A decisive blow was struck in the top of the table clash from the top flight of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior league this week, with the same occurring in the 3rd Division.
Division 1
Defending champions Whistlers A earned themselves a pivotal 6-4 victory over Whistlers B in the crucial top of the table clash this week, leaving them with a 2-point advantage at the top, with just 9 fixtures remaining. Their last meeting ended as a 5-5 stalemate, but on this occasion, they overturned a 3-1 deficit to squeeze through, winning the final 2 matches of the night to get over the line. Recently crowned Capelles Open Singles champion Joshua Stacey picked up straight sets singles wins over Oskar Cleal and Mark Pipet, whilst Matthew Casey defeated the same players, each over the course of 4 sets. The duo combined in what proved to be a defining doubles victory over Lawrence Stacey and Cleal. Trailing 2-1, the victors clinched the 4th 11-8 and then saved a match point in the decider, on their way to edging it 12-10. Joseph Bourgaize added an important win of his own over Pipet in straight sets. For the defeated Whistlers side, Lawrence proved to be in top form as he only dropped a single set to Bourgaize on his way to a trio of singles wins. Cleal added a further win over Bourgaize, managing to secure the deciding 5th set 11-8, in a match which Bourgaize had fought back strongly from a 2-0 deficit.
6th placed side Lions E earned a narrow 6-4 win over 5th placed side Lions D to move level on points with them in the table. Ben Foss’s return to domestic league table tennis action is proving successful as he made it 6 consecutive singles wins this week. This included a strong 4-set win over Phil Ogier, just his 5th singles loss of the campaign so far. His other wins came over Cameron Powell and Mark Fallaize, also in 4 sets. Steve Ozanne added wins over Powell in 4 sets and Fallaize in straight sets, whilst he teamed with Mark Fenwick to edge past Ogier and Fallaize in 5 sets in the doubles rubber to secure the points. For the beaten Lions D side, Ogier defeated Fenwick and Ozanne in straight sets, Fallaize edged past Fenwick in a close 4 set encounter and Powell secured a narrow 5 set win over Fenwick, 11-9 in the decider.
7th placed side Lions C remain 2 points ahead of Ravenscroft Panthers A after holding them off in a hard fought 5-5 stalemate. The Lions side were up against it when trailing 4-2, however a strong finish secured a point, with it all going down to the final match of the night. Recent Capelles Open Singles runner-up Paul Hainsworth was key to the result for the Lions side, as he was unbeaten. This included a 4 set win over Nye Matthew, a straight sets win over Luke Evans and crucially, a 5 set victory over Barney Groves in the final match of the night to secure the point for his team, 11-7 the score in the decider. Hainsworth was also on hand to combine with Caden Brouard in the doubles clash, where they dispatched Groves and Evans in straight sets. Brouard was unfortunate not to get a result against Groves as having led 2-1, he was edged out 11-9, 11-9 in the final 2 sets of the encounter. He however took this strong form into his encounter with Matthew and produced his best performance of the season, securing an excellent straight sets win over the high-flying Matthew. Each of the Panthers players picked up singles wins over Connor Powell, whilst Evans played well during his tight 4 set win over Brouard, in which the final set was finally secured 16-14.
Bottom placed side Ravenscroft Panthers B took full advantage of the absent averages leader Alex Robinson from 3rd placed side Lions B and won 7-3, moving them to just a single point behind their A side. Junior Micah Cohen had a fine evening in which he was unbeaten. Having earned straight sets wins over both Ollie Sparks and reserve Ian Le Page, he earned himself a super 5 set win over Jamie Ferbrache in the final game of the night. Ferbrache looked to be on his way to securing a comeback win after winning sets 3 and 4 for the loss of just 6 points, however Cohen fought hard and managed to seal it 13-11 following some tense points at the end of the encounter. Andy Gill added wins over Sparks and Le Page in straight sets, whilst Marli Barker defeated Sparks in straight sets. The doubles was won by Gill and Barker over Ferbrache and Sparks in 4 sets. Ferbrache picked up consolation straight sets wins over both Gill and Barker, whilst Le Page fought back from 2-1 down to oust Barker 11-9 in the deciding set.
Division 2
League leaders Whistlers D remain a comfortable 3 points clear at the top after they earned a crushing 9-1 win over 3rd placed side Lions F, highlighting the strength of their team. The fixture also saw a welcome return to action of Keith Opie, who has been absent due to injury. Opie was straight into the action with a humdinger against Brian Ferbrache, whom he defeated 11-8 in the deciding set. He followed this up with a 4 set win over Sparks, before being involved in another tight tussle. Leading Andy Ferbrache 2-0 in the final match of the night, he looked set for the perfect return, however Ferbrache battled strongly and earned a super comeback 5 set win, to prevent the the whitewash. Averages leader Craig Dunning and Kay Chivers were each in strong form, as they earned singles victories over the Lions trio, with just a single set dropped by Dunning to Andy in the process. The pair also won the doubles over Brian and Andy in straight sets.
Division 3
In an identical situation to Division 1, 2 rival teams from the same club headed into battle this week with nothing separating them. Like Division 1, there was a winner and Ravenscroft Panthers E are now 2 points clear of Ravenscroft Panthers G following a solid 7-3 win. Shaun Mosley proved to be the difference for the victors as he was unbeaten. This included a superb straight sets win over averages leader Phil Harris, whilst he also defeated junior Thea Cummins in 4 sets and Mark Windsor in straight sets. The doubles was won by Mosley and Steve Martin over Harris and Windsor in 4 sets. Martin added a win of his own, overcoming Cummins in a close 5 set clash, whilst junior Olivia Gilbert had a strong night which saw her defeat Windsor in 5 sets and fellow youngster Cummins in a tight 4 set encounter in which 3 sets went beyond the regulation 11 points. For the defeated Panthers side, Harris beat Martin in 4 sets and Gilbert in straight sets, whilst Windsor edged out Martin 12-10 in the deciding 5th end.
Division 4
Ravenscroft Panthers H took full advantage of no fixture for the table topping Lions K side and moved to just a single point behind, albeit the league leaders have a game in hand. They defeated 8th placed side Whistlers M 7-3 this week. Tom De La Rue defeated Dan Petty in straight sets, Sabato Folmi in 4 sets and Jonny Beck in 5 sets. Jack Dorey added wins over Petty in straight sets and Folmi in 4 sets, whilst he also teamed with De La Rue to earn a straight sets doubles win over Petty and Beck. Reserve Asher Cohen added a straight sets win over Petty to extend the margin of victory. For the beaten side, Beck defeated Dorey and Cohen in straight sets, whilst Folmi added a straight sets win over Cohen.