SEVENOAKS TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE
DIVISION 4 - 28.3.10
PROMOTION SUCCESS REPEATED BY HALSTEAD A
At the start of the last meeting of Division 4 Halstead A led the table, four points ahead of Coney Hill C. At the other end of the table Tonbridge Teen & 20 D needed a miracle to stave off relegation while Minks Hall were already resigned to it.
With Clive Bennett injured and Doug Carr moving house John Blackwell (Minks Hall) soldiered on alone for two points against Tonbridge Teen & 20 D (Malcolm Cole/Carol Day). Blackwell's spin thwarted Cole's flat game, but he was extended to a fourth game by the left-handed Day.
With no pressure on either Otford C (Peter Clarke/Mike Palmer) or Coney Hill B (Dave & Caroline Hanson) a somewhat noisy, long but entertaining match was played out. Caroline Hanson started Coney Hill on the right track winning a marathon match 11-8 in the fifth against the unpredictable Clarke, ending with hugs all round. This was to be Coney Hill's only success although Dave just failed to emulate his wife's win over Clarke, losing 11-7 in the fifth.
The top of the table clash between Halstead A (James Maddox/Mike Sefton) and Coney Hill C (Stuart Inglis/Dave Smith) started with Maddox and Inglis trading counter punches at long range. The first game was littered with service errors by both players. At two games all there was still nothing to choose between them but Inglis's powerful hitting deep to the corners of the table proved crucial, taking the decider 11-6. Smith's strategy of grinding away paid off against Sefton and levelled the match. The doubles seemed to be going Coney Hill's way with a big lead in the first game only to lose it 10-12 and then the second 4-11. They recovered to take the third 11-6 but then faded away in the fourth. Smith's up to the table game caused Maddox all sorts of problems, Smith deserving his win 11-8 in the fifth. With the match score at 2-2 Sefton's chop defence forced Inglis into too many mistakes to give Halstead a 3-2 victory.
With only one round of matches left last year's Division 5 champions, Halstead A, had increased their lead to five points over their nearest rivals Coney Hill C, and were assured of the title, having beaten them twice 3-2.
Coney Hill C (Smith/Ingliss) could do no better than a 5-0 against the depleted Minks Hall team, Smith continuing his good form beating Blackwell in three straight games, and Inglis winning a closely fought set in four.
Otford C (Peter Clarke/Mike Palmer) were keen to get some points from Halstead A (James Maddox/Mike Sefton). However, Halstead had other ideas and were 3-0 up despite a close call when Palmer extended Sefton to a fifth game. Clarke got Otford on the scoreboard with a three straight win over Sefton and Palmer followed suit against Maddox.
The Tonbridge Teen & 20 D (Carol Day/Malcolm Cole) match with Coney Hill B (Dave & Caroline Hanson) went one way then the other. Day and Dave Hanson fought out the first singles which Dave won 11-7 in the fifth. In the battle of the counter-hitters Cole was extended to a fifth game by Caroline Hanson but he won at 11-9. The mixed doubles went to the Hansons to put Coney Hill 2-1 up. Day overcame her nerves to beat Caroline to make it 2-2 and in the final set Dave Hanson powered a three straight win over Cole.
Thus Halstead A take the Division 4 title with James Maddox and Mike Sefton having played unchanged all season. In the end Coney Hill C (Dave Smith/ Stuart Inglis/ Paul Patten) were only three points behind them and both teams will look forward to playing in Division 3 next season.