News & Views from the Colchester Table Tennis League
with Press Officer Martyn Green

24th February-2009
H20 ROWHEDGE B MOVE CLOSER TO THE FIRST DIVISION TITLE

H20 Rowhedge B moved four points clear at the top of Division One of the Colchester & District Table Tennis League Division One after a highly competitive win over second placed Gt Horkesley A 6-4. Man-of-the match Mike Shore set the tone in an opening five set victory over Richard Goodhand. Playing controlled defence and attack Shore opened a two set lead only to be pegged back to take it to the fifth end, winning 13, 8, -7, -5, 8. Rowhedge then moved into a 4-0 lead as firstly Mark Mulley beat Jimmy Farrow in five ends 10, -8, 6, -6, 7 and Michael Andrews beat Mike Wright in four. Mike Shore then won the closest match of the night again going once more to five sets -8, 10, -7, 9 & 9 against Farrow. Goodhand pegged one back, beating rival captain Andrews in four sets and Wright overcame Mulley, saving two match points in the fourth end and stopping a fifth set fight back with a phenomenal winner 7, -8, -10, 10, 8. At 4-2 Gt Horkesley were back in the match despite Rowhedge having the rub of green. With Andrews and Shore winning a crucial doubles Jimmy Farrow capped a never-say-die effort as all his games went the full distance and he ran out a fine winner against Mulley -12, 5, 7, -7, 9. Fittingly it was Mike Shore who sealed the Rowhedge victory as for the first time in the evening a game was won in three sets thrashing Wright 8, 2 & 3 to cap the junior’s best ever performance as youth won the day! Goodhand beat a tiring Mulley three straight to end a pulsating night of table tennis that was at sometimes boisterous but overall played in a good spirit and was a credit to the league! This match followed a 10-0 win for H20 Rowhedge B where Michael Andrews and Mike Shore were joined by Alan Burgess, who after his three wins is no longer able to play for their ‘C’ team. The question is will he play against them in next week’s fixture? His old team are fourth after an 8-2 win over Walton C with Messrs Andrews and Moss unbeaten. Fifth placed St Mary’s A are a point behind and they beat relegation threatened Gt Horkesley B 6-4 with Greg Green winning his three, beating Ian Brown in straight sets along the way. Walton B all but relegated their C team with a 7-3 victory, John Rice completing a satisfying maximum for the club Secretary.

H20 Rowhedge D have won the Division Two title at a canter as closest rivals Gt Horkesley C and Walton D both failed to win. Gt Horkesley were held to a 5-5 draw by the Rowhedge E team despite another Wui Dong Liu treble. Colin Powell’s suffered his first defeats in Colchester Table Tennis but his solitary win means he can no longer play in Division Four. Previously H20 Rowhedge E had beaten Pegasus B 6-4 with Peter Kirkland unbeaten and a win for Toby Turner’s scrapbook, beating former Colchester Men’s Champion Mick Buckley. Tony Eversden then led Pegasus B to a 6-4 win over Tollesbury A with three fine wins in a bid to stay up. Walton D are stuttering in their promotion bid and their two-player team lost 8-2 at Clairmont with Paul Tracey getting back to former high levels, beating Martin Edwards in three straight sets as Clairmont cling on for survival. Paul Woolnough stepping in for the injured Steve Noble played a blinder in beating all three Jobserve experienced players in a 5-5 draw. They now look safe as its perm two from Clairmont, Tollesbury A and Pegasus B for the drop to Division Three.