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

11th January 2010
WEATHER DECIMATES LEAGUE FIXTURES

With the cup and Christmas breaks over it was the turn of the weather to hold the league programme up in the Colchester and District Table Tennis League. There was only one result in Division One this week where Walton B move up to fourth place with a 6-4 win over H20 Rowhedge C. No player completed the match unbeaten, Neil Crook coming closest for Walton just missing out 11-9 in the fifth end to Mark Smith. Smith junior’s two wins proved his best return so far, also claiming the notable scalp of Kevin James in his first Colchester appearance.

In Division Two Gt Horkesley C go third following a 6-4 win over Clairmont who move out of the relegation zone. This was chiefly due to Paul Tracey who completed his fifth maximum of the season doing the double over Wuidong Liu. Clairmont had previously lost to rivals Pegasus B 7-3 without Tracey with Paul Hewitt putting in a sterling effort winning his three. Pegasus however, slipped up this week however, downed 8-2 by Lawford B. John Mills was in top form winning three, the highlight of which was a 16-14 final set win over Tony Eversden, backed up by another close two point margin in the fifth over Toby Turner.

Dedham have been catching up on their outstanding fixtures and have moved up to fourth in Division Three courtesy of a 5-5 draw with H20 Rowhedge E and a 6-4 defeat to St Mary’s B. Daryl Lott was unlucky not to complete his first maximum of the season, after losing the opening game to Marjorie Culham 13-11 in the final set he secured the draw with a dramatic 11-9 win in the last set of the last game against Andy Franklin. George Berry secured his seventh maximum for Dedham , but despite his best efforts he could not stop his team going down 6-4, as John Sorrell and Roy Cole won two apiece for the West Bergholt team. The story was much the same with Pegasus D’s 6-4 win over Tollesbury B where the only unbeaten player, Rob King was on the losing side.

It’s tight at the top of Division Four with just two points covering the top three teams. The University of Essex join Lawford C in second place two points behind leaders H20 Rowhedge G who do have games in hand. Rob Bozier made it seven straight maximums as he firstly lead his team to an 8-2 win over Lawford E and the same score line over H20 Rowhedge H. Lawford C dropped points against their F team as Steve Marr battled almost singlehandedly, winning his three singles. Following two good results CRGS have moved into fourth place

The Cup Knockout stages have been reached and in the Kiltie cup the top two in Division One meet at the Semi-final stage following H20 Rowhedge A’s shock defeat to their ‘B’ team. Their opponents are St Mary’s A, who topped their group, just pipping Gt Horkesley A who play H20 Rowhedge B. In the Intermediate cup Lawford A meet Gt Horkesley C and Walton D, H20 Rowhedge D. St Mary’s C play Essex University A, whilst H20 Rowhedge G go up against Lawford C in the Minor Cup.

Colchester League players are reminded that entry’s for the closed tournament in March are due in by the end of this month.