Report For 16/10/07
Division One
Cav's Spell Danger For
Wizards
Welcome all to a new 2007/2008 Table Tennis
season - hopefully you all had a nice summer and I wish you all a successful
(unless you are playing me) season. I am a little out of date because I do not
yet have a fixture list, so this report contains the details of only those score
cards that I have received, but I recognise that some may have been delayed due
to the postal strike.
Of the score cards that I have received, it is good to note the old faces, but it is especially pleasing to see a few new faces too. Two of the Cheltenham B players are unfamiliar (to me at least), Barry Turner and Russell Hayward, so welcome to you both. Also a big welcome to Alex Kearney who I have previously had the misfortune to encounter from the Bristol League enjoying his first season with Cheltenham A in the Cheltenham League and also any others that may have joined us. The third Cheltenham B player is very familiar to me in the form of Graham Slack - it is great to see him back playing competitively again.
Anyway, onto the results.
Newlands A (previously Smiths A) entertained Chelsea Building Society A in a friendly, competitive, if fly ridden match that was well contested and resulted in possibly a predictable 5-5 Draw where no one was left undefeated. Nick Mytton of Newlands played very well beating Simon (1 Inch) Moysey and also the highly prized scalp of Bill Dawe, but unfortunately could not contend with the strength of Guy Greening. Matt Hartwell of Newlands was well beaten by Dawe and was somewhat fortunate to beat Greening in a closely fought five set match. Doug Payne has at last started showing his age by using pimples on the forehand in an attempt to counter his slower movements around the table. Despite only winning one, Doug was difficult to beat and I am sure he will prove this further as the season goes on.
Saracens A played Cheltenham B in a game which saw the return of Graham Slack to competitive Table Tennis and the addition of two new players (to me at least) in the form of Barry Turner and Russell Hayward. The Saracens team comprised of the old stalwarts, Alan Smith, Pete Wood and Roy Fowler. Strangely, every game was won three straight, with only Graham Slack of Cheltenham B providing any solid resistance winning two of his three matches. Alan Smith for Saracens was on top form winning his three games in straight sets, while Graham Slack easily beat Pete Wood and Foxy, but had no answer to Alan's clever us of long pimples.
Two of the Winchcombe sides (Cavaliers and Wizards) clashed in the first game of the season which resulted in an emphatic ten nil win for the Cavaliers. Both Luke Moffatt and Graham Brown enjoyed comfortable maximum wins over the Wizards who were represented by Nick Davidson, Keith Ferguson and Chris Lane. Darrell Wiltshire of the Wizards decided to make a night of it and won all of this games in a deciding and close Fifth set.
Cheltenham A played Cirencester who have returned to the league after a years absence. Cirencester despite their strength were always going to be up against it playing Cheltenham A that comprised of "old man" Dave Harvey, his youngest son Robert Harvey, and the new kid on the block Alex Kearney. Both Dave Harvey and Alex completed a maximum of largely untroubled wins and were well supported by Robert who lost just the one game to David Adamson in a close five set match. Dave Harvey and Alex Kearney then combined to take the doubles and the match by a score of 9-1. Cirencester were represented by David Adamson, Gordon Shaw and Howard Williams - welcome back Howard, nice to see you playing again!
| Newlands A |
5 |
Chelsea BS |
5 |
|
| Saracens A |
8 |
Cheltenham B |
2 |
A. Smith |
| Winchcombe Cavaliers |
10 |
Winchcombe Wizards |
0 |
L. Moffat, G. Brown, D. Wiltshire |
| Cheltenham A |
9 |
Cirencester |
1 |
D. Harvey, A. Kearney |
Division Two
It's All Smiles For
Iles With Saracens Win
Cheltenham D got their season going with an excellent 6-4 win over
Saracens B. No player was able to claim a
maximum on the night, but braces for Alan Harvey and Chris James set them on
their way. Den Wadley picked up two excellent wins for Saracens and only just
missed out on a maximum, losing 12-10 in the fifth set to James. James too can
consider himself unlucky not to have recorded a maximum, again losing 12-10 in
the fifth set, on this occasion to Terry Sims. The Harvey and Matt Mulcahy
combination continued where it had finished at the end of last season, winning
comfortably in the doubles to ensure the victory for Cheltenham.
Saracens C recorded a good 6-4 win over Tewkesbury A, thanks largely to the excellent form of Niall Pawsey. His maximum, along with a brace for Tony Iles, set Saracens off to a great start. Tewkesbury’s response came largely from the in-form Mike Tyrrell, who won two matches convincingly and only just lost out to Pawsey in an exciting five-setter. Some of the rallies between these two players were tremendous and it was an open game of attacking and counter attacking. Simon Lockley picked up a steady win over Neil Penny and Tyrrell combined well with John Goodchild to secure a useful point in the doubles for Tewkesbury. However, it was not enough to avoid a first defeat of the season as Saracens took the victory.
CCS A started their season with a crushing 9-1 win over Tirley Tigers. Maximums for Dave Hart and Steve Murton, and a brace for Jon Nixon, helped them towards an excellent victory. Pete Humble picked up Tirley’s only point with a straight sets win over Nixon. Tirley battled well, and Elaine Marshall was unlucky not to steal a point in her five-set defeat to Murton, whilst Janie Kirby couldn’t quite get past Nixon, losing 12-10 in the fifth set, having been 2 sets to one up. Hart and Murton wrapped up the win with a convincing doubles victory.
Cheltenham C were relatively untroubled as they whitewashed Saracens D 10-0. Maximums for John Gaskill, Dave Green and Nick Scott charged Cheltenham towards this victory. Saracens did their best to stop the rot, but it was always going to be difficult to halt the title contenders, and a four set defeat in the doubles completed a miserable night for the home side.
| Saracens B |
4 |
Cheltenham D |
6 |
|
| Tewkesbury A |
4 |
Saracens C |
6 |
N. Pawsey |
| CCS A |
9 |
Tirley Tigers |
1 |
D. Hart, S. Murton |
| Cheltenham C |
10 |
Saracens D |
0 |
J. Gaskill, D. Green, N. Scott |
Division Three
Saracens Shoot Down
Eagles
Pete McGeough led
Saracens E to a 7-3 victory over
Winchcombe Eagles but he was taken to five
games by both Tiffany Hopton and Roly Holder. Tiffany beat Sheila Matthews and
Roy North to claim two of Eagle’s points.
Tewkesbury B overcame their C team 8-2, Alan Cook leading the way by winning all three of his sets. For Tewkesbury C, Wayne Lippett recorded a notable victory over Mike Maxwell, shading the fifth game 11-8.
Cheltenham E completed a comprehensive 10-0 win over a Cheltenham F side who were a player short.
Cheltenham F did however register a win of their own against Cheltenham G. Sean Whitelow was in good form, winning all of his sets, whilst for the G side, Ryan Godwin was out of luck, losing in three five set encounters.
| Tewkesbury B |
8 |
Tewkesbury C |
2 |
A Cook |
| Winchcombe Eagles |
3 |
Saracens E |
7 |
P. McGeough |
| Cheltenham G |
8 |
Cheltenham F |
2 |
S. Whitelow |
| Cheltenham F |
0 |
Cheltenham E |
10 |
C. Maisey, D. James, M. Brook |
