News & Views from the Colchester Table Tennis League
with Press Officer Martyn Green

19th December 2007
WALTON C LOSE UNBEATEN RECORD

Rayne A realised their true pedigree at last with a 10-0 win over Walton B in Division One of the Colchester & District Table Tennis League. Ian Whiteside, Andrew McEwan and Dean Andrews were the men in form for the Braintree team with McEwan’s 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 5-11 11-9 the closest win against a winless Kevin James. This result cements Rayne’s position in fourth place whilst Walton’s A team leapfrogged their B team in a 5-5 draw with Gt Horkesley A. Martin Hogg continued his impressive run with three excellent wins, all in four sets against the tricky Richard Goodhand, Jimmy Farrow and Lloyd Bennett-Smith. Horkesley fared better against Walton’s ‘B’ team winning 6-4 with both Goodhand and Farrow unbeaten, recording fine wins over Ian Vine. Walton B held Dedham A to a 5-5 draw, Vine this time winning two, only losing out to Dedham’s maximum man Mike Wright by the narrowest of margins, 12-10 in the final set. Walton A beat St Mary’s B 6-4 with Dave Binns enjoying his best form for a long while winning three, the pick of which was a 11-9, 2-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8 win against Ian Brown. Gt Horkesley remain in the drop zone but have games in hand and if bottom team St Mary’s B can turn Ian Brown out regularly the relegation issue is far from predictable.

In Division Two Walton C suffered their first defeat, 6-4 surprisingly against Lawford A. John Seabrook led the way for Lawford winning his three for the fourth time this season and was supported by Sian Cook who won two. Walton have lost John Rice to Division One and with Colin Dearman teetering on the brink of joining him with six wins when playing up there is hope for the chasing pack yet. Lawford must now consider themselves one of these as they also brushed aside St Peters 9-1 to leave them in trouble at the foot of the table. Matt Webb joined Seabrook and Cook in recording maximums, only the doubles offered the telecoms team with some consolation as Ian Carter and Hazel Hume won in three straight sets. Gt Horkesley B are third with a game in hand over the league leaders following a 9-1 hammering of Anchor Press, the Tiptree teams only success coming from Roger Warren against Peter Armes who won two.

Lawford C have moved to the top of Division Four thanks mainly to Andrea Alleyne’s three wins over H20 Rowhedge H. Alleyne’s best win came against young Mark Smith as she battled to a five set victory 11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 19-17,11-8, her team eventually winning 6-4! Lawford’s D team remain rooted to the bottom of the league however, and their ladies were fruitless against the ladies of Gt Horkesley E in a rare all female encounter! Chris Jones, Denise Thompson and Jennie Clark were the victors against Maggie Earle, Sandy Haffenden and Linda Ablett.

In the team Knockout Cup Gt Horkesley’s ladies were not so lucky as a two-player H20 Rowhedge H team starting 4-0 down came back to win 5-4! Juniors Mark Smith and Andrew Harvey incredibly won their four singles and clinched the match with a four set win over Jones and Thompson in the doubles.

Pick of the team Handicap Cup results was H20 Rowhedge C’s 5-4 win over Anchor Press. Brian Spellor rolled back the years winning his two singles but lost out in the final doubles with Roger Warren against Dave Moss and John Andrews to seal the match for Rowhedge.