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Whistlers A remain two points clear at the top of the Doric Insurance Division 1 as they continue to do just enough to win their matches.
Their previous five wins have all been narrow 6-4 triumphs and this again was the score as they beat a tough fourth placed Lions D side.
Joshua Stacey was important to the result as he was unbeaten on the night. His best win came over Phil Ogier in a match where he fought back from 2-1 down to win 11-9 in the decisive fifth end. His other singles wins came over Jamie Ferbrache and Steve Ozanne in straight sets, however he also played a hand in the crucial doubles win obtained. Alongside Matthew Casey, they battled back from 2-1 down to edge past Ogier and Ferbrache, 11-8 the score in the final set.
It was Casey that picked up the remaining two rubbers for the victors as he beat both Ferbrache and Ozanne in four sets. For the defeated Lions side, all players defeated Joseph Bourgaize in singles action, whilst Ogier added a further four sets win over Casey.
Whistlers B remain two points adrift in second, following their comfortable 7-3 win over seventh placed side Lions E.
Recent Capelles Open Singles Champion Lawrence Stacey is in a rich vein of form, which has seen him unbeaten in singles action in the league since early November.
His hat-trick of singles wins here included a nice four set victory over averages leader Ben Foss, which moves him level at the top. His other wins came over Matthew Stubbington and Charlotte Casey in straight sets. Young Oskar Cleal continues to improve and he contributed with two singles victories. He first beat Casey in straight sets, but saved his best for a gritty five set win over Stubbington, the final set being edged 14-12. He also contributed in the doubles rubber alongside Stacey, where they overcame Stubbington and Casey in straight sets.
Dawn Morgan picked up the final win for the Whistlers side due to her straight sets win over Casey. Foss beat both Morgan and Cleal in singles action, while Stubbington beat Morgan in straight sets.
Third placed side Lions C were held to a 5-5 draw by fifth placed side Lions D.
Ryan Bichard was key to the result for the C side as his strong evening saw him unbeaten. He defeated Paul Hainsworth, Jez Powell and Craig Dunning in singles action, for the loss of just a single set to Dunning, while he also combined with Dan Collenette to win the vital doubles rubber.
In the doubles match they trailed Hainsworth and Dunning 2-1, before battling through in five sets, 11-7 the score in the decider. Collenette was the player to secure the other win, but this was tough as he needed to fight back from 2-0 down against Dunning to do so.
For the D side, Hainsworth and Powell each beat Collenette and Connor Powell in singles action, whilst Dunning dispatched Powell in straight sets.
The battle between sixth placed side Lions A and Ravenscroft Panthers A resulted in a convincing 9-1 win for the Lions side, leaving the defeated Panthers side in bottom spot, without a point to their name.
Joshua Butler and Liam Robilliard were each unbeaten, with singles wins obtained over Barnaby Groves, Nye Matthew and Andy Gill. Sam Clark beat Matthew and Gill in four sets, however he was ousted by Groves in five sets, despite having led 2-0. The doubles was won by Robilliard and Clark over Groves and Gill in straight sets.
League leaders Lions F remain three points clear at the top after they secured a surprisingly emphatic 8-2 win over a strong third placed Whistlers C side. Reserve Ellis Tomlin once more proved to be a more than adequate stand-in for averages leader Caden Brouard, as he once more won all of his singles matches. He defeated Paula Le Ber, Kennedy Chepkor and reserve Martin Sarre, dropping just single ends to Le Ber and Chepkor in the process.
James Crocker had one of his best nights of the season as he too was unbeaten in singles action. He beat Chepkor and Sarre in five sets and Le Ber in four sets. Jonah Ingrouille also faired well, earning impressive four sets wins over both Sarre and Le Ber.
Chepkor prevented the whitewash by battling past Ingrouille in five sets and he also combined with Sarre to win the doubles game against Crocker and Ingrouille in four sets.
Odds on champions Ravenscroft Panthers Panthers D now hold a huge nine point lead at the top, however they had their toughest test yet this week, against second placed side Ravenscroft Panthers E and only narrowly won 6-4.
Micah Cohen was unbeaten following singles wins over Richard Wellfair, Xavier Ingrouille and Vikki Stacey, whilst Shaun Mosley added wins over Stacey and Wellfair. The doubles was won by Cohen and Mosley over Wellfair and Stacey in four sets.
For the defeated E side, Ingrouille beat Mosley in four sets, with all players earning singles wins over Steve Martin.
Lions K hold a comfortable four point lead at the top after their 7-3 win over Lions L this week.
Rolands Tracums maintained his strong form with an unbeaten evening of singles action that saw him defeat Ella Le Ber, Frank Coppolo and Helen Barker. Val Guilbert added singles wins over Barker in five sets and Coppolo in four sets, while Diane Le Page overcame Barker in straight sets and Le Ber in four sets.
For the beaten Lions side, Le Ber earned a super five set win over Guilbert in the final match of the night and Coppolo beat Le Page in straight sets. The doubles was won by Barker and Coppolo over Tracums and Le Page in a five set epic.
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