SUCCESSFUL START FOR CHAMPIONSHIP HOPEFULS – MALDON B

Two of the most likely contenders for first division honours met in the first week of the Season in the Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League and it was last year’s second placers – Maldon B who got off to a winning start by beating last year’s Champions – Bocking A, 6-4. 2008 Mens Singles Champion – Neil Charles (undefeated in League matches last Season) made a winning start to his Season, but, he was hard pushed to beat Bocking’s new signing – Dave Cole.

Neil scraped home 8-11, 11-7, 3-11, 13-11, 11-4. Maldon B Captain John Cleasby played his part in his side’s success by beating Kevin Gowlett 7-11, 11-8, 11- 8, 11-9. Another side bolstered by a new signing – OCs A who have added Paul Davison to their ranks have also made a winning start and they were 6-4 winners over Maldon A. However, it was Maldon’s Paul Sayer who stayed undefeated.

Excalibur A have also added a new member to their squad and it was Suffolk County player Andy Warner who stayed undefeated in his side’s 5-5 draw with ECC A. Warner’s hat-trick included a 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 win over Steve Kerns and a last gasp 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 1-11, 12-10 victory against Lucy Wang.

A two-man Chelmsford A did well to beat a strong Liberal A in their second division clash. Waseem Qureshi was the difference between the two teams and he completed his hat-trick of wins by getting the better of Steve Pennell 9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9. Pennell had already made his mark on proceedings by getting the better of Bradley Hudgell 13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9. OCs B also made a winning start beating Chelmsford C 7-3. Robbie Burton won his three singles for the Old Boys.

ECC C and ECC E both made successful starts in division three with the C side beating last year’s fifth division Champions – Kings Road A 6-4. ECC’s Gus Heath played his part by taking his three singles and he received excellent support from Gary Copsey who won twice. ECC E had Bryn Thomas firing on all cylinders as they beat Danbury C 6-4 with Bryn completing his hat-trick of wins with an impressive 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 win over Peter Hance. Thomas had to fight back from 2-1 down to get the better of League President Norman Smith 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8.

Hylands A who have been promoted from division six will certainly be amongst the front-runners in division four, as they have six times Braintree League Mens Singles Champion Terry Dowsett in their squad. Terry will be there to encourage up-and-coming players Brandon Crouchman and his son Scott, but his presence could well lead them to ultimate honours. Terry held his side together as they beat Danbury E 7-3 whilst Paul Durrands impressed for the losers by beating Brandon Crouchman 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9. OCs D made a flying start as they beat a two-man Danbury H 9-1 as Roy Moore and David Porter both stayed undefeated and the only light at the end of the tunnel on this occasion for Danbury was Peter Sun’s five game win over Mick Parkhurst. Ineligible registrations are often a feature at the start of the Season and Rawreth & Hullbridge B found themselves penalised in this manner against Chelmsford D.

With Gordon Swan not meeting the eligibility rules their 8-2 victory was reduced to a 6-4 success. Mike Worship and Paul Churn, two more players with a great deal of experience of playing at a higher level were both undefeated for Rawreth.

Chelmsford E with a 7-3 win over EPHQ are the early leaders in division five and they had Adam Pitt to thank for remaining unbeaten. Pitt did well to beat Ian Hockley 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 11-5. With three games in this division finishing as 6-4 results the success of Hatfield Peverel E stands out most as their victory over Danbury K included wins in all three games that were decided in the tight fifth enders. Even more uniquely all three of their players were caught up in the action. Kevin Gilbank beat Trevor Palmer 8-11, 14-12, 11-9, 14-16, 11-9 in the second game whilst Keith Cullen played his part by getting the better of Martin Knights 11-4, 11-6, 10-12, 10-12, 12-10 in the fifth game and Colin Powell clinched the Hatfield Peverel victory by getting the better of John Knights 12-14, 11-6, 10-12, 12-10, 11-9 in the ninth game. ECC G’s 6-4 win over Chelmsford G was also tightly fought with four of the seven games that were decided in the fifth end being decided by scores of 11-9 or closer.

Chelmsford’s Matt Skeoch, the outstanding player in this match set the tone for the evening by getting the better of Mohammed Mohseni 13-11, 5-11, 11-13, 12- 10, 14-12 in the first game of the night. ECC F’s match against Danbury J was a quicker affair and only one game was decided in the fifth end. Richard Storey stayed unbeaten to lead ECC F to victory. The match between Writtle C and Chelmsford F was unusual in that no player stayed undefeated and no one went home without a win. Writtle’s Tony Lambert and Chelmsford’s Tom Lee and Matt Davis all won twice.

Exclaibur D made a strong start in division six and they had Keith Fitzjohn on top form as they beat Excalibur E 8-2. Fitzjohn’s closest battle was against Hill Dowsett (who won twice for the losers) and he sneaked home 11-7, 9-11, 8- 11, 11-8, 12-10. Chelmsford J represented by Patrick Whelpdale, Michael Whelpdale and Robert Shrimpton were successful against OCs E with an undefeated Patrick Whelpdale dominating the action. With nine of the ten games being decided by 3-1 margins this also represented one of the more unusual scorelines – and one in which it is very difficult to argue as to whether the 7-3 win was a comfortable one or not !

 

Steve Kerns - Press Officer

Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League