Stanford’s win featured Saad Abdullah as the player of the match but he was nearly upstaged by team mate John Handscombe who also won all three matches but twice came back from 2-0 down to win in five sets.

Four matches went to five sets on the night but the only one Stanford lost was Jo Hills victory 12/10 in the final set to give Canvey their consolation point.

If the result wasn’t great for Customs in their 9-0 defeat to Wakering the match was significant for them in another way as it featured three players all from the same family Richard, Breda and Joe Kidd.

Wakering proved far too strong but Richard Kidd almost took a consolation point from debutant Pete Sarfas but he came back from two sets down to pip Kidd 11/9 in the final set. Keeping the family theme father and son Paul and Zac England made up the Wakering team.

Hadleigh Forum D share second place with Wakering as they beat Stanford D 6-3 but with only two players.

Tony Mace and Jean Catley were unbeatable only dropping one set against Stanford’s team of Mark Downey and youngsters Randy and Jake Santiago.

Canvey C just lost last week 5-4 to Stanford B but managed to get a little bit of revenge against Stanford C this time winning 5-4.

Archie Blackburn took the player of the match honours supported by Kevin Walsingham who got a brace while Stanford’s points were shared by Mark Farley, two, and one each for Steve King and Peter Moxham.

Runnymede got their first win of the season thanks in no small part to Dmitry Kisil who won all his games in what was a closely fought match, four games going to five sets.

Tina Hutchinson with a brace and Steve Wisbey with one made up the winning team.

Hockley E and Hockley F battled for bragging rights and this time the F team came out on top winning 6-3.

Graham Gregory, Alwine Jarvis and Keith Denyer shared the points but none of them could beat Ron Rogerson who took the player of the match award.

Brothers James and Samuele Treslove made up the Hockley E team.

In the Premier Division this week there some great games, with all three going right down to the wire and finishing 5-4.
In the first of these games title favourites Thorpe Bay were pushed all the way by Hullbridge B with Harry Keys picking up a good win over John Poysden and Liam Squirrell impressing with wins over Poysden, Joe Kennedy and Paul Sayer. 

Their efforts were not quite enough to take the victory as Sayer (2), Kennedy (2) and Poysden (1) still took the spoils.

Rayleigh Mill recorded their first win and in fact first points of the season as they beat Hadleigh Forum 5-4.

All players on the night recorded at least one win with Duncan Taylor’s three wins just tipping the balance in favour of the Millers.

It was a good evening’s work and a maximum from Bruce Kettle that led Rawreth B to a 5-4 victory over Irons A.

Kettle recorded wins over Dave Bowles, Stuart Gibbs and Richard Brown with Gibbs and Brown replying with two wins a piece for the Irons’ four points.

Tim Cramphorn and Justin Jeffrey both beat Bowles to take Rawreth past the winning post.