There have been many famous double acts over the years, but Mark Gale and Allen Denyer performed a magic trick worthy of Penn and Teller by taking the honors in the Clacton League’s this week Drawn doubles tournament held at Windsor’s St James’ Hall.
After finishing bottom of their group, Gale and Denyer grew in confidence and stature in the later stages of the tournament to finish on a flourish. They won their four knockout matches to take the title, in the final (at -5) beating John Gallagher and Matt Thomas (+1) 5-11, 11-5, 3-11, 11-8, 11-3.
It was a stunning comeback for the winning pair after losing their three group matches, including defeat to Gallagher and Thomas, who effectively topped the group. But Gale and Denyer gained strength as the tournament progressed and entered the knockout stages with cool heads, clear thinking and an abundance of steady table tennis play.
The final proved to be a see-saw match that ebbed and flowed throughout, largely depending on whether Gale and Denyer’s consistency could regain the handicap deficit quickly enough. And thanks to an excellent start in the final set, they got their handicap back to 2-2, ensuring success for this unlikely, but very deserving pair of winners.
In the first round of the knockout stages, Gale and Denyer had eliminated the duo of Barry Allen and Lily Liu, who excelled by finishing top of their group and winning 11–4 in the fifth in a match that was played from scratch.
They then edged past Graham Playle and Derek Foxley in the quarter-finals by the narrowest of margins in one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, winning the score 3-2 (11-7, 7-11, 1-11, 12-10, 13-11), a match that was also played from scratch.
And in their semi-final, Gale and Denyer defeated the talented young duo of Joe Sherwin and Ruby Gallagher, the Brotherhood J teammates who had come together by chance and random. The winning score was 3-1 (11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 13-11) in another scratch match.
In the other half of the draw, Gallagher and Thomas showed commendable teamwork, as they had done all day, and were never taken to a fifth set in winning their three knockout matches, in the semi-final (at +1) and easily advanced to the final, beating John Barton and Ferdy Rodriguez (-6) 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 11-2.
The tournament, played on a handicap basis, featured some exciting matches, with the pairing of Russell Hillier and Anne Bonny looking particularly impressive before (at +1) being eliminated in the quarter-final 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 15-13 by Joe Sherwin and Lucy Gallagher (-3), while Scott Campbell and Lucy Carvell looked extremely competitive before being eliminated (at -6) by John Gallagher and Matt Thomas (+1) in the same quarter-final.
But no match was closer than the Round One match of the knockout stages which saw Graham Playle and Derek Foxley (+1) scrape past Mark Salter and Bob Jillins (-1) 3-2 (7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 14-12).
Although the League had previously organized a Drawn Doubles tournament between 1988 and 1993, this was the first time it had been held in its current format, with pairs drawn at random at the start of the day’s play, with the initial matches played in groups of four and their positions in the groups determining their opponents in the knockout stages.
It was an honor for all 32 participating players to get into the spirit of the new tournament. And it was refreshing that the players were spread across all three divisions, with twelve coming from the first and second divisions, and eight from the third division.
League Report
After losing just one point in their first five games, it was a big week Division One of the League for Nomads Lions, with matches against both of their title rivals.
Their first match against reigning champions Nomads Panthers ended in a square, Paul Hume taking two and Ethan Lloyd and Charlie Fulcher one each. But none of them could get the better of James Denyer, who was in an unstoppable mood and remained undefeated. Greg Green’s two points for the Panthers came in wins in five against Lloyd and Fulcher.
But in the Lions’ second match it was Brotherhood A who took the honors with a score of 7-3. Daniel Young was Brotherhood’s unbeaten hero, with Kevin Gowlett adding a pair and Gary Young grabbing a point by beating Adam Cuthbert 11-9 in the fifth. Paul Hume’s two for the Lions included a close 11-9 in the fifth win over Gary Young, while Ethan Lloyd’s point was an even closer 3-2 (12-10, 10-12, 13-11, 7-11, 12-10) against the same player.
And with Brotherhood trio Gracie Edwards, Kevin Gowlett and Daniel Young taking all 10 points against Brotherhood B earlier this week, it means the Brotherhood A team have jumped to the top of the table for the first time this season, four points ahead of the Lions.
Elsewhere, Windsor Hawks defeated Brotherhood C 8-2 as Andy Vincent and Scott Campbell took the trebles. John Barton picked up one point for the Hawks but was denied a second point by Brotherhood’s Graham Playle, who won their individual match 12-10 in the decider.
