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Newbury Get Lost But Find A Win
15th January 2007

In the Men’s Division 2 Shaw C entertained a Newbury B side who seemed to forget where they played their home matches and what time they usually began. With some of their team having turned up over 30 minutes late, it was a surprise that Shaw C did not claim any matches off them, and this sporting decision cost them dearly with the score ending 5-4 in favour of the late arrivals. Steve Eatwell and John Irghearne led the way for Newbury winning all three of their matches with little trouble.

However the other two Newbury pairs were pushed all the way by Shaw C, as Keith Simms and Colin Brinsden kept the pressure on by winning two of their games. The turning point in the contest proved to be the 3rd rubber, which saw the game go to a decider with the Newbury pairing of James Wood and Keith Watts showing that experience counts. So with that Newbury B recorded a win, but should count themselves lucky that their unsporting lateness didn’t cost them the points this time.

Just over the other side of Newbury in the same division, Wantage kept up their sparkling form in their promotion charge with a convincing win at mid-table Canons B. Having been relegated from the top flight last season, Wantage showed why they feel they should return there with all three pairs comfortably winning their games. Chris Beesley and Chris Owen were the pick of the bunch, conceding very few points and wrapping up their games in quick time. Canons were quite simply steamrollered and the 9-0 defeat proved that staying in the 2nd Division must be their top priority this year.

The Men’s Division 3 produced a top of the table clash between second placed Hurst and first placed Kennet B. Hurst knew they had a struggle on their hands as Kennet went into the game having only conceded a measly 9.5 points in 7 matches! After the sixth rubber the match was evenly poised at 3-3 with Rob Badock and Chris Puxley proving a thorn in the side of Kennet. However that was the last points Kennet would record, as up stepped pair of the night Nic Rivers and Steve Fox to take the tie beyond Hursts grasp and keep the Kennet B juggernaut on course for promotion with a 6-3 win.

In the Ladies 6 league, St. Mary’s looked to record their first win of the season having been on the receiving end of a couple of 5-4 losses in previous matches. The Saints fortunes seemed to be on the upturn as Newbury, although being the hosts, fielded only 2 pairs for the tie. The Saints didn’t need any more encouragement and wrapped up the victory in rapid succession. Janine Fisher and Pam Norman were once again on fire as they brushed aside both Newbury pairs with consummate ease. Andrea Farmer and Sandra Wilkinson followed suit and made sure the Saints went back home with all the honours.

A similar disappointing pattern was witnessed in Mixed Division 1 where yet again a home side, this time Kintbury, only managed to produce 2 pairs for the visit of St.Mary’s A. Even with 3 pairs Kintbury would have struggled to overcome a classy St.Mary’s side boasting the likes of Andy King, Janine Fisher and Gareth Jones. Jones alongside his partner Andrea Farmer raced through their games, and conceded the fewest points on the night. King and Fisher yet again showed their prowess and they too breezed through their games with little effort. The night finished with an unsurprising 9-0 score line to the Saints, who would have been disappointed to make the trip to face a team with only two pairs.

Mixed Division 3, and Kintbury Ridgeway looked to steal a march on their promotion rivals Kennet B. The early exchanges were close affairs with little difference between the two sides. The match was swinging back and forwards and when Theresa Nightingale and Nic Rivers won the sixth rubber, the scores were tied at 3-3. The next few rubbers would prove to be decisive and Kintbury swung the pendulum firmly in their favour. Linda Scholes and Chris Eastell, fought off the nerves to beat Linda Hayes and Malcolm Taylor, and make it a good night for them having won 2.5 points from a possible 3. The tie was then settled by Jackie Walker and Clif Verral, who nudged Kintbury over the winning line to make it 5-4.

In the same Division Kennet C continued their disastrous season, as they were thumped 9-0 by a Downlands B side who had themselves been struggling for from prior to the match up. Andy Martin and Sue O’Connell got the Downs off to a flyer and from there they didn’t look back, as by the sixth game the contest was over. Keith Parsons and Sarah McWilliam sauntered through their games conceding on average 5 points a game. The only resistance from Kennet came from the racquets of David Bilton and Gillian Sitch who managed to avoid the whitewash by winning a half. Downlands can take heart from this victory; where as Kennet on the other hand must be looking to avoid the wooden spoon at the end of season awards.