D Dickinson Division Two: Graves Park D 7, Shodfriars C 3; Pilgrim 2, Graves Park D 8.

Report for week ending Friday January 13:

Stickney resume with stylish win

The league has now fully resumed after the festive holiday break. Stickney A, having had mixed results in the first half of the Yates and Greenhough Division One campaign, began the second half in style by beating Lodgers B 6-4. Initially it was Lodgers who looked to have the upper hand, Tim Day giving them the lead with a hard fought win over Paul Hartnett but Stickney hit back, Geoff Bourne beating Vic Clements quite easily. Pete Evans edged Lodgers ahead with a straight set win over Steve Blanchard, but Stickney held firm, Bourne recording his second win of the night beating Day. With Evans easing past Hartnett and Clements just getting the better of Blanchard, Lodgers must have thought they were home and dry. Stickney had other ideas and grabbing the match by the scruff of the neck, saw Bourne complete his hat-trick beating No 7 ranked Evans while Blanchard gained one of his best wins of the season with a straight set win over Day. Stickney were now cooking on gas, Hartnett giving them the lead for the first time beating Clements in three, and then combining with Bourne to win the doubles in four, giving Stickney a memorable 6-4 victory steering them away from the relegation zone.

Wrangle who were firmly anchored at the bottom, took on neighbours Lodgers A, who in the past have had more memorable seasons. However, Lodgers had Graham Lacey back and when Graham plays, Lodgers look a different team. Basically Lodgers swept all before them, Lacey comfortably completing his hat-trick while Colin Bell gave him excellent support, picking up his three with clinical efficiency. Just when it looked as though a clean sweep may have been on the cards, Frank Burbidge broke through, beating Ian Stones in a tight five ender in a game that could have swung either way. However the Lodgers’ pair of Lacey and Bell tidied up in the doubles to steer their team to a 9-1 victory. This defeat puts Wrangle in a perilous position, 19 points adrift of Stickney and with only 10 games left to play. It may already be too late.

At the top Penmaen go marching on, beating Graves Part C 8-2. It was the Park though that drew first blood, Martin Walters narrowly beating Andy Gilbert but with Brett Heppenstall beating a lacklustre Mick East and Brian Hill easily overcoming James Quinton, the Park’s joy soon evaporated.Penmaen swept on winning games with monotonous regularity, Gilbert getting his name on the board, beating first East in four and then completing his night with a scratchy win over Quinton. Nothing it seemed could halt the Penmaen march but in the last game of the night Walters stopped the rot, narrowly beating Heppenstall 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 12-10 to give the scoresheet an air of respectability.

The A D Dickinson Division Two saw Mayflower C ease through into second place, drawing 5-5 with Graves Park D and three nights later beating Pilgrim 7-3. Against the Park, Mayflower got off to the worst possible start losing their first three games, Paul Matschull beating Mick Dodes, Sam Smith having no trouble with Emma Wilson while Dave Walters turned in a good performance to beat No 8 ranked Paul Gilbert 13-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9.

Mayflower regrouped and hit back, Dodes beating young Smith, while Gilbert, after his mauling by Walters, made sure that Matschull didn’t repeat the procedure, beating him in straight ends. Walters gave the Park a cushion of two, beating Watson but Mayflower kept themselves firmly in the hunt, Gilbert beating Smith while Dodes overcame a stubborn Walters. Matschull edged the Park ahead beating Watson but it was to no avail, the Mayflower pairing of Dodes and Gilbert wrapped up the doubles, ensuring both teams went home without defeat. Against Pilgrim it was the visitors who broke through first, and after game five a shock looked to be on the cards as they (Pilgrim) actually led 3-2. However, Mayflower quickly got their game together, Mick Dodes beating Alan Davy and then gaining a walkover over Barry Frankish, who could not continue due to a calf muscle injury. Paul Gilbert, after his first game defeat by Frankish, comfortably beat Kit Calvert and after a tight third end against Davy won the fourth with some ease. Watson got her name on the board with a good win over Calvert, while Dodes and Gilbert wrapped up the doubles in four over the Pilgrim reserve team of Davy and Calvert 11-7, 11-3, 11-9.

