Whistlers C lead the way heading into 2023 as they kept their 2 point advantage intact at the summit of the top flight of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues.
The league leaders maintained their 2 point advantage at the top due to them dispatching bottom placed side Lions D 7-3. Alice Edwards was in cruise control during her trio of straight sets singles wins against Paul Hainsworth, Andy Gill and Charlotte Casey and she also teamed strongly with Mark Pipet to win the doubles encounter against Hainsworth and Casey in straight sets. Pipet himself was a strong straight sets winner against Gill and finished the evening with a hard fought 4 set win over Casey. Division 2 player Paula Le Ber was standing in for Dawn Morgan and she added to the tally when she came past Casey in a close 4 set encounter. For the defeated Lions side, Hainsworth was a comfortable straight sets winner over both Pipet and Le Ber, whilst Gill also defeated Le Ber in straight sets.
Lions C kept on the trail of the leaders due to their narrow 6-4 win over 7th placed side Lions E. Joshua Butler and Matthew Stubbington each defeated Steve Ozanne and Sam Clark in singles action for the victors, however Butler's win against Ozanne came in the final match of the night and he needed to withstand a strong comeback from Ozanne, who had battled back from 2-0 down to force the decider. The decider was anyone's game, but Butler held his nerve and played 2 strong points from 9-9 to claim it 11-9. The duo were also on hand to win the pivotal doubles clash against Ryan Bichard and Ozanne. They trailled in this encounter 2-1 but pinched a crucial 4th end 12-10 before storming through the deciding set 11-4. Liam Robilliard picked up the 6th rubber when he beat Clark in straight sets. Bichard impressed in singles action as he beat Butler in straight sets, Stubbington in 4 sets and Robilliard in 4 sets, whilst Ozanne added a strong 4 set win of his own over Robilliard.
Lions A slipped a further point behind after being held to a 5-5 draw by 6th placed side Whistlers B. Joshua Stacey was in strong form for his Whistlers side as he beat Phil Ogier in 4 sets as well as earning straight sets wins over Jez Powell and reserve Caden Brouard. Matthew Casey also had a strong evening which saw him defeat Powell in 4 sets as well as Brouard in 5 sets in an encounter where he had trailled 2-1. Ogier beat Casey and Joseph Bourgaize each in 4 sets, Powell beat Bourgaize in straight sets and Brouard came from 2-1 down to beat Bourgaize over the distance. The important doubles match was won by Ogier and Powell against Stacey and Bourgaize in straight sets.
4th placed side Whistlers A dropped further adrift from the leaders after being defeated by a 5th placed Lions B side who are now on the same number of points. Ben Foss led the way strongly with singles wins over Lawrence Stacey, Ryan Gilson and Ben Sharp. His best win came against Stacey where he faced a 2-1 deficit before coming through the next 2 tight ends 11-8, 13-11. His other wins were in straight sets. Jamie Ferbrache had a strong evening and provided good backup. He beat Sharp and Gilson in straight sets. The pair came out on top in the all-important doubles rubber where they battled back from 2-1 down to defeat Stacey and Gilson 11-7 in the deciding set. For the defeated Whistlers side all players picked up wins against Chloe Le Tissier, however Gilson needed the full 5 sets. Stacey added a further 4 set win over Ferbrache.
Division 2
Lions F have made it into 2023 unbeaten after recording their record 12th consecutive victory in the Division. Their win this time was an 8-2 triumph over a 4th placed St Pauls A side. Nye Matthew and Caden Brouard continue to be the leading duo in the Division 2 averages and each was unbeaten again in this fixture. They defeated Gary Wilcocks, Maurice James and Trevor Bourgaize in singles action. Matthew was required to fight back from 2-1 down to Wilcocks in the match opener however. The impressive pair also won the doubles against James and Bourgaize in straight sets. Reserve Terry Trustum added a battling 5 set win over James from 2-1 down, but he was beaten in 4 sets by Bourgaize and straight sets by Wilcocks.
Lions I moved to the top of the Division for the first time after they earned a comfortable 8-2 win over a weakened Ravenscroft Panthers C side missing Beck's O'Keefe. The Lions side are ahead only by virtue of having a stronger games ratio than their title rivals. Steve Potter and 4th Division reserve Andy Ozanne were in strong form as each beat Juliette Yeaman, Vikki Stacey and reserve Tia Timms in singles action. Junior 4th Division reserve Aiden Ozanne added a straight sets win over Timms, whilst Potter and Andy won the doubles over Yeaman and Timms in 4 sets.
