The first action from the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues in the new year took place on just the 5th and 6th days of 2022 and saw a few points dropped from leading teams across the top 2 x Divisions.
Defending champions and previous league leaders Lions A slipped a point behind title rivals Whistlers A at the top after slipping to a 5-5 draw against 4th placed side Whistlers B. Lawrence Stacey was fresh from his success at the Open Top 12 qualifying tournament just before Christmas with a trio of singles wins over Ben Foss in 4 sets, Steve Ozanne in 5 sets and Ryan Bichard in straight sets. The final 2 wins were obtained by Ben Sharp over Ozanne in 4 sets and crucially by reserve Mark Pipet in the final match of the night over Ozanne, again in 4 sets. Foss and Bichard each defeated Sharp and Pipet in singles action and also combined to win the doubles over Stacey and Sharp in 4 sets.
New leaders Whistlers A were comfortable 8-2 winners over an under-strength Lions C side missing Andy Gill. Josh Stacey led his team strongly with singles wins over Paul Hainsworth, Charlotte Casey and reserve Jonah Ingrouille, dropping just the single set to Hainsworth in the process. Dawn Morgan and Ryan Gilson added wins over Casey and Ingrouille to complete the victory, whilst Stacey also teamed with Gilson to beat Hainsworth and Casey in 4 sets in the doubles rubber. Hainsworth restored some pride for his side due to his straight sets wins over both Morgan and Gilson.
Lions B are now just 2 points adrift of their A side in 2nd following a narrow 6-4 win over the side at the foot of the table, Whistlers C. Phil Ogier was unbeaten thanks to singles wins over Matt Casey, Joesph Bourgaize and Ellis Tomlin, however he was extended to a deciding 5th end by Casey before taking it 11-6. Liam Robilliard beat Tomlin in straight sets and Bourgaize in 5 sets, whilst Sam Clark finished the win when he beat Tomlin in straight sets. Casey impressed on the night with wins over Robilliard in 5 sets and Clark in 4 sets, whilst Bourgaize also beat Clark in 4 sets. Casey and Bourgaize picked up a strong straight sets doubles win over Ogier and Clark.
Whistlers D now have a clear single point advantage at the top of the Division following a 5-5 draw by title rivals Lions D this week.
The Lions side were held by 4th placed side St Pauls A, mirroring the result from the opening match of the season. Despite being held, Luke Le Tissier was in good form for his side and beat Chas Elliott, Trevor Bourgaize and Maurice James in singles action. Reserve Terry Trustum picked up an important 5 set win over Bourgaize and also teamed with Le Tissier to win a vital doubles match against Elliott and James in 5 sets. Elliott and James each beat Shelby Timms and Trustum in singles action for the St Pauls side, whilst Bourgaize's 4 set win over Timms made sure of the drawn game.
The Whistlers side on the other hand just about went one better and edged a 6-4 win over Lions G. Kay Chivers led her side strongly with singles wins over Andy Ferbrache, Brian Ferbrache and James Crocker, however the encounter with Andy came in the final game of the night and she needed to play her best table tennis to battle through 11-7 in the deciding 5th end. Keith Opie picked up straight set singles wins over Brian and Crocker, whilst Chivers and Opie won the important doubles rubber against Andy and Brian 12-10 in the 4th end to secure the win. All of the Lions players earned wins over Whistlers reserve Ken Falla, whilst Andy added a 4 set win over Opie.
Ravenscroft Panthers B are in an extremely strong position in the Division as they hold a commanding 5 point lead from their nearest rivals Ravenscroft Panthers D.
This week they were ruthless 10-0 winners over Lions H in a fixture where Shaun Mosley, Steve Martin and Richard Edwards each defeated Dave Finn, Lynn Finn and Mike Brehaut. The doubles was the closest match of the night but it saw Martin and Edwards battle back from a 2-1 deficit to overcome Brehaut and Lynn.
Ravenscroft Panthers D returned to winning ways this week having lost their final fixture before the Christmas break but only just as they battled past Lions I 6-4. The fixture included a few surprise results as it firstly saw Steve Potter finally end the unbeaten singles record of Becks O'Keefe comfortably in straight sets, before Juliette Yeaman earned an impressive 5 set win over Potter later in the night. The other Lions wins on the night came from Potter, Graham Mallett and Derek Cave who all beat Tia Timms, however they were unable to gain anything from the encounter with the Panthers players winning the remaining matches.
