8th Report - WL, 10/03/2024
DIVISION 1 REPORTS from David Barnes
Week 21
There seems to be just no stopping Stanford Le Hope A’s Mitchell Jones. Another week goes by, and yet again it is another maximum without a set being dropped. This week’s opponents were Brand Identity B. However, a special mention should be made for Brand’s Adam Jackman. He very nearly took a game off Mitchell, eventually losing it 11 - 8. Believe me, this is an outstanding effort and represents the nearest anyone has got to unnerving the Stanford man so far this season!
A hat trick for RESSC’s skipper Bob Skews wasn’t enough to give his side victory over visiting Canvey A. Two wins each for Peter Cray and Ray Wilson and a single from Jo Hills gave Canvey a 5 - 4 win. John Holland got the home side’s other point.
It was an all round team effort from Invicta A this week, Tony Ayliffe, Steve Marr and Lee Marson each gaining two successes in their 6 - 3 home win over Rawreth Megazone C. Adi Kamma was the visitor’s best player, taking a brace and narrowly losing out to Steve, whilst veteran Colin Barham chipped in with their other gain.
With Hadleigh Forum B only able to field two players when they entertained Lentern, a home win seemed unlikely. So it proved, with Paul Fawell and David Woolmer only managing one win each. Lentern’s Martin Archie took the POM award in the away side’s 7 - 2 victory.
Mapledene’s skipper Andy Seaman took all the plaudits in his side’s home win over Hadleigh Forum C. His maximum, together with two from Anthon Ranjit-Singh and one from Dawn Baldry gave them a 6 - 3 win. The Forum side of Tony Mace, Satwant Gill and Mark Everard each had one success.
Week 24
5 - 4 was the score in all but one game this week The exception occurred when RESSC visited bottom side Hadleigh Forum C. Maximums from POM Bob Skews and John Holland, together with two from Ron Coutts, gave them an 8 - 1 win. Veteran Tony Mace saved the home side’s blushes with a single victory.
A close affair between Lentern and Brand Identity B was won by Lentern 5 - 4, despite Brand’s skipper Barrie Delf being unbeaten. Paul Sims and John Tendler won two each, and Wayne Farmer one for Lentern. Mick Grout got Brand’s other victory..
With leaders Stanford Le Hope A without a game this week, second place Invicta A had a chance to make up ground on them. On paper their visit to lowly Hockley C should have given them optimism to mass a fair number of points. However, Hockley’s Joseph Odegbami had other ideas. His POM maximum meant the visitors had to settle for a narrow 5 - 4 win. Stalwarts Steve Marr and Tony Ayliffe got two each for Invicta, while Lee Marson added a single, as did Oliver George for Hockley.
Rawreth Megazone C had a 5 - 4 success over visitors Mapledene. No player was unbeaten. The home side’s POM Trevor Ward and Gary McCarthy won two each, with Colin Clements adding an important single. Dawn Baldry and Anthon Ranjit-Singh got two each for the visitors.
5 - 4 was also the score in favour of visitors Hadleigh Forum B as they ventured onto the island to take on Canvey A. Paul Fawell was their hero, being unbeaten and taking the POM award. Tony Jacks and Dave Woolmer contributed one win apiece. For the home side, Peter Cray and Ray Wilson won two each.
Division 2 reports from Paul Strutt
Week 24
With just two games left to play in the season Matchpoint A extended their lead over Basildon A by a further point this week and now sit six points clear at the top of the table. Matchpoint dismissed Invicta B 8-1 whilst Basildon overcame Runnymede 7-2 which leaves Matchpoint with one hand firmly on the winners trophy.
The league leaders fielded their youngest side against Invicta Evie Knaapen and James and Lucy Elliott and they were rarely troubled. A hat trick for Knaapen, a perfect hat trick for James Elliott and a brace for Lucy Elliott who found Barbara Chabior one step too far.
Basildon’s game against Runnymede must have been one of the quickest of the week as every game except one was over in three sets. The exception was Steve Wisbey’s game against Stephen Walters which saw Runnymede’s Steve come out on top in five sets. Dmitri Kisil also overcame Walters but otherwise Basildon’s Les Hoey and Arun Joy proved unbeatable.
In the clash of the third and fourth placed teams Wakering overcame their rivals Stanford B 6-3 to move above them in the league table. Callum Turner was again Wakering’s star player with a hat trick but he was pushed all the way in the opening match having to come back from two sets down against Mark Downey. Downey did get a form of retribution by beating Paul England also in five sets and team mates John Handscombe and Adrian Armstrong also recorded single victories for Stanford. Paul England won two for Wakering and Stewart Mills the other point.
Bottom of the table Basildon B fell to another defeat against Hockley D 6-3 but there was plenty of fight provided by Jenne Siebolt in particular, who went to five sets in all his matches. He overcame Paul Ogden and Paul Strutt and, having come back from two sets down against Tony Molisso he lost 11/9 in the fifth. Andy Roff picked up Basildon’s other point beating Molisso and at one stage Basildon led 3-2 but a run of four winning games gave the away team victory meaning there were two wins each for the Hockley trio.
