Match Reports - Week Eighteen
Division 1
RSV & Friends ‘A’ 9
Debenhams ‘B’ 1
A crushing margin of victory for the hosts, due to maximums from Abu Saleh (no sets dropped) and Yacoob Tilly (2 sets lost), and two wins for debutant Peter Boruc, one win, was as a result of him storming the last two sets, after being 1 set down with two possible sets to play, when taking on Phil Hatherall.
Alec Robinson pulled a point back, winning in four over Peter.
Yacoob and doubles substitute Suleiman Saleh won the doubles in straight sets 11-8, 11-9, 11-9.
Rudford ‘C’ 2
Forest Products 8
A highly unusual occurrence nearly happened, in that, after two sets of the doubles, if the Forest Products pairing won the 3rd set, all ten ties would have been settled in the minimum amount of sets required to constitute a result.
They did not, however, win that 3rd set eventually winning the doubles in 4 sets.
Earlier, Graham Slack and Rob Freeman won all their games without losing anything. Lesley Slack won one beating the playing-up Sten Salisbury from the third division would you believe?
Lee Bruton & Rob Deeley clinched a point each by defeating Lesley in straight games.
Rudford ‘A’ 3
Optimists 7
This was a good match played in great spirit. Mike Kiff played well winning all his games without dropping a set, supported by the Gloucester legend (Darren Griffin), who also didn’t lose a set.
The home team trio of Ann Barnes, Ken Smith & Simon Moysey all beat Alan Churchill. Alan took a set off Simon and at one stage did lead Ann 2 sets to 1, but Ann brushed Alan aside thereafter.
Darren & Alan just got home in the doubles against Ann & Simon in a 5 set thriller 11-9 the score in the last set.
Division 2
Rudford ‘E’ 2
Redcliffe College 8
Not only a win for the visitors, their first of the season (plus they are the last team in the entire league to win a league fixture), but a commanding win & performance at that.
Richard Johnson led the way with a maximum, with Pete Humble giving him a stern examination taking him to a fifth set, before Richard won the last set 11-7. Richard also for the first time ever beat Glynn Lloyd.
Vidas Rimkus & Andy Taylor won two apiece, which included Andy getting the better of Glynn & Trevor Seymour for the first time in their respective head to heads. Vidas combined with Richard to win the doubles in straight sets.
Whilst it was a very good night for Redcliffe, it was a dire one for the home side, with their points coming courtesy of Glynn beating Vidas in 5 to win a point and Pete Humble picked up just a single win (despite having the highest average on show) over Andy.
Highnam ‘B’ 8
Rudford ‘D’ 2
A convincing win for the front runners of this division, with James Dance & Dave Gough gaining hat tricks each, with only the one set lost between them, and that was when James played Stewart Jones.
Jo Pigott as well did win a point, by defeating the playing-up Luke Woodliffe from the ‘G’ team in division three in 4 sets, and was close to a second win, but was edged out by Chris Beard in a marathon five setter that Chris eventually won 15-13 in the deciding set.
Stewart won one too.
In the doubles, the scoring went 17-15, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12, 13-11 in Highnam’s favour to win an eight point on the night.
Debenhams ‘C’ 5
RSV & Friends ‘B’ 5
From left to right: Chris White, Hamza Bham, Nick Walker, Paul Singh,
Ben Roberts and Barrie Pope.
Two of the sides competing for the 2nd promotion spot in this tier meet and a share of the spoils was the result.
Chris White was the only player to win all singles games, a great achievement to beat all of the RSV youngsters. He beat Ben & Nick in five and Hamza in four.
Barrie Pope added a further point as he overcame Nick in four.
Hamza Bham & Ben Roberts claimed a brace apiece featuring Ben winning the fifth set in his match-up with Barrie 11-1 in the last set, after the first 4 sets were shared equally. Nick Walker contributed another win.
The home team pair clinched the draw after narrowly beating Hamza & Ben in the doubles 11-9 in the fifth, with two sets previous going to a tiebreak situation.
British Energy ‘B’ 6
British Energy ‘A’ 4
The ‘B’ team gained some sweet revenge for losing 8-2 earlier in the season to their club mates. This was their third win of the season.
Nobody on the night was undefeated, as Matthew Sproston, Dave McIntosh, Dave Moore and George Evans all had two wins, whilst Charles Campbell won one.
Charles played 20 games out of a possible 20, as all his singles and then the doubles went to 5.
The doubles was an interesting contest with Charles & Matthew going to two sets ahead versus
George and Dave McIntosh, before the latter pair pulled it back to two sets all. The ‘A’ team duo wouldn’t be denied though, as they secured the doubles rubber 11-6 in the last set.
Division 3
RSV & Friends ‘C’ 7
Rudford ‘F’ 3
Mohammed Saleh kept going his and the division’s only 100% record, with three straight sets wins, as his team secured the victory. Mike Gray as well won two, both resulting from five set ties against Elaine Marshall & Fabrizio Trifiro; including coming back from a two set deficit vs. Fabrizio.
Brin Davis added a point, as a result of a five set win over Fabrizio.
In reply, Sten Salisbury claimed a brace and there was a win for Elaine.
In the doubles, the home pairing of Mike & Mohammed went from two sets to one down to triumph in the fifth set over Fabrizio and Sten.
Phoenix ‘A’ 7
S.T.R. ‘A’ 3
Despite Dave Smith for the away team having an undefeated evening (losing just the solitary set); his team ended up getting beaten.
This was because of Chris East, Andy Browett and Angie Brear all having two wins each, although four of those were won in a fifth set.
Credit must go to Bohan Du representing Tommies ‘A’ who was actually playing-up a division, took two of his opponents to five, but lost both of them.
Andy & Chris both just got the better of Tony Saxton in five sets. Andy 14-12 in a final set and Chris was two sets down before winning three in a row.
Amazingly, on a fifth occasion, Phoenix ‘A’ won yet another five setter, this time in the doubles, when Chris & Andy took on Dave and Tony.
Hard, hard luck for Tommies ‘A’, who deserved more points than the three they got.
Division 4
Highnam ‘D’ 10
Phoenix ‘B’ 0
This was as one-sided a match as you can pretty much get, with Highnam losing just three sets in 10 ties.
Stewart Blencowe, Huw Darch and Clare Bell won all three, with Stewart being the only player not to lose a set. A historic event I am told, that C. Bell claimed three scalps on the same night.
Bob Vallender did the best out of the away trio, with him taking a set off Huw and pushing Clare to a fifth set but to no avail.
Just to show the difference between the teams, the home team won the 1st set of the doubles 11-0 before going on to win in straight sets, which completed the whitewash.
George Evans
Press Secretary
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