Postling duo carry the load

Table tennis

Promotion hopefuls Postling C did not do themselves any favours turning up with only two players for their Division 2 fixture against Ruckinge C in the Ashford League.

Automatically starting 3-0 down, the team of Adam Gajewski and Nigel Stansfield had it all to do but managed a 6-3 victory.

Gajewski defeated Ray Quinn in the first match 3-0. In the second, Stansfield got past Ruckinge’s David Twiddy 3-1, a scoreline which was then matched by Gajewski against the same opponent.

Quinn lost in straight sets loss to Stansfield. By far the greatest resistance from Ruckinge came from their third player Paul Hickman, who lost 3-1 to Stansfield – the final two legs both going to the wire with the Postling player edging through 11-9 in both. The final match up saw Hickman take on Gajewski in a match that went to the Postling player 3-2. This sealed a 6-3 win for Postling but the three conceded points could be critical come the end of the season.

Fellow promotion hopefuls Ashford A travelled to Tenterden to take on Sportsman A, with Reuben Tozer, of Ashford, taking the plaudits in a 7-2 team win.

He overcame both Douglas Ho and Howard Brightling 3-1 and then beat Mike Whitford 3-0.

He was ably supported by Russell Swain and Luke Garvey who both ended the evening with two wins each, although Garvey did survive a scare against Ho when he found himself 2-0 down and deuce in the third. However, his fighting spirit saw him home 4-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7.

Douglas did go one better against Russell, after being 2-1 down he fought through to a five-set win.

Sportsman’s other victory came from Howard Brightling, who used all of his experience to overcome promising junior Garvey in three straight games.

Elsewhere, Postling B, like Postling C, did themselves no favours by turning out with only two players, against Ruckinge D.

Both teams are at the wrong end of the table but unlikely to be at risk of relegation.

Brian Cook and Denise Glenister did Postling proud, both beating the Ruckinge trio of Simon Dale, Colin Bingham and Gordon Pau in a one-sided affair but Ruckinge will be relieved for the three free points, despite a 6-3 defeat.