SEVENOAKS TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 - 07.03.10
MEDWAY KEEP THEIR CROWN WHILE DARENTH SURVIVE BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH
The final meeting of Division 1 saw Medway well clear at the top of the table, eight points ahead of Leigh A and Otford A who were tied on 21 points apiece. Neither Teen & 20 A on 19 nor Darenth A on 17 were without a chance of grabbing the runners up spot though the latter were more likely to be interested in fighting off Leigh B's bid to stay in the premier division.
Any hope that Teen & 20 A (Ming Majoe/Nick Smith) had of moving up into second spot went by the board when they lost 0-5 to Medway (Peter Davis/Steve Doughty) although they put up a very good fight. They might just feel a little unlucky not to have taken a single point from this match as three of the five games went to a decider.
The domestic derby between Leigh B (Ted Tydeman/Mick Kilden) and Leigh A (Roger Pingram/Roger Harris) took on extra significance given their individual hopes of runner-up and avoiding relegation. Pingram looked very determined in the opening set and Tydeman wasn't allowed to dictate play. The next two sets were very close, Kilden eventually getting the better of Harris after being 0-2 down and the doubles went to the A who were 2-1 up at one stage. The reverse singles were shared with Tydeman defeating Harris in four after dropping the first while Pingram continued in his focused mode and defeated Kilden 3-0 to make it a 3-2 victory for the A. These were not perhaps enough points for the A to be guaranteed the runners up spot but priceless ones for the B especially given Darenth A's demise against Otford.
Nick Larmer and Tyron Stalberg appeared for Otford A while Dave Bishop teamed up with Alfred Ainsworth for Darenth, both looking very ring rusty. Both teams needed every point they could get but even with both Darenth players so far out of practice, no one would have predicted a clean sweep for Otford. Larmer had a tussle with Bishop in the opening set but, as so often happens when a player's touch is a bit lacking, nothing went Bishop's way. Ainsworth blasted out of the blocks against Stalberg taking the first but then got bogged down over the next three. The doubles was either a triumph for Otford or disaster for Darenth depending on which bit of the fence you're sitting on. Larmer defeated Ainsworth in three but Bishop started well against Stalberg taking the first easily. Stalberg got back in it and eventually pulled off a five game win for five very important points leaving Bishop and Ainsworth looking distinctly glum.
Medway (Peter Davis/Steve Doughty) put the title beyond doubt when they also kept a clean sheet against Teen & 20 A (Ming Majoe/Nick Smith). This was an excellent match with plenty to enjoy. Davis got Medway off to a good start with a straight games win and Smith started really well against Doughty being two games up but it was one of those either three straight or not at all sets and Doughty steadily pulled away to win in five. Medway took the doubles and then followed two excellent singles. Majoe was 2-1 up at one stage but Doughty came back at him and took it 11-7 in the fifth. There were more fine skills on display in the last set which was one of the best of the day. Smith was 0-2 down but came but to level at two all only to lose 8-11 in the fifth.
At the half way stage Medway were home and dry but it was Otford A who had staked the stronger claim to the runners-up spot on 26 with Leigh A sitting on 24 two points adrift. Leigh B had closed to within two points of Darenth A so there was still much to play for.
Leigh A (Pingram/Harris) had a tough assignment in taking on this year's champions, Medway (Davis/Doughty) and featured one of the closest sets of the day. Pingram defeated Davis in four which was a fine start for Leigh A but then followed that very, very close set between Doughty and Harris. Harris grabbed the first 12-10 and looked as if he might get the second as well but Doughty was even steadier than Harris himself and took the next three 14-12, 13-11, 13-11. Leigh A bounced back in the doubles which they won in straight games. Medway, however, took the next singles which meant it was unlikely Leigh could now get second spot. There was a very fine singles to finish the match between Doughty and Pingram who have fought out many a battle royale. This one was no exception and they produced yet another classic attacker versus defender set. Pingram had his nose in front after two games but Doughty's trusty backhand brought him the next two and it was nip and tuck in the decider with Pingram finally getting home 11-9 for a 3-2 to Leigh A.
Darenth A (Bishop/Ainsworth) did their best to get a point from Teen & 20 A (Major/Smith) but to no avail. Five points for Teen & 20 A was a nice result to finish on and would see them safe from relegation but it was a nail biting one for Darenth A who were keeping a watchful eye on Leigh B's activities.
Otford A (Stalberg/Larmer) could scent the finishing line and needed only three points to secure the runners up spot. From Leigh B's point of view, they needed three too which would put them above Darenth A. It didn't happen. Stalberg defeated Kilden in four and Larmer, always good against combination rubbers, beat Tydeman in straight games. While the Otford men combined well in the doubles and took that in straight games, which put a huge grin on Stalberg's face, the body language from Leigh said it all "we're down". Otford went on to bag all five points from the match. Kilden raised a smile and a few chuckles when, realising he was going down to Larmer, decided to do his Jean Michel Saive exhibition stuff, lobbing expertly which didn't win him the set but earned a generous round of applause.
Medway thus retained their title finishing five points ahead of Otford A. This is no mean achievement by the Otford team as it was only comparatively recently they were struggling to survive in the premiership. It is the first time for many a long day that Leigh A haven't collected some sort of trophy but the fact Darenth A survived is largely due to the ground work done at previous meetings as they earned nil points during the afternoon which must be galling for Leigh B who worked so hard to catch them. The Big One for Otford next year? Who knows?