ODDBODS PREVAIL BY JUST A SINGLE
POINT
The Waveney
Critters played host to the visiting Northgate Oddbods in the second week of
the table tennis League Cup. Chris Trindall opened
well for the home team making light work of Bob Lamb. And a further win for
Gary Warnes placed the Critters in a good position.
But the Oddbods soon found their stride when Eddie Fuller replied to an opening
set win from Graham Lawson to close out their game in the third set. Lamb then
drew the match level taking the third set 21-20 against Warnes.
The Critters fought to keep the match level with Trindall
first coming back to win the third set against Fuller and then Warnes with a similar dogmatic approach. However after 3
hours, 9 games, and 23 sets the match came down to a single sudden death point
and it was left to Ray Lee to close out the final rally of the match in the
deciding set of the last game 21-20.
Despite the
attendance of only two players from their squad and with the handicap points
stacked against them the Piranhas swarmed all over the Misfits and seized an
early lead in group one. Only David Etheridge held out to score a lone Misfits
point, while the Piranha’s Ernie George cleaned up. The Conservatives found the
form tougher when they visited the Mill Lane Beacons. The Beacons took an early
lead thanks to Mike Harvey and John Smith, but the tide started to turn the Conservatives
way as Reg and Albert Cadmore put pressure on their opponents.
After a long evening of table tennis victory was finally snatch by Malcolm Vasey
for the Conservatives in a tight 5-4 score line. In another close match, the Tables
fought hard to keep ahead of the Sidewaves. In a match that swung one way and
then the other, neither team could stretch a clear advantage over the other. In
the end arduous wins for Wally Ladmore and Stephen Cruickshanks
made the difference and Terry Shetliffe could only
pick up a consolation point in the final game to pull the score back to 4-5.
In group
two an understaffed Terminators battled gamely against League Cup holders
Dominators but it was their fighting spirit that was the only thing that was
terminated in an entertaining encounter. Paul Wright took the first set
of the opening match 21-20, which set the tone for the entire
match. The second set was a little more routine
and gave the Terminators an early advantage, but Andy Green was in good form
and soon levelled the match. Paul Wright Jnr and
Martin Peek could only be separated by the slenderest of margins with Peek
winning 21-20, 21-20, while Stuart Baxter put the Dominators a commanding lead
before Paul Wright Jnr was again involved in a
thrilling match, this time overcoming Andy Green's counter hitting to win in 3
sets. The final match of the night also went to 3 sets with Trevor Pull
overcoming Martin Peek 21-20 in the third set. But the advantage in player
numbers made the difference and the Dominators won 6-3 on the night,
placing them in a commanding position at the head of group two. The Arrows also
took advantage of a low strength Shakers side to pull a 5-4 win from their
encounter. Stuart Faulkner opened well for the Arrows beating Bernard Warnes 21-20 in the final of three sets. But new signing Jem Stevens scratched all three points for the LCC team with
successive three set thrillers. Warnes meanwhile retained
his composure against Kevin Jones snatching the final set 21-20 against. But it
was not enough to overcome the disadvantage of the being a player short at the
LCC venue and the Arrows flew ahead with their second League Cup win.
At the Mutford
Village Hall the Merlins gained their second win of the League Cup competition
in group three. In a match where no single player dominated, Ian Ruddock, Bob
Knights and Roy Hurrell each scored two points against
the visiting Spartans. Meanwhile the Kites played their first match of the
competition but failed to win against the Hits despite three hard fought victories
for Brain Gooch.
Coaching
sessions restarted on 1st October and then every Thursday at the Waterlane centre from
For further
information on League Table Tennis in
Results:
Sidewaves 4
Tables 5
Terminators
3 Dominators 6
Merlins 6 Spartans
3
Piranhas 5
Misfits 4
Shakers 5
Arrows 4
Hits 5 Kites
4
Beacons 4 Conservatives
5
Critters 4 Oddbods
5