Lodgers recorded probably their best victory of the season, beating Nomads 6-4 and this result means that Nomads are beginning to lose touch with the top group. Star of the show for Lodgers was Graham Bonsor, who has not always played to his full potential, but for this match he was “up for it”, outshining Lodgers’ No 1 Tony Kime. Although needing five sets to beat the Clow boys he won through both times, the coup de grace coming with a 13-11, 11-9, 11-6 defeat of Harry Paul. Tony Kime gave him excellent support, beating the two Clows but falling foul of Harry Paul, who has just started to propel himself up the rankings. With the game finely balanced, Bonsor and Kime crowned an excellent night winning a tight doubles encounter, to guide the team home to a 6-4 victory.

At the top Mayflower B reign supreme (the table tennis answer to Chelsea) and even at this stage no one team is going to catch them. It is all about who is going to finish second. Their latest outing saw them visit Stickney B who are finding it difficult to pull away from the bottom three places. Mayflower immediately took control, No 2 ranked Greg Dombek and No 1 ranked Adrian Hering comfortably winning all their games. Their team-mate Greg Pacho though had what might be described as an unlucky night, failing to win a match and although pushing both Tony Hall and Tim Sampson close in the first end he faded in the next two. Despite losing the first two against Cliff Davy, he picked up the third but Cliff with his famous hard bat clinched the fourth 11-9. The top two players in the rankings teamed up for the doubles, beating a defiant Hall and Sampson 11-2, 13-11, 11-6 to gain their team another seven points and the onward march to the title.

Yates and Greenhough Division One: Wrangle 1, Lodgers A 9; Stickney A 6, Lodgers B 4; Lodgers F 2, Graves Park A 8, Graves Park C 2, Penmaen 8.

A D Dickinson Division Two: Graves Park D 5, Mayflower C 5; Mayflower C 7, Pilgrim 3; Lodgers D 6, Nomads 4; Stickney B 3, Mayflower B 7.

Report for week ending Friday January 6:

Action is poised for resumption

The Boston and District Table Tennis League is about to resume after its Christmas break. So the time seems right to have a quick review on how the season has gone so far.

Lodgers G, current champions of the Yates and Greenhough Division One, find themselves in the unaccustomed spot of second place in the table. This is mainly due to Penmaen, the new team on the block, Penmaen having a healthy 12 points lead over their rivals. Having said that Lodgers lead the third placed team by 16 points so the winners and runners-up is virtually all over bar the shouting.

The team of the season though is undoubtedly Shodfriars B who at one stage last season looked set for relegation. In the end managed to survive but this season they have been a revelation. Again mainly due to new signing, one Alan Ashberry, who has obviously played at a higher level, which has 100 percent record shows. Indeed his is No 1 in the rankings and to be above Jimmy Brewster and Brian Hill, he can’t be that bad.

Lodgers A and Graves Park C have largely disappointed but a lot of this could be put down to illness and injury, while Shodfriars A after a very slow start, without a win after six matches, have now won the last three out of four to occupy a healthy sixth place in the table. This is mainly due to “Jake the Pegg” who breaks into the top 10 with an average of 73.33 percent.

Lodgers B, after their promotion last season are doing probably better than expected, while Graves Park A, traditionally a mid-table team are doing just that, mid-table.

Stickney A have really struggled to get their season off the ground with only two victories over Shodfriars A and Lodgers F but despite only losing four some of these defeats have been heavy.

In the A D Dickinson Division Two we have runaway leaders Mayflower C who came into the league late but in fact would grace Division One, three of their players occupying the top three spots in the rankings illustrates my point.

Graves Park B and Mayflower C trail them by 20 or so points but both these teams have lost key players, Mayflower losing Peter Hamlett, while the Park have lost Mike Freeston and at the moment are only turning out with two. That’s three down for a start.

Graves Park D who have only lost one, might just break into the top three probably at the expense of Graves Park B, if they insist of only playing with two players. Nomads have not done as well as expected, suffering defeats against the teams above them.

Pilgrim, Shodfriars C and Lodgers D are all beginning to lose touch but it is nice to see Tony Kime of Lodgers and Barry Frankish of Pilgrim both in the top 10.

Stickney B are also have a poor season and I cannot fathom out why they are so low with the talent they have in that team. Perhaps they don’t all perform on the same night.

The two Development teams, William Lovell and Mayflower D are beginning to lose touch with the teams just above them but both keep getting encouraging results. They have not won any games so far but it is only a matter of time before it begins to come right.