SENIOR LEAGUE 2021-22 WEEK 25

The final title of the Doric Insurance sponsored leagues was sealed during the final week of the season as well as other runners-up spots across Divisional titles and individual averages.

Division 1

Champions Lions A finished strongly with a 7-3 win over a weakened Whistlers A side in a result that also did fellow club team Lions B a favour, as they ended out as runners-up for the season. Ben Foss and Ryan Bichard have each had strong seasons for the title winners and they were each on hand to record evenings of unbeaten singles action. Foss was particularly emphatic during his wins over Ryan Gilson, Mark Pipet and reserve Matthew Board without dropping a set, whilst Bichard needed the full 5 sets against both Gilson and Pipet, 12-10 and 11-9 respectively in the 5th and final ends of those encounters. Steve Ozanne added a further straight sets win over Board to extend the margin of victory. Pipet and Gilson each battled past Ozanne in 5 and 4 sets respectively to spare some pride and the duo also combined very well to decisively see off Foss and Ozanne in straight sets in the doubles rubber.

Lions B took full advantage of the result and managed to sneak 2nd spot after they comfortably defeated another weakened side in the form of 4th placed Whistlers B. Averages winner Phil Ogier, Liam Robilliard and Sam Clark all were winners on the night over reserves Erin Vaudin and Stuart Sarre to secure the points with Robilliard and Clark adding a further win in the doubles over Lawrence Stacey and Vaudin in straight sets. Stacey just about managed to come through the encounter unscathed and this was essential in him finishing joint runner-up in the averages alongside Foss. He trailed Robilliard 2-1 before winning 11-8 in the decider and then also battled impressively past averages winner Ogier 11-7 in the decider, just the 3rd singles loss in league action all season for the Lion's man. His other win came over Clark in 4 sets.

Lions C just about missed out on the chance to pinch 4th spot from Whistlers B after being held to a 5-5 draw by bottom placed side Whistlers C. In the end it was just games ratio which saw the Whistlers side ahead in the table with each team finishing on 16 points. The bottom placed Whistlers side were coming into the fixture with confidence after their first win of the season in a re-arranged fixture against Whistlers B on the Monday evening which they won 7-3. They continued where they left off just 2 nights reserved in a strong manner and with a 3-1 lead were in a strong position in the pivotal doubles rubber where Matthew Casey and Joseph Bourgaize held a lead in the deciding 5th end against Andy Gill and Charlotte Casey. The Lions duo however battled hard and won some crucial points on their way to sealing it 12-10. Prior to this Bourgaize had put in some strong performances to beat both Gill and Casey in 4 sets, whilst Matt had beaten sister Charlotte in 4 sets. Paul Hainsworth had put his side on the board with a straight sets win over Ellis Tomlin. The Lions side took control of the match from this point forward and won the next 3 matches to put themselves 5-3 up. Hainsworth finished his evening with a 4 set win over Casey and straight sets win over Bourgaize, whilst Gill had seen off Tomlin in straight sets. They could not quite get the job finished on the night though as Tomlin battled past Charlotte in 4 well contested sets and Matt withstood a 2-0 comeback from left-hander Gill to comfortably take the deciding 5th end and salvage the point.

Division 2

The final champions across all leagues were crowned this week and it was Whistlers D. They were in pole position to take the title and needed only to defeat bottom placed side Whistlers E and they did so emphatically as expected, a decisive 9-1 rout the final score. Kay Chivers and Erin Vaudin both defeated Stuart Sarre, Darren Sarre and Matthew Board in singles action as well as teaming to beat Stuart and Board in the doubles over 4 sets. Keith Opie added wins over Darren and Board, but was beaten in straight sets by Stuart in the match opener.

St Pauls A finished as runners-up despite being beaten 6-4 by a 4th placed Lions F side who really picked up form in the latter half of the season and in the end only finished 5 points off 2nd spot. They ended up winning 8 of their last 12 matches of the season and only tasted defeat in 2 matches during that spell. Nye Matthew and Caden Brouard both impressed in the match as each defeated Maurice James, Trevor Bourgaize and reserve Rob Vile in singles action to take the points.

 

The Association now moves ahead to a busy period of Channel Island and Inter-Insular action for the first time in 3 years. Action kicks off with the Island Championships on Friday 22 April 2022, culminating with Island Championships finals night on Wednesday 27 April 2022. There is little time for rest for the resultant Guernsey Island winners as they are then facing off against their Jersey counterparts in Guernsey on Friday 29 April 2022 in the CI Championships before the weekend concludes with the Inter-Insular team events on Saturday 30 April 2022, finishing with the traditional Green trophy encounter in the evening.
Author: via Guernsey Table Tennis Association
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