Clacton and District Table Tennis League

“MINNOWS WIN THROUGH TO FINAL”

It was Windsor v Brotherhood in both this week’s semi-finals of the Clacton and District Table Tennis League’s Handicap Knock-Out Cup and, appropriately, a representative from each of the League’s two biggest clubs made it through to the final.

In a semi-final line-up that bore a striking resemblance to the last four of the FA Cup - with only one top Division side surviving - there were wins for under-dogs Brotherhood F, who knocked out Windsor Eagles, and Windsor Roosters, who eliminated Brotherhood D.

Brotherhood D, languishing in the basement region of Division Two, had surprised many, including themselves, by reaching the heady heights of the Cup semi-finals.

But it was a bridge too far for the Brotherhood side, and although Mark Beckham and Harry Hawkes took the first doubles of the evening in a scratch match against Daniel Prior and Lewis McKenny, Division Three Roosters took the next five matches to win 5-1.

Indeed, the Windsor juniors proved convincing winners, Mark Smith starring with an unbeaten performance in his two singles and one doubles.

In the final, the Roosters meet Brotherhood F from Division Two who, in a much closer Windsor v Brotherhood encounter, triumphed over the Eagles 5-2.

Division One Eagles started well by taking the opening doubles in three straight but all the next five matches went the distance and, crucially, Brotherhood F won four of them, all singles.

Peter Hall (+1) beat Martin Edwards (-3) 11-7 in the fifth, Ian Fielder (+1) defeated John Hobson (-8) 11-3 in the fifth, Carl Fenner (+1) edged out Phil Smith (-6) 11-6 in the fifth, and Hall (+1) then overcame Hobson (-3) 11-5 in the fifth.

And it was left to Fenner (+1) to administer the coup de grace with an 11-4, 11-0, 14-16, 11-3 victory over a wearying Edwards (- 8).

The Cup final will be played on Tuesday 15th April at 7.30 pm at the Brotherhood Hall and, for the first time since 1999, will feature a team from the lowest tier of the League.

But even more encouraging is that none of the finalists will be over 21 years of age, the first time this has happened in living memory and, possibly, the first time ever in the Cup’s history, this in the 50th year of the running of the Knock-Out Cup.

* In Division One of the League, Walton A’s Peter Burrows, Fred Button and Michael Shore dented Brotherhood B’s immediate title hopes, winning 6-4, a first defeat of the season for Brotherhood B, despite Colin Stallwood staying unbeaten.

In Division Three Brotherhood G drew with Brotherhood L, Gerald Batt and James Smith-Daye taking a couple each.

But it was a hard-fought draw, Batt beating Rowan Cottee 11-8 in the fifth, James Smith-Daye defeating the same player 11-5 in the decider, whilst Batt and Smith-Daye shaded the doubles 7-11,

13-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8 against Cottee and James Denyer,

The Nomads Tigers v Windsor Penguins contest also ended all-square although, unusually, none of the matches went to a fifth set.

Matt Wright took a maximum for the Penguins, inflicting only a third defeat of the season on Keith Clubb, but two each for Clubb and Rowan Ward, and an Alan Dockerill win over Paul Wright, salvaged the draw for the Tigers.

Finally, Brotherhood H, who have shown excellent second half-season form, extended their unbeaten run to eight matches with an 8-2 success over Brotherhood J, David Wilkin and Ian Watson the points-scorers for the losers.

* The Closed Championships take place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th April at Colbayns School. Information about check-in times will be sent to all competitors by 5th April.

“MINNOWS WIN THROUGH TO FINAL”

It was Windsor v Brotherhood in both this week’s semi-finals of the Clacton and District Table Tennis League’s Handicap Knock-Out Cup and, appropriately, a representative from each of the League’s two biggest clubs made it through to the final.

In a semi-final line-up that bore a striking resemblance to the last four of the FA Cup - with only one top Division side surviving - there were wins for under-dogs Brotherhood F, who knocked out Windsor Eagles, and Windsor Roosters, who eliminated Brotherhood D.

Brotherhood D, languishing in the basement region of Division Two, had surprised many, including themselves, by reaching the heady heights of the Cup semi-finals.

But it was a bridge too far for the Brotherhood side, and although Mark Beckham and Harry Hawkes took the first doubles of the evening in a scratch match against Daniel Prior and Lewis McKenny, Division Three Roosters took the next five matches to win 5-1.

Indeed, the Windsor juniors proved convincing winners, Mark Smith starring with an unbeaten performance in his two singles and one doubles.

In the final, the Roosters meet Brotherhood F from Division Two who, in a much closer Windsor v Brotherhood encounter, triumphed over the Eagles 5-2.

Division One Eagles started well by taking the opening doubles in three straight but all the next five matches went the distance and, crucially, Brotherhood F won four of them, all singles.

Peter Hall (+1) beat Martin Edwards (-3) 11-7 in the fifth, Ian Fielder (+1) defeated John Hobson (-8) 11-3 in the fifth, Carl Fenner (+1) edged out Phil Smith (-6) 11-6 in the fifth, and Hall (+1) then overcame Hobson (-3) 11-5 in the fifth.

And it was left to Fenner (+1) to administer the coup de grace with an 11-4, 11-0, 14-16, 11-3 victory over a wearying Edwards (- 8).

The Cup final will be played on Tuesday 15th April at 7.30 pm at the Brotherhood Hall and, for the first time since 1999, will feature a team from the lowest tier of the League.

But even more encouraging is that none of the finalists will be over 21 years of age, the first time this has happened in living memory and, possibly, the first time ever in the Cup’s history, this in the 50th year of the running of the Knock-Out Cup.

* In Division One of the League, Walton A’s Peter Burrows, Fred Button and Michael Shore dented Brotherhood B’s immediate title hopes, winning 6-4, a first defeat of the season for Brotherhood B, despite Colin Stallwood staying unbeaten.

In Division Three Brotherhood G drew with Brotherhood L, Gerald Batt and James Smith-Daye taking a couple each.

But it was a hard-fought draw, Batt beating Rowan Cottee 11-8 in the fifth, James Smith-Daye defeating the same player 11-5 in the decider, whilst Batt and Smith-Daye shaded the doubles 7-11,

13-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8 against Cottee and James Denyer,

The Nomads Tigers v Windsor Penguins contest also ended all-square although, unusually, none of the matches went to a fifth set.

Matt Wright took a maximum for the Penguins, inflicting only a third defeat of the season on Keith Clubb, but two each for Clubb and Rowan Ward, and an Alan Dockerill win over Paul Wright, salvaged the draw for the Tigers.

Finally, Brotherhood H, who have shown excellent second half-season form, extended their unbeaten run to eight matches with an 8-2 success over Brotherhood J, David Wilkin and Ian Watson the points-scorers for the losers.

* The Closed Championships take place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th April at Colbayns School. Information about check-in times will be sent to all competitors by 5th April.

RESULTS

HANDICAP KNOCK-OUT CUP : SEMI-FINALS

Windsor Eagles 2 Brotherhood F 5;

Brotherhood D 1 Windsor Roosters 5.

LEAGUE

Division 1

Brotherhood B 4 Walton A 6.

Division 3

Brotherhood G 5 Brotherhood L 5;

Nomads Tigers 5 Windsor Penguins 5;

Brotherhood H 8 Brotherhood J 2.