Walton A recorded a first win of the season, 8-2 over Windsor Buzzards, with Mark Ratcliffe starring with a maximum. Derek Willis and Paul Meikle won two each for Walton, while for the Buzzards there was one each for Andy Cawley and Andy Foster, with Foster beating Willis 12-10 in the fifth. Encouragingly, it was good to see Ray Chillingworth from Windsor back in the table tennis action and competing in the doubles.
Brotherhood J has established itself well in life Division Twothis week Windsor defeated Kestrels 8-2, their fourth win of the season. Tom Bryden remained unbeaten, while there were two each for Lucy Carvell and Ruby Gallagher. The two closest matches of the night involved Windsor’s Peter Aumord, who defeated Gallagher 11-9 in the fifth but lost to Bryden by the same score.
Brotherhood F won 6-4 against Windsor Penguins, Mark Salter unbeaten, Neil Chegwidden took two and Tricia Salter one. Kelvin Olano-Harper won two for the Penguins and, along with Paul Woolnough, took the doubles match against Chegwidden and Mark Salter, the Penguins’ first doubles win of the season and Brotherhood’s first doubles loss.
Brotherhood D defeated Windsor Harriers 7-3 in an encounter where none of the matches were settled in three matches, with seven going the full distance. For Brotherhood, Kevin Pryor took three, Fred Gallone two and Lily Liu one, Barry Allen a pair for the Harriers and Ferdy Rodriguez one.
In contrast, although the Lawford vs. Brotherhood G match ended all-square, only three individual matches were extended to a fourth set, with the rest settled in three. John Colvin recorded a treble for Lawford, while there were a few each for Brotherhood’s Mark Boyland and John Gallagher.
In a clash between the Nomads, the Jaguars’ Andy Hart was the standout performer and remained undefeated in his side’s 7-3 success against the Tigers. Chris Petrou grabbed a few, as did Tom Wilkin for the Tigers.
In Division Threea hat-trick from Danny Still and two for Dan Grindrod saw Brotherhood H get home 6-4 to Walton C. Lynette Sparks’ two for Walton included an 11-9 in the fifth win over Grindrod, but she failed to beat Still and went down 11-7 in the fifth. There was a point each for Walton’s Adrian Sexton and Deborah Pallett, with Pallett edging past Tony Woollard 11-4 in the fifth.
Holland Hurricanes won the three individual matches that went the distance and recorded a 7-3 success over Windsor Falcons, Gary Stallwood winning three, Gerry Widnell two and John Smith-Daye one. Matt Thomas won two for the Falcons and Nigel Rolph one, while Gary Barnes was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet and fall behind 14-12 to Widnell in the decider. The doubles was also ultra-close, with Widnell and Smith-Daye edging Thomas and Barnes 12-10 in the decider.
Three for Andrew Cousins, two for Hazel Blanche and one for Norman Jacobs were good enough for Nomads Ocelots to win 6-4 against Holland Vulcans. For the Vulcans, Derek Foxley took two, James Horsler one, plus Foxley and Bob Keefe took doubles.
Dominic Joannou won his three and Anne Bonny two, including a 12-10 in the fifth win over Alan Rutledge, as Nomads Leopards defeated Windsor Magpies 6-4. John Plummer won two for the Magpies.
Finally, no one remained undefeated in the draw between Brotherhood E and Holland Lancasters. Joe Hillier and Jack Hillier won two each for Brotherhood, as did Peter Evans and Dave Wright for the Lancasters.
RESULTS
Division 1
Nomads Panthers 5 Nomads Lions 5
Windsor Buzzards 2 Walton A8
Brotherhood A 10 Brotherhood B 0
Windsor Hawks 8 Fraternity C 2
Nomad Lions 3 Brotherhood A 7
Division 2
Windsor Harriers 3 Fraternity D 7
Lawford 5 Fraternity G 5
Nomad Tigers 3 Nomad Jaguars 7
Fraternity F 6 Windsor Penguins 4
Brotherhood J 8 Windsor Kestrels 2
Division 3
Windsor Falcons 3 Holland Hurricanes 7
Walton C 4 Brotherhood H 6
Holland Vulcans 4 Nomads Ocelots 6
Brotherhood E 5 Holland Lancasters 5
Nomadic leopards 6 Windsor magpies 4
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