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

16th Mar 2010
H20 ROWHEDGE A RETAIN DIVISION ONE TITLE

H20 Rowhedge A have retained their Colchester & District Table Tennis League Division One title. Following their eighth 10-0 win, the latest against H20 Rowhedge C (half of their wins have been achieved by this score line!) they are twenty-eight points clear of closest rivals H20 Rowhedge B who have just two matches to play. Formerly the ‘B’ team, Michael Andrews has led from the front welcoming the return of Antony Greenwood and boosted by Colchester new boy Steve Joslin who has subsequently won the Men’s singles title. Mark Mulley and Mike Shore have also played their part as the team have lost just once all season. They effectively sealed the title when beating fourth placed Gt Horkesley A 7-3 thanks mainly to Greenwoods maximum, highlight of which was a 12-10 fifth set win over Richard Goodhand who himself recorded excellent victories over Michael Andrews and Steve Joslin. Andrews previously secured three good wins against a tough looking Walton A team that included Fred Dove whom he beat in five sets. Dove also played against Rowhedge’s B team again winning two, including a close five set win against Kevin Gowlett but going down to a spirited Dave Moss in a 5-5 draw. Moss again scored a brace, this time against third placed St Mary’s A as his side slipped to a 6-4 defeat. Gary Young was in top form, unbeaten supported by Greg Green who won two as the pair took a vital five set doubles win over Moss and John Andrews. Martyn Green won his first maximum of the season for St Mary’s in a 10-0 win against Walton C who are relegated. This despite a fine 7-3 win over their ‘B’ team, courtesy of David Hall’s hard fought treble. Gt Horkesley B join them in the drop to Division Two, still without a win.

Lawford A are promoted from Division Two after two draws, one against promotion contenders Walton D who need fourteen points from their last two games to guarantee promotion. Walton themselves played out a 5-5 draw with Clairmont, who are now safe thanks predominantly to Paul Tracy’s herculean efforts that saw him win his last thirty games, unbeaten since Christmas! H20 Rowhedge I are second with Alan Burgess heading the averages, whose team like Tracy are undefeated in the second half of the season, and making a late bid. They beat another form team Lawford B 10-0 to end their hopes of promotion. St Peter’s and Pegasus B are the two teams that go down despite the acquisition of Roger Warren for St Peter’s and Pegasus’s four wins in total!

All the major issues are sealed in Division Three with Walton E and Tollesbury A promoted, Tollesbury A needing at least nine points against Pegasus C to take the title. Walton beat Tollesbury 6-4 when the pair met with player of the season James Denyer winning three, prior to him winning the Division Three singles title. Roger Clark pushed him all the way just going down 13-11 in the final end. At the bottom Gt Horkesley D and H20 Rowhedge E are relegated.

University of Essex clinched promotion from Division Four with a scintillating 9-1 win over H20 Rowhedge G who are third. They need fourteen points from their final two games to join the University in Division Three next season and a further five to be champions. Mitchell Davidson and Rob Bozier both signed off excellent seasons with maximums, Mark Burrows inflicting Chester Chung’s first defeat of the season as he won Rowhedge’s only point! Winless Gt Horkesley D take the wooden spoon, despite showing some late promise!