Colchester & District Table Tennis League News

Gt Horkesley C won their final two games by convincing margins to secure the Colchester & District Table Tennis League Division Two title. The team, consisting of Wudong Liu, Lloyd Bennett-Smith and Lorrie Austin had not led the Division at any point up until last week, sealed the title with a 7-3 win over H20 Rowhedge D despite Alan Burgess’s best efforts. He beat all three Horkesley players, exacting revenge on Wudong Liu for his defeat in the first half of the season. They celebrated in style with a 10-0 whitewash of Clairmont who were without the prolific Paul Tracey, it must be said. Walton D join them in promotion and in the words of a somewhat pessimistic Gt Horkesley C captain Bennett-Smith “A thumping win… our team looks forward to receiving many such thumping’s next year!!” Their success is a true team effort as Austin missed all but one of the first half of the season’s games, Steve Holland, Phil Wolski and Mike Emerson all doing their bit when ‘playing up’. At the bottom Walton E avoided the ‘wooden spoon’ but not the drop, just edging out Tollesbury A by a point, who finish bottom.

Pegasus B join Division Three champions St Peters in Division Two next season as they won the requisite four points against their ‘C’ team in a 7-3 victory. Tony Eversden and Paul Woolnough won three apiece with David Haslam and Mike Sant being the other team members during their successful campaign.

In the Intermediate Cup Gt Horkesley C have their eyes fixed on a ‘Double’ as they accounted for Walton B 5-0 with their usual personnel to join Pegasus A in the final. They must start as favourites but maybe not if Toby Turner continues his fine form, that has helped the University win the regional cup competition and finish as runner’s up in the league that means they compete in next season’s National University League. Pegasus D accounted for their ‘E’ team 6-3 to reach the Minor Cup Final where they will meet H20 Rowhedge H who beat their ‘I’ team 9-0.

There was a bizarre finish in the semi-final of the Handicap Cup between University of Essex and H20 Rowhedge G which, when poised at 4-4 was conceded by the University as they had overrun their finishing time of 10:00pm having won the first end of the deciding doubles! H20 Rowhedge Captain Darryl Lott had won both his singles and it was a shame match had to end in such circumstances! In another close semi-final Pegasus D edged out Dedham A 5-4 with neither side ever leading by more than one game. The Handicap Doubles semi-final between Gt Horkesley D and Pegasus E was just as close with the Pegasus team again coming out on top 5-4. Barry Steggles, Paul Weston and Vic Little were the triumphant Pegasus players. H20 Rowhedge F had a more comfortable passage beating their ‘E’ team 5-1 thanks to Colin Powell, Nigel Claydon and David Sacker.

Both Handicap finals are to be played on Wednesday 30^th March at the Tollgate Table Tennis Club, Holmwood House School starting at 7:30pm. The Knockout Cup Finals are the following night at the Rowhedge Table Tennis Club, Rectory Road starting at 8:00pm. Spectators are welcome at both venues.

Newly crowned Colchester & District Table Tennis League Division One champions H20 Rowhedge A will meet runners-up Tollgate A in the Kiltie Cup Final. Rowhedge beat Tollgate’s B team 5-1 whilst Tollgate’s A team accounted for Walton 5-2. There were notable wins for Paul Davison over Steve Joslin (-11, 8, -12, 6, 13) and Walton’s young James Denyer against Veteran’s champion Nigel Hodder (3, -6, 7, 10), but apart from that both teams progress was relatively straight forward. Rowhedge’s Michael Andrews and Antony Greenwood along with Tollgate’s Gary Young and Greg Green were all undefeated in their singles. Pegasus A survived a ‘banana-skin’ against their ‘B’ team in the semi-final of the Intermediate Cup, Toby Turner (4 wins) excelling with a superb five-set victory (7, -8, -9, 8, 9) over Ian Whiteside (1 win) that set the tone as his team won 8-1.

In the Handicap Cup quarter-finals Dedham A and Pegasus C fought out the closest match of the round with Dedham just edging it 5-4 thanks mainly to Marlene Smith’s best efforts as she won both her singles as her team came back from 3-0 down. Doug Green also won two singles but missed out when teamed with Nigel Parmenter in the final, decisive doubles against Roy Cole and Marjorie Culham 21-16 in the third end. Dedham A will now meet Pegasus D in the first semi-final who beat a one-player H20 Rowhedge H 7-2. The other semi-final will be contested between holders Essex University, who beat Clairmont 5-0 and H20 Rowhedge G.

In the Handicap Doubles Cup quarter-finals Gt Horkesley D and Lawford D fought out a 5-4 thriller with the ladies from Horkesley taking the final doubles -20, 19, 15 to win by the narrowest of margins. Chis Jones continued her good form winning five out of six of her the doubles games she was involved in. Pegasus E accounted for their A team 6-3, Helen Woolnough winning four of her doubles for the ‘E’ team. In another inter-club match H20 Rowhedge E beat their ‘C’ team 6-2 and Walton B succumbed to H20 Rowhedge F 5-1 after winning the first game!

In the League it’s pretty much as you were with the Division One relegation issue still undecided although Lawford A need only four points from their last match games to ensure they stay ahead of Walton C. In Division Two Gt Horkesley A need six points from two matches to win the title as Walton D slipped up losing 6-4 at Clairmont. Both Tracey’s were in top form, Paul winning three and Mike two. H20 Rowhedge F still await their fate in Division Three as they are second having finished their matches, three points ahead of Pegasus B who still have to play their ‘C’ team needing four wins to ensure promotion. H20 Rowhedge H must surely win Division Four needing just three points from their final two matches, remaining the only team unbeaten in the league!

Players are reminded the AGM and Presentation Evening has been moved forward to Tuesday 12^th April at the Colchester Indoor Bowls Club, the usual venue.

With the preliminary groups nearing completion in the Colchester & District Table Tennis League cup competitions H20 Rowhedge I came out as surprise 5-4 winners against one of the favourites Gt Horkesley C. Ed Rudge starred winning his two singles and combining with Lajos Zsisku to win the final doubles with the match at 4-4. Lajos also had a fine five set doubles win with Ed’s sister, Alice against Jennie Clark and Denise Thompson, 12-10 in the final end. In the Intermediate cup Group One Pegasus A accounted for Lawford C 8-1, Lawford’s only success coming through Tom Malster’s fine win over Steve Noble. Toby Turner and Clive Forster were both unbeaten for Pegasus. In Group Two H20 Rowhedge F had a walkover against Essex University, the same as H20 Rowhedge D and Walton B against hapless Dedham A in Group Four. In the same group Walton B made light work of H20 Rowhedge G 8-1 thanks mainly to James Denyer and Tony Oswick who went through the card undefeated. Pegasus B beat H20 Rowhedge E 7-2 in Group Three with Mike Sant unbeaten, supported by Ian Whiteside who won both his singles.

In the Handicap Cup pick of the matches was Essex University’s 5-4 defeat of H20 Rowhedge E. Despite Peter Kirkland’s best efforts, winning both his singles. Adam Bowes with three wins was the University’s star player, his only defeat coming at the hands of veteran Pete Giles in three very close sets. Lawford B in winning the first five games effectively sealed the match running out 7-2 winners against Gt Horkesley E. Tom Malster once again impressed along with Phil Daley who was unbeaten in both singles and doubles.