Table tennis: Rawreth B settle for third after A team win

4:31pm Friday 9th May 2008

Southend Table Tennis League Premier Division champions Rawreth A, finished their season on a high note with a 7-2 win over their club's B team who finished third place.

The B side fielded their star player Tony Halling in the hope of grabbing some points, and he lived up to their expectations by winning two games, but lost deuce in the fifth in a tough game against hat-trick man George Reeves.

Chris Jacob and Kevin Read completed the successful line-up, bagging a brace each.

Legra A, the runners-up, also made sure of a good win in their last match by overcoming Lentern B 8-1.

Paul Whatton and John Poysden both went unbeaten, while Jamie Willson dropped the one game to John Lott.

In Division One, with Canvey A having completed their fixtures and claimed the divisional title, the race was on to decide who would be runner-up.

Rawreth D took up the challenge and a 7-2 win over Hullbridge D was enough to give them second place above Customs A.

Cliff Firth led the way for Rawreth with a maximum, with Russell Bright and Brian Spencer adding two wins each.

RESSC A just sneaked ahead of Hadleigh Forum A to take fourth place following their 6-3 win over Selbourne.

Mick Worship earned his hat-trick with ease and he was supported by Dale Gutteridge, with two wins, and Frank Hooper, with one.

In Division Two, the two top teams, Hullbridge D and Hadleigh Forum B, met with the outcome deciding who would be crowned champions.

As expected, it was a very close game but Andy Seaman, who is top of the averages, played his way to a hat-trick and, with the help of two wins from Barry Bronson, led Hullbridge D to a 5-4 win and the title.

Lentern D had a 5-4 win over Invicta A and finished in third place.

Dave Kirston won all his games but finished on the losing side.

Bill Wall and Reg Innes both won their other two games, while Vic Roberts added one to the tally to give Lentern the win.

In Division Three A, Runnymede B sealed their successful season with two 9-0 wins to take the title 12 points ahead of their nearest rivals Tony Millward, Gordon Child and Darren Launder comprised the winning side in their match against Legra C, while Ian Tuckey took Tony's place when they beat the two-man Hadleigh Forum C team.

Warehouse fought hard in their match against Invicta B which they won 7-2.

Jonathan Allen banked a hat-trick with Mark Doxey and Tony Wright backing him up with two wins each, but they have had to settle for second place.

In Division Three B, Runnymede C have finished two points ahead of Canvey D at the top of the table.

Andrea Alleyne's hat-trick led them to a 6-3 win over Rawreth Juniors B, but Hullbridge F were unable to field a team against them in the last match and conceded the nine points.

Canvey D have been in action twice. In their first game a maximum for Leon Smart helped them on their way to a 6-3 win over Rawreth Juniors A.

And in their match against Rawreth Juniors B, Canvey D won 8-1 thanks to another hat-trick for Smart and one for Mervyn Francis.

Steve Parker contributed two wins, but the clean sweep was averted by Jack Himpfer-Jones.

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