It was an improvised Brotherhood B-side opposite Walton A Division One of the Clacton League, but the depth of strength of the Brotherhood Club was fully demonstrated when the ‘B’ team fielded two reserves and still ran out 7-3 winners.
Captain Simon Smith-Daye (pictured above, photo by Roger Hance), the only regular player on the ‘B’ team, led from the front and won his three, while there were two for first reserve Mark Boyland and one for second reserve Fred Gallone. Only one game went the distance, with Smith-Daye defeating Derek Willis 11-6 in the fifth. For Walton there were two wins for Mark Gale and one for Willis.
Meanwhile, Brotherhood A topped the table one point ahead of Nomads Lions after their 10-0 win over Brotherhood C. Daniel Young, Gracie Edwards and Kevin Gowlett took care of business by winning all matches in three consecutive matches.
The Lions ran out 8-2 winners against Windsor Eagles, with Paul Hume and Adam Cuthbert both taking hat-tricks and combining to complete a hard-fought doubles 11-9 win in the fifth off Gavin Price and John Pattrick. Jason Lloyd got one for Lions, but suffered his first setbacks of the season at the hands of Price and Pattrick, Pattrick’s win 11-9 in the fifth.
Nomads Panthers defeated Walton B 9-1. James Denyer and Greg Green remained unbeaten while Gill Locke took two before going down 11-4 in the fifth to Walton’s Pete Burrows. Despite the victory, the Panthers’ 12-year hold on the Division One title appears to be gradually slipping away.
Trebles from Andy Vincent and Scott Campbell, plus a pair from John Barton, saw Windsor Hawks come home 9-1 to bottom team Windsor Buzzards. Andy Foster took the Buzzards’ consolation point and brought Rodriguez close before going down 11-6 in the decider.
In Division TwoLeaders Brotherhood G were given a stern test by Nomads Jaguars before playing the final match of the evening and winning 6-4. Mark Boyland maxed out the winners, while there were a pair each for the Jaguars’ Andy Hart and Chris Petrou.
But the ‘G’ team is now just one point ahead of fellow club members Brotherhood F, who defeated the Brotherhood J juniors 8-2 for the second time this season. Mark Salter was the hero of the ‘F’ team, with his treble including a nail-biting 11-8 in the decisive victory over Joe Sherwin in the only match that went to five. Paul Alden and Neil Chegwidden took two each for the winners, while Sherwin took the two points for the losers.
A strong Brotherhood D line-up secured an 8-2 win over Lawford. Adi Kamma won three, while Kevin Pryor and Russell Stone won two each. Pryor had a narrow 3-2 (11-5, 11-13, 8-11, 13-11, 11-7) victory over Ian Sherwood, but lost 11-7 in the fifth to Charlie Denholm. Richard Spence beat Stone for Lawford’s second point.
Nomads Tigers and Windsor Harriers are just four points apart at the foot of the table and so it was no surprise that their meeting ended completely evenly, with four games in hand. Tom Wilkin played for the Tigers with a hat-trick, while Sam Watling produced his best form of the season, winning two. Barry Allen took two of the Harriers’ three wins in five sets, beating Watling 11-6 in the decider and Alex Baldock 11-7 in the decider.
Three for Kelvin Olano-Harper, two for Paul Woolnough and one for Paul Stanton were enough to give the Penguins a 7-3 victory in the tie between Windsor and relegation-threatened Kestrels. Peter Aumord’s two wins for the Kestrels were both close affairs, he defeated Woolnough 11-9 in the decider and Stanton 11-8 in the decider.
In Division ThreeBrotherhood H were a comfortable 10-0 winners over the Nomads Ocelots side with two guest players, with the victory maintaining their 14-point lead at the top.
In an all-Netherlands match, the second-placed Hurricanes, who have a match against Brotherhood H in hand, beat the Vulcans 9-1. Gerry Widnell and Gary Stallwood were undefeated and Ian Gwillim won two. Derek Foxley was the Vulcans’ only points scorer, beating Gwillim 11-4 in the fifth, but losing 11-9 in the fifth to Widnell.
Three each for Matt Thomas and Gary Barnes, plus an 11-9 share in the doubles win against Adrian Sexton and Deborah Pallett, saw Windsor Falcons complete a 7-3 success against Walton C. There was one each for Walton’s Sexton, Pallett and Maggie Earle, with Pallett beating Nikki Hayes 11-9 in the decider.
Holland Lancasters won 7-3 against Windsor Magpies, who played with a guest. Peter Evans remained undefeated for the Lancasters. Alan Rutledge and John Plummer picked up a point each for the Magpies, sharing an 11-6 in the fifth doubles win over Evans and Tony Aresti. Rutledge was also involved in two other matches that went all the way. He defeated Dave Wright 11-8 in the fifth, but lost 14-12 to Aresti in the fifth.
Finally, Nomads Leopards were 9-1 winners against an injury-hit Brotherhood E side who were forced to field a guest player. Dominic Joannou and Doug Green remained unbeaten while Anne Bonny had two tight games, beating Joe Hillier 11-9 in the fifth but losing to Rodney Betts by the same score.
* The draw for the quarter-finals of the Handicap knockout cup sees Brotherhood A draw against Windsor Hawks in the only tie in the entire Division One. Title First Division challengers Nomads Lions face Division Two Brotherhood J, a repeat of a group stage match which Brotherhood won 5–1. In an all-Brotherhoods clash, top team ‘C’ will face the second tier ‘D’ side, while a Division Two side will be guaranteed a place in the semi-finals, with Nomads Tigers drawing against Brotherhood F. The matches will be played in the week commencing 9 March.
* Registration forms for the Leagues Closed championships have been sent to all players. The tournament will be held on the weekend of April 11 and 12 at the Lift Clacton sports hall (formerly Clacton Coastal Academy). Entries can be made online or by post to Tony Oswick. To qualify, players must have played four league matches by the registration closing date (Friday, March 20).
The tournament is the League’s main event of the season and is not only highly competitive with 13 titles up for grabs, but is always a very fun and friendly occasion for players of all levels.
RESULTS
Division 1
Fraternity B 7 Walton A 3
Windsor Eagles 2 Nomads Lions 8
Walton B 1 Nomads Panthers 9
Brotherhood A 10 Brotherhood C 0
Windsor Buzzards 1 Windsor Hawks 9
Division 2
Brotherhood F 8 Brotherhood J 2
Nomad Tigers 5 Windsor Harriers 5
Lawford 2 Fraternity D 8
Windsor penguins 7 Windsor kestrels 3
Brotherhood G 6 Nomad Jaguars 4
Division 3
Windsor Magpies 3 Holland Lancasters 7
Walton C3 Windsor Falcons 7
Holland Vulcans 1 Holland Hurricanes 9
Nomads Ocelots 0 Brotherhood H 10
Nomads Leopards 9 Brotherhood E 1
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