BACK to back victories saw Thorpe Bay finish third in the Essex Men’s Division One table.

Thorpe selected a strong line-up of Rob Carter, Harry Randle, David Tubbs and Lee Blackman for their clash against table-topping Clearview.

And it paid dividends as Thorpe saw off their rivals from Little Warley with a comprehensive 9-3 points win.

Carter and Randle defeated Clearview’s number one pair 6-3 6-4, while a 6-4 7-5 win for Tubbs and Blackman put Thorpe 2-0 up at the halfway point.

Randle and Carter completed a clean sweep with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win but Tubbs and Blackman lost 6-3 6-7 4-6.

The win set Thorpe up nicely for their final league match against Woodford Wells.

The visitors fielded a strong team but top pair Randle and Carter saw off the Woodford second pair 6-4 6-1.

But skipper Blackman and Simon Cuthbert went down 6-1 6-3.

Randle and Carter secured a quick 6-1 6-2 win over Woodford’s top pair and Blackman and Cuthbert wrapped up the win with a 6-3 6-2 victory over the second pair for an 8-2 points win.

l Leigh & Westcliff LTA players will be gunning for silverware on Sunday when the association holds its summer championship finals.

It is the 64th year that the event has been held and Southend Lawn Tennis Club is hosting the finals, which start at 12 noon.

The league and tournaments are sponsored by Original Sports who will have a display stand on the day at the club in Broadclyst Gardens. Lesley Pitt will referee the tournament, which has been organised by Christopher Ashton.

FINALS PROGRAMME: Ladies Singles: Michelle Caldon (Hockley) v Lisa Gordon (DL Southend). Mixed Doubles Plate: Gary Luck & Sarah Jacobs (Rayleigh) v Mark Sisson & Maddie Maxwell (Crowstone). Veteran Men’s Singles: Craig Giles (DL Southend) or Duncan Smith (Hockley) v Mark Hughes (Kent Elms). Veteran Mixed Doubles: Martin Needs (Kent Elms) & Sue Sergeant (Thorpe Bay) v Mark Rose & Debra Rose (Rayleigh). Men’s Singles: Craig George (Wickford) v Jack Vile (Hadleigh Park). Veteran Ladies Singles: Sue Sergeant (Thorpe Bay) v Lisa Gordon (DL Southend). Veteran Men’s Doubles: Greg Mcdonald & Duncan Smith (Hockley) v Giles Brickwood & Mark Rose (Rayleigh). Ladies Doubles Plate: Jo Hancock & Emma Mellish (Kent Elms) v Sophie Scanlon & Viv Scanlon (Southend Lawn). Men’s Doubles: Craig George & Neil George (Wickford) or Steve Farmer & Steve Lloyd (Rayleigh) v Dave Goodman & Cliff Warwick (Wickford). Ladies Doubles: Rebecca Attwood (Westcliff Lawn) & Lisa Gordon (DL Southend) v Amy Sergeant & Sue Sergeant (Thorpe Bay). Veteran Ladies Doubles: Cathy Chambers & Debra Rose (Rayleigh) v Lynn May & Marian Webber (Thorpe Bay). Men’s Doubles Plate: Ben Clow & Jack Vile or Brendan Pettit & Gavin McAlear (Hadleigh Park) v Simon Basham & Neil Sales (DL Southend). Mixed Doubles: Ben Clow & Lisa Gordon (Hadleigh Park/DL Southend) or Jack Vile & Lucia Bigden (Hadleigh Park) v Martin Needs (Kent Elms) & Sue Sergeant (DL Southend). Men’s Singles Plate: Neil Jacobs (Rayleigh) v Lloyd Burton (Hadleigh Park).

 

Dan is the man in Lawn singles final

DAN Thrale regained the Westcliff Lawn men’s singles title he last won two years ago in an excellent match.

Thrale defeated Jack Vile 6-2 6-4 to take the singles crown.

Sarah Ball won her first ladies’ singles title after defeating Nalandi Sharma-Ebdon 6-3 6-3.

Ball also won the mixed doubles playing with club captain Steve Wynn, beating the mother and son pairing of Wendy and Dan Thrale 6-1 7-5. Ball and Wynn last won this title in 2008.

Wynn played in three finals winning all of them. He won the men’s doubles for the 14th time, teaming up this year with Dan Thrale, and partnered Graham Goodale to victory in the men’s veterans doubles.

Claire Elliott also played in three finals and won all of them.

The longest match of the day was the mixed family doubles where three long sets were played before the brother and sister pairing of Neil and Becky Attwood were victorious.

Echo:

Ready for action – the mixed doubles finalists (l-r) Wendy Thrale, Dan Thrale, Steve Wynn and Sarah Ball 

Results: Men’s singles: Dan Thrale bt Jack Vile 6-2 6-4. Ladies’ singles: Sarah Ball beat Nalandi Sharma-Ebdon 6-3 6-3. Men’s doubles: Steve Wynn & Dan Thrale bt Jason Watkins & Jack Vile w/o. Ladies’ doubles: Christie Hale & Becky Attwood beat Hazel Wynn & Sarah Ball 6-2 6-0. Mixed doubles: Steve Wynn & Sarah Ball bt Dan Thrale & Wendy Thrale 6-1 7-5. Men’s Vets doubles: Steve Wynn & Graham Goodale bt Bez Berry & John Colman 6-0 6-2. Ladies’ Vets doubles: Cally Flinders & Marg Rimmer bt Hazel Wynn & Sarah Ball 6-4 1-6 6-3. Ladies’ O'80 doubles: Marg Rimmer & Claire Elliott bt Cally Flinders & Deb Goldhawk 6-3 6-4. Mixed O'80 doubles: Jeremy Heales & Claire Elliott bt James Gerken & Linda Gaze 7-6 3-6 6-2. Mixed O'100 doubles: Bez Berry & Claire Elliott bt Richard Carey & Cally Flinders 6-2 6-4. Mixed family doubles: Neil Attwood & Becky Attwood bt Dan Sanderson & Hazel Wynn 6-7 6-4 6-4.

 

Greenways pip Dunmow to Essex glory

Bowls: Greenways Ladies Bowling Club went one better this year by winning an Essex top club bowling tournament.

The ladies from the club, which is based in Southchurch Park, Southend, were runners-up to Tiptree last year in the Essex County Women’s Bowling Association Top Club event.

Echo:

Winning team – the bowlers from Greenways Ladies Bowls Club

But they defeated Dunmow BC in a hard-fought final at Chelmsford BC to take the honours 12 months later.

Captain Ann Nevison was delighted with the win and praised the playing squad for their excellent performance in the final and hard work during the season.

This year’s knockout competition started with wins over local clubs Whitehall, and Fairways, followed by wins over Wickford and Runwell, culminating with a semi-final win last month at Rainham against Elm Park.

The final was a close affair with each side winning two rinks.

The game was decided by an overall two-shot difference to Greenways, 79-77, thanks to the pairs rinks winning their last four ends.