Division 2 roundup - Weeks 6 & 7
Weeks 6 & 7 saw significant moves up the table from two teams, MK Powers and Little Horwood Wooden Tops.
Week 6
LH Wooden Tops started the week with a resounding 8-2 win over Greenleys Princes. Wooden Tops included their new signing James McCafferty, who responded with a maximum on debut, and a share of the doubles with the aid of close final leg wins against John Stamp and Anand Keshav. Paul Reynolds also scored a maximum and Bill Higgins beat Richard bailey to provide an 8-2 win, which moved the team from 7th to 4th in the division. Richard Bailey and John Stamp each beat Bill Higgins, but Anand Keshav was left without a win.
The top two teams, both unbeaten and only one point apart, were looking to extend their records so far. However, the outcome was a good 7-3 away win for Newport Pagnell Lagondas over Woburn Sands Mosquitoes. Glen Davison, Chris Horn and Mike Howard each won twice, with Glen and Chris teaming up in the doubles to beat Andy Jenkins and Glenn Barcham. Andy won a 5 game cagey set against Mike Howard while Rob McPheat beat Glen and Chris. Glenn Barcham lost all 3 singles for the first time this season. This result saw Mosquitoes drop to 3rd in the division.
The match between OU Shockwave and Greenleys Valiants, provided the OU team with a 7-3 win, their first of the season. Charles Tien, Charity Wong and Yifan Liu each beat Slava Vokhola and Divison 3 sub Orrin Edwards and Charles and Yifan teamed up to beat Slava and Ricky Jackson in the doubles. However, Ricky Jackson provided stout resistance for the visitors with a maximum, each in 3 games â his third of the season.
In the weekâs final match, a strong 7-3 away win for MK Powers visited Leighton Buzzard Van Hire moved them into second place in the division. Maximums for Andy Pearson (his 4th in 5 matches) and Paul Tompkins against Richard Hardy, Cristi Hulpan and Lee Draper, although team captain Peter Tillotson could not manage a win. Andy and Paul also secured the doubles against Richard and Cristi.
Performance of the week: Ricky Jackson
Week 7
Little Horwood Wooden Tops secured their second big win in a week with an 8-2 win at Newport Pagnell Lagondas. A maximum for James McCafferty and a third consecutive one for Paul Reynolds with a single for John Sharp did the damage, together with the doubles, in which James and John beat Tony Ardis and Glen Davison. Tony lost all his singles while Glen and Chris Horn beat John.
3rd placed Woburn Sands Mosquitoes also came unstuck, against Greenleys Valiants, who took a 6-4 win, their first since the end of September. Another maximum for Ricky Jackson, with good support with a brace for Dan Englander in his first match for some seasons and a single win for Daniel Carter. Two wins for Glen Barcham for the visitors, plus one for James Molloy and a doubles win for James and Glenn against Dan and Ricky. No luck for Alan Bradbury, on loan from Div 3 side WS Wolves.
MK Powers took advantage of the home defeat of Lagondas to leapfrog them into top spot with a 7-3 win over bottom team Open University Shockwave. Contrasting styles are everything, demonstrated by Peter Tillotson, who recovered from last weekâs bagel to secure his first maximum of the season. Two wins here for each of Paul Tompkins, who lost to Charity Wong, and Kareem Omar, who lost to Charles Tien. Charity and Charles scored a doubles win against Peter and Paul. Yi Cao was the third Shockwave player.
The final match of the first round of fixtures gave Leighton Buzzard Van Hire a much-needed win at Greenleys Princes. Richard Hardy and Bernie Raffe scored maximums against John Stamp, Richard Bailey and Anand Keshav and teamed up in the doubles for a 5-game win against Richard and Anand. The Princes players all beat Arun Krishnan, on loan from Div 3 LB Flashmans.
Performances of the week; Richard Hardy and Peter Tillotson
Following the first round of matches, MK Powers lead the way with 43 points, with NP Lagondas, a point behind. WS Mosquitoes are third with 39 points. Following their two good wins, LH Wooden Tops are 4th with 36 points. Greenleys Valiants are 5th and LB Van Hire 6th, both on 32 points, followed by Greenleys Princes and OU Shockwave in 7th and 8th, both with 28 points.