South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League: POINTS SHARED IN TOP OF TABLE CLASH

The much anticipated return match between the South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League Division 1 champions Newton Abbot Batmen and challengers for the title Halwell A resulted in a stalemate with both teams sharing the points but giving Halwell A the advantage going into their remaining fixtures.

Dennis Gibbs once again took a maximum, but was taken to the final set against Dave Wadling much preferring his home venue as he recovered from two sets down before Gibbs just managed to pull away at the end of the fifth. Mick Atkinson also made Gibbs work hard hitting the shot of the night past Gibbs wide on his forehand after Gibbs was already celebrating the point he thought he’s won. Rod Sugden, improving all the time, halted Tony Halse’s attacking game to win the encounter 11-9 in the final leg. Dave Wadling showed his class to sail through his other two games and Mick got his revenge on Sam Hurst from their first meeting of the season beating the youngster in three straight sets. Batmen were 4-2 down going into the last round of singles as Hurst played a fantastic game to beat Sugden in four. While Gibbs enjoyed his maximum, the game of the night saw Halse claim a victory against Atkinson who fought back really well in the fifth leg to just lose 12-10. It was all on the last doubles for Halwell to avoid a defeat and it was the experienced pair of Atkinson and Wadling who proved too steady for Gibbs and Hurst winning three straight and leaving Halwell in the box seat for the title, just four points behind the leaders with a game in hand.

Batmen’s step to the top of the table was achieved in a match brought forward against second from bottom team Full of Beans. Whilst Gibbs recorded his 13th maximum of the season so far, Gibbs’ son Stuart was able to provide ample support winning a brace, falling short of the hat-trick against Richard Jessop who claimed two of Full of Beans’ three points against the reigning champions.

Jessop again proved too hot to handle in the bottom of the table meeting between Full of Beans and Dalwish Aces. He recorded his maximum along with Beans’ Martin Dilkes to win the encounter 8-2 leaving Aces a steep hill to climb to safety. Aces brought in Division 2 youngster Karolina Czyz to replace the unavailable Steve Cooper. Czyz proved her worth in a straight sets win over Tracey Lyon.

Full of Beans now share the same number of points as Brixham Trawlers who drew at home against Halwell B but hold the 7th spot only by the number of draws achieved to matches lost.

With the draw against Trawlers and a fine 6-4 victory against Newton Abbot Academicals, Halwell B continue their climb up the table into 4th spot. Kevin Nicholls once again took the lead for Halwell, but was halted from taking maximums in both matches in a fantastic game against Academical’s Joe Clifford Jnr. The game went all the way with Clifford just hanging on to win after deuce in the 5th set, 18-16. The win leaves Halwell B just one point behind Geoff Read’s Taverners who enjoyed a 6-4 victory at home against Brixham Gulls.

In Division 2, Marldon Millers continue to put pressure on Marldon, currently holding top spot as they crushed 21 Up 9-1 comprehensively to leave themselves just eight points behind the leaders. Alan Tyrrell and Nigel Hunt both won all three, while Mike Wickens was unable to find a way through against 21 Up’s Giuliano D’Aprano who claimed the only point for the home side.

Barnabas Sports Trust won a fine match away to Brixham Sharks in their return leg to continue to impress in only their first season in Division 2. Ed Thompson was again the star man for Barnabas beating Sharks’ Coalan Walpot, Mike Harper and reserve from Brixham’s Division 3 side Rebels, John Graham only dropping one set.

In Division 3, Brixham Pirates are now only one game away from claiming the Division 3 crown. They won a crucial home tie against Torre Table Tennis Club 7-3 with Pirates’ Patrik Herget taking the only maximum of the evening to leave only club stablemates Swifts able to catch up with them.

Brixham Swifts were in action with a player short and still managed a draw away against Dawlish Dinosaurs. The ever-improving Sam Zhou and Louie Russel won two each and the doubles to claim the points, but once again were stopped in their tracks by Dinosaurs’ Mike Coxhead who still remains the only unbeaten player in the league. The Coxhead record was close to being broken however by Russel, who took the game all the way, only for Coxhead to see the tie through 11-5 in the last set.

Swifts need to win their next match to keep the Pirates’ champagne on ice for the time being.

In the race for the probable runners-up spot, Torre Table Tennis Club were again in action against Brixham Rebels and came away worthy victors 8-2, with Connor Lowe leading the way for Torre with a superb maximum, completing the feat 12-10 in the fifth against Rebels’ Steve Munns. Lowe was well supported by Connor Adams and Justin Lowe each winning a comfortable brace. The win keeps Torre in line for the battle for second spot, while the Rebels’ slump continues leaving them just two points above bottom placed Newton Team Spirits who were beaten 7-3 against 21 Down, Matt Davison for 21 Down winning all three of his games.

There were also massive battles in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, notably Torre Table Tennis Club’s 5-4 away win against Halwell A in which Mick Blyth claimed three of the winning points. Taverners let a 4-1 lead slide to 4-3 before coming through winners against the reigning Challenge Cup champions Marldon Millers.

It was a similar story in the Dyment Doubles Shield quarters as Hasbeens gave reigning champions Brixham Trawlers a scare coming from 3-0 down and improving all the time to almost level the match, before Trawlers were able to scrape home 5-3, whilst the Dawlish derby saw last season’s runners-up Aces see off Diamonds in a comfortable 5-1 victory.

Report by Alan Maynard, results secretary.