Player of the Week – James Elliott
Team of the Week - Wakering
Week 21
The Division 2 title may well have been decided this week as Matchpoint A emerged victorious in the battle of the titans 7-2 against Basildon A. These two teams have been battling it out at the top all season but now, with just three games to go for both sides, Matchpoint have opened up a five point gap at the top of the table. Looking at their final fixtures Basildon look to have the slightly easier games against Invicta, Runnymede and Hockley whereas Matchpoint face Invicta, Stanford and, interestingly, their own B team in the last match of the season. Five points should just be enough to see them home.
The match itself featured three of the top four performers in the league this season, Les Hoey of Basildon and James Elliot and Evie Knaapen of Matchpoint and after the two matches they have played this season they are level on the number of wins. This time Les Hoey got revenge against Knaapen winning in four sets but lost to Elliot in five who claimed revenge for his defeat earlier in the season. The two wins for Hoey were all Basildon could offer as team mates Arun Joy and Szymon Jarka fell short against Elliot, Knaapen and Harry Sawford. Sawford almost matched his teammates hat tricks but for Hoey who came back from two sets down to claim victory.
Wakering kept up the pressure on the top two cantering to a 9-0 win against Invicta B, Zac and Paul England and Stewart Mills recording their personal hat tricks. They sit eight points behind Basildon in third place whilst Invicta sit just two places above the bottom spot.
Basildon B, who occupy that bottom spot, found their attempt to pick up a much needed win prevented by having to field just two players against Canvey B. Somewhat ironic this as Canvey, also a man short, were able to call on Trevor Hayes from their C team. That move couldn’t have worked out better for Canvey as he won both his games whilst team mates Des Duffield and Tony Westwell both succumbed to Jenne Seibolt. Canvey ran out 7-2 winners.
Fellow contenders for relegation Rawreth Megazone E didn’t fare any better than Basildon in their quest for points as Matchpoint B hammered them 8-1. Stephen Heard and Ben Murray both recorded hat tricks for Matchpoint and Debbie O’neil added two more but couldn’t overcome Richard Kidd’s steady play who came back from two sets down to record their consolation point.
There was another big win as Hockley D dismissed Runnymede 8-1 with Ben Cook taking the POTM award whilst Neal Klyman recorded his first hat trick of the season. Tony Molisso won two but eventually succumbed to Tina Hutchinson after a roller coaster five set match. Hockley go above Runnymede with this result now sitting in seventh place.
Team of the Week – Matchpoint A
Player of the Week – James Elliot
DIVISION 3 REPORTS from Dave Woolmer
Week 21
Things are hotting up at the top of Division 3 and, after this week's round of matches, the top 3 teams are separated by a mere 6 points, with a further 4-point gap to the fourth and fifth placed teams. Stanford ‘D’ have a 5-point lead at the top and look to be favourites to take the title as they have played a game less than all their rivals. There are still plenty of points to play for though and anything can happen.
On the table this week, Jan Thorpe was once again the leading light for Rawreth Megazone ‘F’ as they overcame Stanford ‘C’ in a close match. Jan’s maximum was supplemented by a double from Graham Back as Rawreth edged this one 5/4. For Stanford there were 2 wins for Randy Santiago and a win each for Karen Kempster and James Parker.
There was another 5/4 scoreline in the match between Matchpoint ‘C’ and Invicta ‘C’, two of the teams in contention at the top of the table. Despite a fine hat-trick from Invicta’s Trisha Winter, it was Matchpoint who came out on top with Roger Sherman getting the better of Keith Baxter in the 5th set of the last game of the match. Roger also added a win over Brendan Raja and youngsters Lotte Mills (2 wins) and Max Mayo (1 win) also made important contributions. Keith gained the other point for Invicta, coming from 2 sets down to beat Max in the final end.
Stanford ‘D’ moved to the top of the table following a comprehensive 9/0 win over the young Hockley ‘F’ side. The experienced Stanford trio of David Arnett, Vaughan Chambers and Andrew Jessop were in clinical form and wrapped up the match with the loss of only 3 sets. Vaughan Chambers took the POTM award here.
The junior Evolve side found things equally as tough in their match against Hockley ‘E’, although they put up a good fight and the 8/1 scoreline in favour of Hockley was hard on them. Three of the games that went Hockley’s way were only decided in the 5th set and, on another night, the final score could have been a lot closer. For Hockley there were 3 wins each for Keith Denyer and Graham Gregory, with Richard Coulon adding a double. Evolve’s only point came courtesy of a fighting, 5th set win for Teddy Kent over Richard.
Hadleigh Forum ‘D’s Jean Catley, who achieved her first maximum of the season last week, quickly added another as she led her team to a 7/2 win over Matchpoint ‘D’. Her teammates Douglas Brown and Todd Barker had two wins each, although neither could overcome Oliver Milchard who was Matchpoint’s best player on the night.
