SEVENOAKS TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE
DIVISION 5 - 11.04.10
HALSTEAD B HOLD OFF CONEY HILL D TO CLAIM TITLE IN THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
The final meeting of Division 5 saw Halstead B at the top of the table three points clear of Coney Hill D with Bromley Common B lurking nearby on 22. Arithmetically Otford D could avoid relegation but they would need a big helping hand from elsewhere to do so. It therefore seemed likely that they would go down so it became of question of who went with them, Darenth E or F. The F had a two point buffer and the E definitely had the tougher assignment as they had both the top two teams to play while Coney Hill D would be looking to overtake Halstead B if they could. On paper Coney Hill D had the easier teams to play but they would be fighting tooth and nail for everything. Given this scenario there were plenty of interesting matches scheduled.
Halstead B (Sue Sullivan/Geoff Bathurst) had a tough enough task in their first match where they were due to play Bromley Common B (Malcolm Meadows/Dave Gabriel). They took a 2-0 lead but had to fight all the way in both the opening singles. They extended their lead to 3-0 with a straight games win in the doubles and then it was battle stations again when Bathurst took on Mr Limpet Gabriel. It was quite a marathon, finishing as a win for Gabriel 15-13 in the fifth. Sullivan wrapped it up for 4-1 with a straight games victory over Meadows.
In the meantime Coney Hill D (Sally Brown/Annette Howard) had their hands full with Darenth E (Steve Fuller/Joel Galley) who were trying to make headway towards safety. There was some excellent play here starting with Fuller and Brown in the opening singles. Brown went 2-0 up but then lost her way in the next two as Fuller got busy spinning. She took an early lead in the fifth and settled down to win 11-6. Howard followed suit with a solid 3-1 win over Galley. The ladies took the doubles in four for a 3-0 lead. Darenth E then staged a recovery. Fuller won a keenly contested set with Howard 14-12 in the fourth which seemed to inspire Galley to greater things as he pulled off a four game victory over Brown and keep the score to 2-3. It was the last set to finish before the break and the quality of play much appreciated by those watching. Priceless points for Darenth E but a big blow to Coney Hill's hopes of pipping Halstead at the post.
Darenth F were in desperate need of points to avoid relegation but were forced to bring in a sub. Jenny Hunter stood in to join Janet Field in their quest against Otford D (Jonathan Maydom/Mark Emanuel). Darenth got off on the right foot with a win for Field over Maydom but the Otford lads responded well and came back to take a 3-1 lead. Field, however, refused to trade counter hits with Emanuel and put up the shutters to get that second much needed point.
Before the final round Halstead B needed only a single point to secure the title but the relegation issue was still to be decided between Darenth E and F. There were still two key matches to be played.
Halstead B (Sullivan/Bathurst) were due to play Darenth E (Galley/Fuller) and didn't make the best of starts from their point of view. Sullivan got away well enough against Galley but came under severe pressure and trailed 1-2 before managing to level. There wasn't much to choose between them in the decider, Galley finally held sway at 11-8. There was consternation in the Halstead camp when Fuller defeated Bathurst in straight games but relief came when they won the doubles 14-12 in the fourth. It was disappointing to see Sullivan concede to Fuller when 1-2 down as this could have affected the relegation outcome though the point was welcome for Darenth E. The Galley/Bathurst set was excellent with Bathurst having to pull out all the stops to win 12-10, 11-6, 11-13, 11-8 which kept the score to 2-3.
Tension was running high in the Darenth F (Field/Hunter) and Coney Hill D match. It is rare to see an all ladies match at local league level but everyone was trying to keep tabs on the match next door as both teams had a vested interest in it. Brown had a tussle with Field in the opening set but held on in the third to take it 12-10. Hunter redressed the balance with a four game win over Howard but Coney Hill won the doubles and edged into a 2-1 lead. Given Darenth E's heroics against Halstead B next door, Darenth F therefore still needed a point to stay ahead of the E team so there was enormous pressure on Field to beat Howard. It wasn't easy, neither player settled but Howard pinched the first 13-11. Field took a firm hold of the second and then kept it together long enough to win in four. Hunter could not be expected to defeat the player top of the averages but she gave it a go and the match therefore finished 3-2 in Coney Hill D's favour. It meant the runners-up spot for Coney Hill D and survival for Darenth F.
Bromley Common B (Gabriel/Meadows) recorded a 5-0 over Otford D (Maydom/Emanuel) but the match produced some good play nonetheless. The Otford lads could not have had two more diverse styles to contend with than those of Gabriel and Meadows. Whilst Emanuel took a 2-0 lead against Meadows, he couldn't get past the brick wall that Meadows builds so effectively and went down over five games. Maydom found Gabriel the easier of the two to cope with and did well to take a game from the master blocker.
It has been a good competition with many keenly fought matches. Interest has been maintained throughout with both promotion and relegation issues remaining in doubt until the last round. Halstead B therefore finished as champions, by three points with Coney Hill D deservedly in the runners-up spot. Otford D and Darenth E will go down to Division 6 for next season but will be looking for a rapid return. There are two good teams coming down from Division 4 and some determined characters coming up from Division 6 so next season should be another fascinating contest.