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Action in the top-flight of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior table tennis leagues made a welcome return after a week-long break with some hotly contested clashes.
Whistlers B continue to lead the way in Division 1, with a two point advantage after they secured an important 6-4 win over sixth placed Lions E.
Despite this victory, none of the Whistlers players were able to prevent Ben Foss from maintaining his 100% singles average. Foss avenged his loss to Lawrence Stacey in the Whistlers Open Singles just two nights prior, thanks to a commanding four set victory. His other wins came against Dawn Morgan in straight sets and junior Oskar Cleal in five sets. Cleal played some excellent table tennis in this clash and led 2-1, before Foss raised his level to take the final two sets for the loss of just eight points.
Matthew Stubbington also defeated Cleal in five sets and came close against Lawrence, losing out in five sets. He lost his other singles match against Morgan in straight sets. All of the Whistlers players picked up singles wins against Charlotte Casey, whilst the important doubles match was won by Stacey and Morgan over Stubbington and Casey in four sets.
Lions C remain in second spot and did superbly to edge past fifth placed side Lions D, despite having two reserves in their team. Ryan Bichard was pivotal to the result as he dispatched Paul Hainsworth, Jez Powell and reserve Luke Evans without dropping a set. He also combined strongly with reserve Caden Brouard in the doubles rubber, where they earned a very tight four set win over Hainsworth and Powell.
Brouard's impressive evening did not stop at the doubles as he secured an excellent four set upset win over Powell, as well as a strong four set win over Evans. For the beaten Lions side, all players defeated reserve James Crocker, whilst Hainsworth added a further straight sets win over Brouard in the match opener.
Lions B and Whistlers A were level on points in third and fourth heading into their clash and the status quo was restored after their match ended as an entertaining 5-5 stalemate. Josh Stacey was key to the result as he defeated Phil Ogier, Jamie Ferbrache and Steve Ozanne, dropping just single sets to Ogier and Ozanne in the process.
In the end it was reserve Mark Pipet that enabled the Whistlers side to squeeze a draw in the final match of the night. He had earlier played strong table tennis to see off the in-form Ozanne in four sets, but it was his clash against Ferbrache in the concluding match which was the important one. The first four sets were very closely contested, but it saw Pipet clinch an important fourth end 12-10 to stay in it. From here he went from strength to strength and used his experience to see out the final set 11-5.
All of the Lions players beat Joseph Bourgaize in singles action, whilst Ogier beat Pipet in straight sets in the match opener. The doubles was won by Ogier and Ferbrache over Stacey and Bourgaize in straight sets.
The final match of the week saw seventh placed side Lions A pick up their second consecutive win of the season, a comfortable 8-2 win over bottom placed Ravenscroft Panthers A achieved. Joshua Butler and Liam Robilliard were each undefeated on the night, with them getting past Barnaby Groves, Nye Matthew and reserve Brandon Ferbrache.
There were however a few close matches within these clashes and none more so than Butler's match with youngster Groves. Groves competed well and managed to force a deciding fifth set when he took the fourth 11-8. He looked set to secure an impressive upset when leading 10-7 in the final set, however Butler used all of his experience and quality to battle back and take it 12-10. Robilliard meanwhile was embroiled in a five setter of his own against Matthew. Matthew took a tight fourth set 13-11 to force the final end, but in this one, Robilliard comfortably powered through 11-4.
The duo combined to win the doubles in straight sets against Groves and Matthew, whilst Sam Clark added a further win over Ferbrache in straight sets. Matthew defeated Clark in straight sets, whilst Groves earned a hard fought five-set win over Clark, in a match where he had trailed 2-1.
Whistlers D remain at the top by a single point after their 10-0 whitewash over Lions I, however the match of the week was between second placed side Lions F and third placed side Whistlers C.
The two teams were level on points heading into the fixture and it was anticipated to be a close one. In the end the Lions team ended out as fairly comfortable 7-3 winners due to some good performances.
Caden Brouard proved to be the difference maker. Fresh from his strong performances reserving in Division 1 the prior evening, he played excellently all night. He beat Tim Le Page, Kennedy Chepkor and Paula Le Ber in singles action, for the loss of just a single end to Le Ber in the process. He also teamed well with James Crocker in the doubles, where they came back from 2-1 down to battle past Chepkor and Le Page in five sets.
Crocker had a strong evening of his own due to his five set win over Le Ber and four set win over Chepkor. Jonah Ingrouille also got in on the act when he beat Le Page in five sets. Chepkor and Le Ber beat Ingrouille in straight sets, whilst Le Page beat Crocker in four sets.
Another week and another dominant 10-0 whitewash for the sure to be champions Ravenscroft Panthers D side, as predicted at the start of the season. This result was their seventh whitewash of 11 matches played thus far as they put Ravenscroft Panthers F to the sword for the second time this season. Micah Cohen, Shaun Mosley and Steve Martin were dominant during the matches against Mark Windsor, Daniel Lasenby and Max Johnson, with just two sets dropped. Windsor got a set off Martin, while Johnson pinched one against Mosley.
Lions K and Lions M remain locked together at the top.
The K side have a superior games ratio difference and they continued to extend this advantage this week, due to their 10-0 rout of Whistlers I. Rolands Tracums, Diane Le Page and reserve Derek Cave were comfortable winners over Shaun Evans, Connor Osbourne and Steph Evans, with just Shaun winning one set against Le Page during a four set loss.
Lions M had a tougher test against Lions L, but won 7-3. Reserve Jan Priest proved a good replacement as she beat Frank Coppolo in four sets as well as Ella Le Ber and Helen Barker in straight sets. Karen Brouard added wins over Barker and Coppolo in straight sets, whilst Rachael Sharp beat Coppolo in four sets. Brouard and Priest won the doubles against Le Ber and Barker in straight sets. Junior Le Ber was the best performer for the beaten side as she beat Brouard in five sets and Sharp in four sets. Barker also picked up a five set win against Sharp in the opening match of the night.
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