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

9th November-2009
H20 ROWHEDGE AND WALTON DOMINATE!

With the halfway stage of the Colchester and District Table Tennis League reached the clubs from H20 Rowhedge and Walton are dominating the proceedings. H20 Rowhedge A and G are top of Division One and Four whilst Walton D and E are leading Division’s Two and Three.

There is no doubt H20 Rowhedge A have the strongest squad in the league and despite the loss of Mike Shore they have found an ample replacement in ex-Chelmsford champion Steve Joslin. He was the stand out player, winning his three matches in their 8-2 win over their ‘C’ team to maintain their one hundred percent record having played all teams in Division One. Fred Button continued his rich vein of form with two fantastic wins over Antony Greenwood and Michael Andrews, who he beat in straight sets for the ‘C’ team. St Mary’s A are enjoying their best ever season and have moved into second place following an 8-2 win over Walton C. Maximum men Gary Young and Greg Green are the two most consistent players in the Division and they both have only dropped two matches having played every game! Gt Horkesley lost ground with a 6-4 win over Walton B where Neil Crook proved a thorn in the village teams side winning two, including an excellent five set win over Richard Goodhand; 8-11, 11-3, 11-3, 10-12, 11-4. Aimee Sparkes was the one Horkesley player to beat Crook as she maintained her unbeaten record. Rayne A are making steady progress and they go fourth courtesy of two 7-3 wins. The first, against Walton C was largely due to the Hill family as father and son John and Ali both won three but surprisingly lost in straight in the doubles! Walton A also succumbed in similar fashion and this time it was the turn of Steve Kerns and Ian Whiteside to excel, both undefeated.

John Hobson tops the averages in Division Two and he led the way with a maximum as, Walton D beat Clairmont 7-3. His best win came against the in-form Paul Tracey 11-9 in the fifth end. Indeed Tracey inspired his team to an excellent 6-4 win at Pegasus A which included a straight sets win over Steve Noble. Lorrie Austin did the same thing for third placed Gt Horkesley C, against Pegasus B’s Toby Turner in a 6-4 success. St Peters held H20 Rowhedge D to a 5-5 draw with Roger Warren’s last gasp 16-14 over Peter Kirkland in the final end completing his maximum. H20 Rowhedge I beat Lawford B 6-4 thanks to another Alan Burgess treble.

H20 Rowhedge G look safe bets for promotion as they head Division Four. They comfortably accounted for their H team 9-1. Father and son combo Mark and Sam Burrows maintained their unbeaten record for the season as their team are pursued by Pegasus E who won 6-4 against Lawford E. Stan Flint put in a veteran performance winning his three. University of Essex are a point behind in third with two games in hand as they won 7-3 against St Mary’s C.

Tollesbury A moved to within one point of the lead in Division Three after a hard fought 6-4 win at H20 Rowhedge F. Paul Freeman and Roger Clarke won all six points for the victors. Pegasus B are a further point behind as three result cards in a week came in for them! Chris Smith won six of his games but his team missed out on three wins mainly due to Dedham ’s George Berry efforts as his team won 6-4, winning three of the last four matches that all went the full five set distance! Dedham also beat Pegasus D 7-3 with Berry again unbeaten.