Leaders Stratford Capulets take full advantage as Davenports Stratford Table Tennis League hopefuls Shottery slip up
SNITTERFIELD closed the gap between themselves and second-placed Shottery in Division One of the Davenports Stratford Table Tennis League with a convincing 12-4 win, reports Peter Florence.
They brought in Alan Cotton for his first appearance of the season and he responded in style by producing an unbeaten performance with the loss of just one end. Clive Irwin added a further success, as well as partnering Cotton to inflict a rare doubles defeat on their opponents. However, Irwin was unable to add the scalp of Gary Stewart who recorded Shottery’s only victory.
Stratford Capulets took full advantage of Shottery’s stumble to increase their lead at the top of the table with a 15-5 win over Stratford Romeos. Richard Grover and Debbie Barrow were both untroubled despite facing determined resistance. The closest encounter of the match was between Grover and Steve Proctor, where the Capulets’ captain put aside an early disadvantage to come good in the decider.
Steve Handsley and James Goodwin made rare appearances for Ashorne who travelled to FISSC, but they left empty-handed as Neil Mudie and Henry Lu led the Farmers to a 15-3 win. However, the Villagers were unlucky not to win the concluding doubles after leading 9-3 in the fifth set only to concede the next eight points.
In Division Two, Felix Adler was again on form for Stratford Montagues as they overcame Stratford Prosperos. He recorded a perfect performance, despite being taken to the wire by Archie Mathers before eventually securing the final set 11-9.
Mathers enjoyed contrasting good fortunes in his other game where he gained a two-set lead over Ollie Rowlands only for his opponent to force a decider where, this time, Mathers was on the right end of an 11-9 score. With Rowlands earning a further win, and then adding the doubles with Adler, Montagues finished 14-8 victors.
It was a little more straightforward when the experienced Henley duo of Peter Quince and Barry Quirke took on Stratford Othellos. They conceded just a single set during the match and now lead the table by 28 points.
