Reigning champs’ defence of crown
WITH just four or five matches left in the league programme, some teams will be already putting the ’Champers on Ice’ in anticipation of their impending success, with maybe just a hint of some precaution of the chasing packs, and others will be just keeping their fingers crossed that they can avoid relegation…
DIVISION 1
AT the top of the First Division
Princes St A are looking very good to retain their ‘Title’ for a third successive season, and with an 18pt-lead look uncatchable.
So we called in on them for their visit to Southport A in the first of two matches at the Amelan Hall.
Great start for the favourites here as wins from Phil Petts and Matty Wilson over Bernhard Frank and Danny Woods respectively certainly calmed any nerves.
Good job too, as Jonny Cummins pulled one back for the home side with some aplomb, in three straight against Jordan Pipet before Phil restored his side’s two point lead in similar fashion over Danny.
It was soon 1-4 after a Phil and Jordan combo clinched an impressive doubles success versus Mark Barnes and Bernhard, only for that man again Jonny Cummins, to produce an outstanding comeback against the visitors’ captain Michael Stewart.
Trailing 1-2 in games, he played like a man possessed to take the next two 11-2,11-3, begging the question from Michael..’where on earth did that come from’!
Anyway, what matters is, it’s Jonny 2 Princes St A 4 …Matty then exacted some revenge for his captain, winning comfortably against Mark in three straight before securing the match win along with Michael in their doubles contest versus Danny and Jonny, which made it 2-6 on the night.
Further wins from Michael and Jordan rounded off a fairly decent 2-8 win for the would be Champs, but it could have been better, only for (whisper it) Jonny Cummins, great entertainment.
Princes St B kept their sights firmly on the outside chance of upsetting their illustrious A team with a maximum demolition of their C team, showing no mercy in that one it seems…
Crosby C, also made a huge step in keeping their hopes alive, after handing out a 10-0 walloping of close rivals Argyle A, who to be fair were without their number one Julian Quirk.
Nevertheless, great resolve from Stefan Schober Thomson, Toby McLoughlin and Josh Tomlinson, all of whom battled to exciting victories in the fifth game which denied the visitors any points. Charlie Williams chipped in with ‘what Charlie does’, two wins in three straight..
In the final encounter, Argyle B and Formby Village A provided a wonderfully entertaining match which finished all square.
Both teams had to rely on help from their 2nd division teams, in fact the Formby side were all from their B team.
A full quota of wins from Argyles Adrian Hyland and a fine double from Brian Sharrock accounted for the home side’s points, whilst a full quota from Ted Cramsie along with wins from Ned Hassan and Steve McGing were the point winners for the visitors, some match!!
Princes St C and Argyle B, look like the teams at present who will go down, the latter needing a miracle.
DIVISION 2
PRINCES St E may well have gone a long way to clinching the title after a very comfortable victory away at fourth placed Waterloo, where the
FIRST DIVISION Princes St A 95pts Princes St B 77pts Argyle A 75pts Crosby C 71pts
DIVISION 3
SECOND DIVISION Princes St E 96pts Argyle C 81pts Rainford 76 pts Waterloo 58pts
home side managed only to win two games in the maximum loss.
Rainford Synergy kept up the pressure on the leaders with a maximum win over lowly Southport B, and with only one loss against their name so far, they look the best placed to make that challenge, although a ‘runners up spot’ looks like the best they can do.
Argyle C as well, kept in touch after a good 3-7 win at Princes St D, with captain Adrian Hyland led his troops well with a full quota of wins.
Formby Village B and Argyle D looked like they cancelled each other out in an enthralling draw, where at best the visitors held a 2-4 lead, only to be finally pegged back.
Great entertainment throughout. Both Argyle D and Southport B who occupy the two bottom places, face an uphill battle to escape the drop.
LEADERS Crosby E, still have their 100 per cent record intact, and will surely now be firm favourites to take the title. After their 8-2 win against their F team.
They now lead second placed Formby Village C by 11pts, who themselves had a close 4-6 win over the ever improving Crosby G.
Southport C hosted Argyle F in the other match at The Amelan Hall, and got off to a tremendous start with victories for Mark Wilson and Balijeet Saluga (playing up from their C team) over Les Lord and Robert
THIRD DIVISION Crosby E 83pts Formby Vill C 72pts Argyle E 64pts Southport D 57pts
Yeung, the first of those contests being won by Mark in the 5th game 11-5.
Phil Marshall then reduced the arrears with a three straight success over Ian Clark, before Southport’s Stuart Gibson had to pull out all the stops in a fabulous 5 game victory against Paul Marshall, 11-6,9-11,1012,11-8,11-8, which made it 3-1 for the hosts.
Argyle captain Les Lord then put in a captain’s performance to overcome Balijeet, after which Robert tied it all up for the visitors with three straight win over Stuart, 3-3.
Inspired by their captain, well that’s what it looked like, Argyle then ‘got their noses in front’ after a great effort from Phil to overcome Mark in three straight.
It was soon 3-5 when Paul got the better of Ian, and the icing on the cake was certainly applied as the Argyle outfit completed a run of six wins by securing both doubles, giving a final score of 3-7 Argyle F.
A captain inspired comeback if ever there was one … Fabulous!
There was better luck for Southport D on their travels to Princes St F, where they registered a 1-9 victory.
Only the ‘Evergreen’ Dave Williams who beat Southport captain Jordan Shandley got anything from a useful looking Southport outfit, and considering he was also one of the players who narrowly missed out in three contests that went to five games, then you could say the hosts were a tad unlucky.