Over the years there have been few more determined and tenacious competitors in the Clacton League than Walton A’s Mark Ratcliffe.
Arrived this week Division One of the League, Ratcliffe (pictured above, photo by Gavin Price) notched his second hat-trick in as many games, with his unbeaten performance helping his Walton A side achieve a 6-4 success against Brotherhood C.
There were a couple of wins for his teammate Paul Meikle, including a 12-10 in the decisive success over John Cleasby, while Derek Willis added an important point with an 11-4 in the fifth win against Dave Miller.
In a match where no player left empty-handed, Brotherhood’s Cleasby, Miller and Tim Leung each won once.
Elsewhere, Brotherhood A recorded predictable 10-0 wins against Windsor Buzzards, who were further disadvantaged by being forced to use a guest. Kevin Gowlett, Gracie Edwards and Daniel Young were the winning trio.
It was just as comfortable for Nomads Lions against Walton B, Ethan Lloyd, Jason Lloyd and Adam Cuthbert, all unbeaten in their 10-0 win.
Andy Vincent and Felipe Rodriguez remained unbeaten in Windsor Hawks’ 8-2 success over Brotherhood B. There was a point each for Brotherhood’s Simon Smith-Daye and Joe Plummer but Sam Plummer, making a welcome first appearance of the season, just failed to get on the scoresheet, going down 11-5 to Scott Campbell in the fifth.
The Brotherhood Club dominates Division Twowith their four teams currently occupying the top four spots in the rankings.
Hat-tricks for Mark Boyland and John Gallagher saw leaders Brotherhood G get home to Windsor Harriers 6-4, although the pair failed to take the doubles, losing 11-7 to Barry Allen and Isabel Barton in the fifth. In the only other match to go the distance, Gallagher defeated Allen 11-6 in the fifth.
Bottom team Windsor Kestrels, playing with a reserve, won their first two matches against second-placed Brotherhood F, Peter Aumord beating Paul Alden 11-4 in the decider and Allen Denyer beating Tricia Salter 12-10 in the decider. But these were the Kestrels’ only successes: the ‘F’ team ran out 8-2 winners, Neil Chegwidden taking the maximum and Alden and Salter two each.
Kelvin Olano-Harper of Windsor Penguins defeated Tom Bryden of Brotherhood J 11-5 in the fifth on his way to his sixth treble of the season. But two from Bryden and Ruby Gallagher, one from Lucy Carvell, and a doubles win from Bryden/Joe Sherwin were enough to give the ‘J’ team a 6-4 win.
Trebles for Kevin Pryor and, in a second appearance of the season, Adi Kamma, were enough to give Brotherhood D a 7-3 win against Nomads Jaguars. Pryor had a tough battle against Chris Petrou before running out 11-9 in the fifth winner, while Pryor and Kamma took a close doubles, 11-8 in the fifth, against Petrou and Andy Hart.
In Division Threethe top match between Brotherhood H and Holland Hurricanes ended in a victory for Brotherhood, but with both teams forced to field a guest player, the winning score was an unusual 5-4. Gary Stallwood remained unbeaten for the Hurricanes but Brotherhood picked up a crucial doubles match, Dan Grindrod and Owen Woollard, in only his third appearance of the season, beating Stallwood and Ian Gwillim 11-7 in the fifth.
Peter Evans notched a hat-trick for Holland Lancasters, but it was Nomads Leopards who emerged victors, Doug Green and Dominic Joannou grabbing two each in their team’s 6-4 win. Dave Wright grabbed a point for the Lancasters, getting past Anne Bonny 11-9 in the decider.
Mike Wellum of Nomads Ocelots was another player who went undefeated, but ended up on the losing side, the Ocelots, who played with a guest player and went down 6-4 to Windsor Falcons. Gary Barnes, Nigel Rolph and Nikki Hayes grabbed one each for the Falcons, Hayes beating Hazel Blanche 11-6 in the fifth in the closest match.
Finally, Brotherhood E ran out 9-1 winners against Windsor Magpies, who also fielded a guest player. Jack Hillier and Rodney Betts each won their two allotted matches, with Hillier edging Dave Sweetland 3-2 (11-4, 3-11, 14-12, 11-13, 11-9). Magpies skipper John Plummer saved his side’s glory by winning the final game of the evening against Tony Edmonds.
* The draw for the group stage of the Handicap Knock-Out Cup, which takes place during the first three weeks of January, has been made. Holders Nomads Lions have been drawn into a group of three teams, including the young players of Brotherhood J from Division Two and Lynette Sparks’ Walton C team from Division Three. The most intriguing grouping features four Windsor Club teams – the Hawks and Eagles of the First Division and the Penguins and Kestrels of the Second – in the same group.
Full details have been sent to all players. This information can also be found on the League’s website.
RESULTS
Division 1
Fraternity B 2 Windsor Hawks 8
Brotherhood A 10 Windsor Buzzards 0
Walton A6 Fraternity C4
Nomad Lions 10 Walton B 0
Division 2
Fraternity G 6 Windsor Harriers 4
Nomad Jaguars 3 Brotherhood D 7
Windsor Penguins 4 Fraternity J 6
Windsor Kestrels 2 Fraternity F 8
Division 3
Windsor Magpies 1 Fraternity E 9
Nomads Ocelots 4 Windsor Falcons 6
Holland Lancasters 4 Nomads Leopards 6
Brotherhood H 5 Holland Hurricanes 4
#Clacton #Dist #Ratcliffe #mark #Table #Tennis #England