SENIOR LEAGUE 2022-23 WEEK 14

Division 1

The top-flight of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues remains closely contested with just 4 points separating the leading 4 sides.

Despite the tightness at the top of the league, Whistlers C hold a 2 point lead and have been top since the 5th week of the season.

This week they were comfortable 7-3 winners over 7th placed side Lions E. Alice Edwards was in fine form for the leaders, dispatching Ryan Bichard, Steve Ozanne and reserve Connor Powell, without dropping a set. Dawn Morgan added a straight sets win over Ozanne and a tight 5 set win over Powell in a match where she needed to come back from 2-1 down. The duo also teamed strongly to beat Bichard and Ozanne in straight sets in the doubles clash. Mark Pipet extended the margin of victory due to his straight sets win over Powell. For the defeated Lions side, Bichard beat Morgan in 4 sets and Pipet in straight sets, whilst Ozanne overturned a 2-1 deficit to defeat Pipet in 5 sets in the final match of the evening.

Lions C ensured the lead remained at just 2 points thanks to their slender 6-4 win over 5th placed side Lions B. Joshua Butler, Liam Robilliard and 2nd Division reserve Nye Matthew all defeated Jamie Ferbrache and Chloe Le Tissier in singles action to make sure of the win. For the beaten B side, averages leader Ben Foss was unbeaten with a trio of straight sets singles wins and he also teamed with Ferbrache to beat Butler and Robilliard in straight sets in the doubles encounter.

Lions A slipped a further point off the leading duo after being held to a surprise 5-5 draw with bottom placed side Lions D. Paul Hainsworth was instrumental in the surprise result due to his unbeaten evening of singles action. He started with a 5 set win over Jez Powell in a match where he trailled 2-1 before he earned a comfortable straight sets win over Peter Bretel. He saved his best performance for last when he earned an impressive 4 set win over Phil Ogier, who was 2nd in the Division 1 averages at the time. Charlotte Casey battled hard in the match opener to defeat Bretel 11-9 in the 5th and deciding end and Andy Gill also defeated Bretel in straight sets to secure the unlikely draw. Ogier and Powell mopped up the remaining singles rubbers against Gill and Casey and also combined in the doubles to beat the same duo in straight sets.

Whistlers B are just a single point further back after they earned a mightily impressive 9-1 rout of 6th placed side Whistlers A, who were only a single point behind prior to the fixture. Joshua Stacey maintained his strong form thus far in 2023 with an unbeaten evening. He defeated twin Lawrence well in straight sets on top of straight sets wins over Ryan Gilson and Ben Sharp. Matthew Casey had his strongest night of the season as he also went unbeaten. His best win was in his final match against Lawrence and despite Lawrence fighting back from 2-0 down to force a decider, Casey recomposed himself and closed out the deciding end 11-6. His other wins came against Sharp in 5 sets and Gilson in 4 sets. Joseph Bourgaize also had a solid evening which consisted of singles wins over Gilson in 5 sets and Sharp in straight sets. Casey and Bourgaize combined to win the doubles over Gilson and Sharp in straight sets. Despite his difficult evening, Lawrence saved some pride for his side when he comfortably beat Bourgaize in straight sets.

Division 2

League leaders Lions F dropped points for the second consecutive week, having won their first 12 matches of the season. This time however it was a 5-5 draw and it came against their nearest title rivals Whistlers D - a result which leaves them with their hefty 6 point advantage intact at the top. High flying Nye Matthew has lost just 1 singles match all season and the averages leader impressed here once more. He was a ruthless straight sets winner over Kay Chivers in his opening match, dropping just 15 points, before he beat Shelby Timms in 4 sets and reserve Tim Le Page in straight sets. Caden Brouard added straight sets wins over Le Page and Timms to ensure a point was obtained. He too came very close to going unbeaten in singles action but was ousted in 5 sets by Chivers, having fought back from 2-0 down to force the decider. Each of the Whistlers players defeated Connor Powell in singles action, whilst the crucial doubles match ended as a 4 sets win for Chivers and Le Page over Matthew and Powell.

Division 3

Lions I and Ravenscroft Panthers C are locked together on 21 points at the top of the table, in what looks to be the closest run title race across all Divisions.

The Lions side's grip on the Division loosened due to them being held to a 5-5 draw by 5th placed side St Pauls B. Steve Potter led the way for his side with singles wins over Rob Vile, Derek Carter and John Wills, whilst 4th Division reserve Andy Ozanne played excellently in earning a 5 set win over Wills. He also teamed with Potter during their vital 5 set doubles win against Vile and Carter. The Lions side came close to winning the match but lost out in 2 five set matches. Ozanne lost 12-10 in the 5th to Vile, whilst reserve Lionel Jones also lost over the full distance to Vile, despite having led 2-1.

The Panthers side on the other hand had a much more comfortable evening and eased past 7th placed side Whistlers F 8-2. Becks O'Keefe defeated Ian Fitchet, Darren Sarre and Nathan Pinchemain in singles action, whilst Juliette Yeaman and reserve Will Davidson each beat Sarre and Pinchemain. O'Keefe and Yeaman teamed to win the doubles rubber against Sarre and Pinchemain in straight sets. Fitchet prevented the whitewash on the night due to his 4 set win over Yeaman and straight sets win over Davidson.

Division 4

Lions O maintained their slender 2 point advantage at the top after they earned a comfortable 9-1 win against Whistlers I. Andy Ozanne and son Aiden each went unbeaten with wins over Alex Whitten, Morgan Mountford and Leonardo Guariento. Luke Evans beat Mountford and Guariento before teaming with Aiden to beat Whitten and Mountford in straight sets in the doubles encounter. Evans was unable to complete an unbeaten evening as he was defeated in 4 sets by Whitten.
Author: via Guernsey Table Tennis Association
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