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

12th March 2008
H20 ROWHEDGE ‘A’ RETAIN TITLE IN STYLE

Having already clinched the Colchester & District Division One title H20 Rowhedge A completed the job in style beating runners up H20 Rowhedge B 8-2. Kevin Gowlett extracted revenge for his defeat by Michael Andrews in the recent Colchester championships as did Greg Green over Mike Shore as the two ‘A’ team players recorded excellent maximums aided by John Stubbings who beat daughter Holly in five sets. The defending champions had retained their title the previous week with a 7-3 win over Gt Horkesley A as Dave Cole finishing his season unbeaten. St Mary’s A are the surprise team of the season and they finish third, enjoying their best result of the season beating fourth placed Rayne A 8-2. Gary Young surely the competitions player of the season won his tenth maximum well supported by two of the leagues longest serving team mates Sue Welham and Martyn Green who both won two. This result could allow H20 Rowhedge C to pip Rayne for fourth spot as they closed the gap by also beating Rayne, 6-4 thanks to a Dave Moss treble and drawing 5-5 with Dedham A, Mike Wright once more recording three good wins. Rayne had previously gone one better with a 6-4 win against Dedham and a 7-3 win over Walton A with Steve Kerns recording back-to-back maximums. After a spate of three concessions Walton B are relegated and will almost certainly be joined by St Mary’s B despite a fantastic rear-guard effort that has seen them lose only one of their last six matches this to Gt Horkesley A 6-4. Richard Goodhand completed a good night’s work winning 12-10 against Ian Brown in the fifth end.

Walton C are the Division Two champions as they cemented the title in style with wins over Anchor Press 8-2 and H20 Rowhedge E 6-4 whose ‘D’ team are third, two points behind Gt Horkesley B both with two to play despite two big wins with Fred Button unbeaten in both. Gt Horkesley B also enjoyed good victories both 9-1 with Graham Mortimer spearheading their drive for promotion winning all three in both. However, he lost his unbeaten record winning only one at Walton in an 8-2 defeat as Neil Crook and John Hobson completed trebles. H20 Rowhedge E mathematically still have a chance of promotion but realistically all the important positions are decided. At the bottom St Peters and Tollesbury A are down, the telecom team without a win all season.

In Division Three Pegasus A were the first team in the league to secure promotion and they are now champions and technically could be joined by one of four teams including their ‘C’ team who are second with Clairmont the favourites to finish runners up despite slipping up 8-2 at Pegasus C after a 9-1 win over Rowhedge F. This result almost certainly relegates the village team with either Gt Horkesley D or Tollesbury B who are both locked on the same points but crucially Tollesbury have a game in hand.

Pegasus D and Lawford C are first and second and have completed their fixtures in Division Four. Both must sweat on CRGS A’s last two results seven points will see them overhaul Lawford and thirteen would see them clinch the title with Pegasus at least guaranteed promotion.

At the bottom Lawford D are winless and should finish with the wooden spoon, five points would save Gt Horkesley F the worry.