Title all wrapped up early for champions
THE only place to start this week’s report is in Division 1 and at Argyle where Argyle A took on reigning Champions Princes St A.
The Princes needed an unlikely 10-0 win to clinch the title with two games remaining.
Their chances were greatly enhanced with the hosts missing No.1 Julian Quirk due to injury and only being able to field three players.
Lawrence Phillips, Mike McCormack and Monica Coogan played their hearts out but were no match on the night for Princes’ Matthew Wilson, Captain Michael Stewart and subs Phil Petts and Josiah Nix.
Indeed it is a measure of the quality and depth of the Princes St squad that they could call upon substitutes who each have 91 and 82% records respectively in the top division.
The matches showcased some fantastic table tennis, especially the doubles encounter between Lawrence and Mike against Phil and Josiah which went to five games but like every other match on the night it went the Princes’ way to give them the 10 points that they needed.
That puts them on to 115 points. Even if they failed to win another point in their remaining games their nearest challengers (their B team cousins) could only match the A team’s points tally but couldn’t match or beat their number of wins so, even at this early stage Princes St A can be declared the league champions once again.
So, massive congratulations to Matthew Wilson, Michael Stewart and other regular team members, Colin Turner, Sam Pierce and Lawrence Kenwright.
Staying in Division 1 Crosby C boosted their chances of a runner up position beating Formby Village A 8-2.
It looks increasingly like a fight between them and Princes St B for 2nd place and the two teams meet in what could be a pivotal match in the final week of the season.
At the bottom of the division Argyle B were relegated after being thrashed 10-0 at home to Crosby B. The odds are that they will be joined by Princes St C after they lost heavily, 9-1 to Southport A.
Our featured match is in
Division 2 and takes us to the Parc des Princes where Princes St D were hosting Waterloo.
The home team were looking to pick up points to help them scrabble away from the relegation places whilst Waterloo were safely positioned in mid table.
Once again the Princes’ were helped by their opponents being unable to field a full team – due to a fixture clash in the Liverpool League and injury – who were represented by Gaz Corran , skipper Dave Bradley and Chris Jago.
Princes St. were missing their regular No.1 Colin Fyles so Chris Foley, Captain Ian Lunt and Karen Albachari were joined by Barry Meadowcroft playing up from the Third Division.
Despite being 2-0 down due to their missing player Gaz Corran got the visitors off to an excellent start beating Ian Lunt three straight. Gaz’s greater weight of shot in attack and his consistency were the key.
Chris Foley then took on Dave Bradley. This was a tight, attritional match with both players reluctant to attack and risk losing the point. With nothing between the players Chris just took the first game 14-12.
In the second game Chris took a big lead moving Dave around the table.
Dave fought back but was unable to prevent Chris taking it 11-8. Into the third game and Dave decided to attack.
He used his forehand to good effect but Chris doggedly stayed in the game and Dave’s lack of consistency was his undoing as Chris took the third 11-8 to seal an excellent win.
Next up sub Barry Meadowcroft took on Chris Jago. Barry totally belied his Division 3 status as he spun and killed the ball well especially on his forehand to romp into a 10-4 lead.
Chris played really well to claw back the lead but Barry held on to win 11-8.
The second game saw a real shift in momentum as Chris was able to read and return Barry’s spin serves enabling him to take a decisive 9-3 lead which he converted to win 11-4.
The third game was very close with the momentum shifting back and forwards and Chris eventually prevailing 12-10.
Chris decided to change tactics in the fourth game and found his attack and in an exciting hit and counter hit game won 11-8 to bring them overall match score to 3-2 to Princes St.
Dave Bradley returned to take on Karen Albachari resulting in another success for the depleted visitor’s, winning three straight in an entertaining match to level the scores.
We then enjoyed a tremendous win for the Princes’ stand in No1 Chris Foley as she beat Gaz.
This was a classic clash of styles with Gaz looking to attack on both backhand and forehand and Chris wanting to keep the ball short and then block and counter hit Gaz when he opened up.
The tactics worked a treat as she surged to a 3-1 win and deservedly took the Player of the Match award.
In what would prove to be the match of the evening Ian Lunt played Chris Jago with the visitor’s Chris proving that anything the Princes’ Chris could do he could do just as well. Chris took a two game lead but credit to the Princes’ captain who fought back to level at two games all.
In an enthralling, final, deciding game in which both players had chance to win and became very nervy towards the end Chris just squeaked it 15-13 to level the match score going into the doubles.
Whilst this has been a tough season for the D team they have been consistently good at doubles and so it proved as they decisively won both encounters to earn themselves six valuable points and ease any relegation fears. Final score Princes St D 6 Waterloo 4.
The battle for the two promotion places in the 2nd Division has become a three way shoot out and in an astonishing result Rainford Synergy beat one of their main rivals Argyle C 10-0 pushing them to within 10 points of table toppers Princes St E. A great performance by the West Lancs team but you had to feel sorry for Argyle losing all three of the matches that went to five games.
Particularly unlucky was Tony Sawyer who lost both his singles in the decider 13-15 to Paul Melling and 8-11 to Paul Shaw.
Twenty four hours later Princes St E extended their lead at the top to 18 points with an excellent 8-2 win away at Formby Village B where Andy Armstrong was the Princes’ star performer but a special mention for Derek Aitken who answered the Princes’ desperate call for available players to not only play his first singles match in four years but win it as well.
Crosby D thrashed bottom of the table Southport B 9-1.
It is very close at the top of Division 3 with just four points separating two teams. Crosby E thought they had taken a big step towards the Division 3 title with an impressive 7-3 win at Princes St F. Maximums for Callum Critchley Harry Hobson and Mark Critchley were decisive but very good wins here for the Princes’ Dave Williams and Matty Coleman both beating Crosby’s No1 Peter Crichton.
However, Crosby were pegged back by Formby Village C with a wonderful 8-2 win against Argyle F. Jackson Cockbain with his inevitable maximum was joined by David Dunne as the destroyers in chief.
Argyle E recorded a 7-3 win when visiting Southport C with Mark Jagger and Andrew Horn both recording maximums and in the process Mark taking yet another Player of the Match award, his fifth of the season. Southport D kept their chances of promotion alive with a 10-0 win at Crosby G.
Next week we focus on individual glory with the Finals Night of the Southport Closed Championships.