Battle to beat drop hots up as Rawreth romp on (From Echo)

Battle to beat drop hots up as Rawreth romp on

4:00pm Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Sport

RAWRETH A pulled further away at the top of the table in the Premier Division of the Southend and District Table Tennis League with a routine win over Lentern A.

But, at the other end of the division, the relegation battle is really hotting up with Canvey A and Lentern B now both on 23 points and Runnymede B just five points ahead on 28.

And the head-to-head games between these teams will be crucial in determining who is playing in the top division next season.

In Division One, Rawreth C were back to winning ways with an 8-1 victory over bottom side Canvey B.

There were hat-tricks for Rawreth’s Ben Matthews and Dave Colwill, but the games were a lot closer than the score suggests.

The battle for second place looks to be between Customs A, Lentern C and Hullbridge C, with Hullbridge currently in the driving seat despite their 5-4 loss to Lentern C.

Hadleigh Forum’s two teams clashed with the B team beating the C team 5-4, despite the C team’s Russ Bright picking up a hat-trick.

With the leaders of Division Two Castle Point A not playing, the chasing two teams both came a cropper against the Dream Team.

Firstly, Whittingham could only muster two players and went down away 6–3, despite a maximum from John Blackman.

But, in the very next game, the Dream Team could only find two players themselves for their visit to Lentern E.

However, a fine maximum from Steve Marr, supported by two from Behn Taylor saw them come away with a surprise 5-4 win.

Hockley A rubbed salt into the wounds when they visited Whittingham and won 5–4.

The youngsters of Hullbridge D also overcame St Peter’s 6–3 at home thanks to a Grant Burgess hat-trick.

In Division Three, new league leaders Runnymede C entertained Hockley C and ran out convincing 9-0 winners courtesy of hat-tricks from Anne Adlington, John Radenhurst and Nathan Ram.

Third-placed Wakering also recorded a 9-0 win against Hockley D with Cliff Noakes, Dave Accleton and Dick Gilbert all remaining undefeated on the night.

In another big scoring game, Canvey E beat Hullbridge H 8-1 thanks to hat-tricks from Dave Short and Ray Baker.

Elsewhere, a Janet Finch hat-trick for Hullbridge E proved decisive in their 6-3 win against Castle Point C and two wins each from Hockley B’s Keith Abbott, Brian Bissenden and Laurie Witte ensured a 6-3 win against Invicta B but none of the Hockley team could defeat John Golding, who banked another hat-trick.