HATFIELD PEVEREL RECORD THRILLING FINAL VICTORY 

Hatfield Peverel A became this year's Handicap Knock-Out Cup Champions after beating third Division Bocking 5-4 in a thrilling Final. The second Division side of John Gagg (playing off 65), John Webber (65) and John Parodi (64) looked to be heading for victory, leading 4-2. However, it was the seventh encounter which produced the most dramatic match of the evening and Richard Jennings (65) gave his team a lifeline by scoring his third win, a last gasp 21-17, 15-21, 23-21 success against John Webber. Gordon Fairchild (51) levelled the scores by beating John Parodi 21-18, 21-15 but in the last game of the evening John Gagg used his considerable experience to hold off Garry Fryatt (55) 21-11, 22-20 to seal victory for the Hatfield Peverel Club. You have to feel some sympathy for Richard Jennings on this occasion, he won all three of his games the hard way - 23-21, 23-21 against John Gagg, 23-21, 13-21, 21-19 against John Parodi as well as his success against John Webber, yet he still ended up on the losing side.

ECC regained the Mixed Knock-Out Cup, a trophy they had last won in 1998 with a dominant Final display against Chelmsford. In a match which was played in a different order to the Scorecard - Lucy Wang, Essex's top Lady Veteran player produced a sparkling performance to beat 15 times Chelmsford Ladies Singles Champion Julie Vansertima convincingly 11-4, 11-6, 11-2. David Cole added to the ECC lead by beating Adrian Pitt 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 and Steve Kerns avenged his recent 3-0 defeat to Bradley Hudgell in the Braintree League Mens Singles Semi-Final by giving ECC a 3-0 lead, with a well executed straight sets victory over his young rival. There was no way back for the Chelmsford team and although they fared better in the two Doubles encounters, ECC ran out convincing 5-0 winners.

Lucy Wang and Steve Kerns both made it a treble cause for Celebration as they added to their successes in the Open and Mixed KO Cups by beating Elmtree Graphics 5-0 in the Veterans Knock-Out Cup Final. Elmtree were unable to field their top player John Holland and without his determined defence they were always going to face a tough battle. Sure enough, Lucy Wang's 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8 victory against Ev Lucas, Steve Kerns's 11-8, 11-2, 11-2 success over Phil Smith and Keith Spicer's 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 win against Rod Maclennan represented the singles succeses which enabled ECC to run out 5-0 winners.

 

Steve Kerns

Press & Publicity Officer

Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League