The Champions of the Premier Division, Rawreth A, finished their season on a high note with a 7-2 win over their Club’s B team who are in a creditable third place. The B side fielded their star player Tony Halling in the hopes 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 1, with Canvey A having completed their fixtures and claimed the Divisional title, the race was on to decide who was to 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 2, 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 finish 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 3a 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 2-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 3b, 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 while in their match against Rawreth Juniors B they won 8-1 thanks to another hat trick for Leon and one for Mervyn Francis. Steve Parker contributed two wins but the clean sweep was averted by Jack Himpfer-Jones.
21st April 2008
Legra A kept a clean sheet in their match against Hullbridge A in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. With one game left to play Jamie Willson, John Poysden and Paul Whatton cannot catch the leaders, Rawreth A, but they made sure that they will finish runners-up by extending their lead over third placed Rawreth B to fourteen points thanks to their 9-0 win.
Runnymede A came close to inflicting a whitewash on their opponents Lentern B but had to settle for 8-1. John Holland and Dave Bowles were both unbeaten but Chris Crooks saved the day for Lentern with an 11-9 win in the fifth leg against Garry Baker.
In Division 1, a hat trick from Roy Thomas led Customs A to a 5-4 win over Whittingham and leaves them with a mathematical chance of finishing runners-up. Roy had to fight hard for his wins with one of his games going to deuce in the fifth and another to 11-9 in the fifth. Craig Harris and John Blackman both bagged a brace for Whittingham.
The Divisional winners Canvey A completed their fixtures with a 5-4 win over Rawreth D who are currently occupying second place 36 points behind them. Gavin Warner scored a maximum for Canvey while Ray Wilson contributed two wins but was denied his hat trick by Cliff Firth.
In Division 2, Dave Woolmer and Colin Napper both went unbeaten for Hadleigh Forum B in their match against Rawreth F to steer their team to a 7-2 win that puts them two points behind the leaders Rawreth D. The teams will be playing each other this week in their final game of the season and the outcome will decide who picks up the winner’s trophy.
At the other end of the spectrum, the bottom teams, Hullbridge C and Legra B faced each other. Bob Shingleton-Smith was in good shape for the home side winning all his games while Paul Ogden lost his first game against Legra’s Sam Chesher before going on to win his other two. Janet Finch added one, losing the other two in five legs, to take the total to 6-3 but they stay firmly stuck in bottom place.
In Division 3a top team Runnymede B came up against their closest rivals Warehouse C and confirmed their superiority with an 8-1 win. Tony Millward and Ian Tuckey both registered maximums while Gordon Child was pipped at the post by Tony Wright who denied Runnymede the clean sweep.
In Division 3b, Runnymede C had a 6-3 win over Rawreth Juniors A. Andrea Alleyne won all her games and Tony Coeshall looked set to do the same until he was stopped in his tracks by Phil Smith. Rawreth had to concede the last game of the evening due to the illness of one of their team.
Canvey D were lucky to be awarded three points for the second week running when one of their opponents failed to put in an appearance. Rob McDonald and Leon Smart won both their games in the match against Hullbridge F and Ray Baker added one to give them the 8-1 win.
14th April 2008
With just two weeks to go to the end of the season, Rawreth A are too far ahead of their rivals to be overtaken in the Premier Division of the Southend |& District Table Tennis League. A 9-0 win for Legra A over Warehouse A puts them into second place, five points clear of third placed Rawreth B and with a game in hand. Rawreth B won their match against Lentern A 6-3 thanks to a Keith Phillip’s hat trick, a brace for Andrew Halling and one win for Dave Calleja. Terry Guymer was Lentern’s best player with two wins but he lost in a five-setter to Keith.
Lentern B and Rayleigh Mill fought a close match with the latter emerging the 5-4 winners. Marilyn Bawden and Ray Eldridge did most of the damage winning two games each for the Mill while Lentern’s Les Tayler was denied his maximum by Marilyn.
In Division 1, the Divisional leaders Canvey A scraped home 5-4 in the last game of the match against Hadleigh Forum C but have too big a lead to be denied the title. Garry Hartgrove was unbeaten for Forum but it wasn’t enough to save his team from defeat. Talbot Wiseman and Tony Giddens won both their other games for Canvey with a below par Ray Wilson adding one to the tally.
Selbourne had a 5-4 win over Lentern C in a very close match that could have gone either way. Former Essex junior Michael Piper who has resumed playing recently is gradually getting his old form back winning two of his games but couldn’t get the better of Lentern’s Steve Appleby. Roger Nutbrown also won two for Selbourne with Dave Newton contributing one.
In Division 2, Legra B had a surprisingly comfortable 8-1 win over Warehouse B. Neil and Owen Warren were both unbeaten while Sam Chesher won two but lost in a very close game against Oliver Podd.
Hullbridge D are hanging onto their lead at the top of the table but only managed a narrow 5-4 win for the second week running. Dave Kirston was in good form to go unbeaten for their opponents Invicta A but Barry Bronson and Denis Warren won both their other games for the victors while Jim McKechnie added one.
In Division 3a, the current leaders Warehouse C beat RESSC A 6-3. Tony Wright led the way winning all his games in three straight legs. He was supported by Mark Doxey with two wins who was denied his hat trick by Pam Swan, and Jonathan Allen added one to the total.
Wakering beat Hadleigh Forum B by the same score. Cliff Noakes was their hat trick earner, Dave Accleton added two but lost to John Packer and Jenny Butler contributed one.
In Division 3b, Leon Smart came up trumps for Canvey D in their match against Runnymede C. His hat trick, together with a pair for Rob McDonald and one for Jimmy Readon led Canvey to a 6-3 win.
Rawreth Juniors B banked a 9-0 win over Customs C who could only field a two-man team. Paul Sims, Jack Himpfer-Jones and Ben Langton comprised the successful side.
7th April 2008
Lentern B suffered an 8-1 defeat at the hands of Rawreth B in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League but Lentern’s Les Tayler had a surprise win over Eric Green. Les lost the first leg but wore his opponent down in the process and went on to win the next three comfortably. Lentern’s Chris Crooks hit some outrageous winners in an exciting game before going down in four legs to Babul McLeod who only just edged home against Les. Andew Halling had a more comfortable night winning all his games three straight..
A mid-table clash between Rayleigh Mill and Hullbridge A resulted in a 5-4 win for the latter which puts them one point ahead of their opponents in the League table. A hat trick from Paul Grant did most of the damage which he achieved at the expense of Hamish Innes with a 16-14 in the fifth win.
In Division 1, the team currently occupying second place in the table, Rawreth D, had a tough match against Hadleigh Forum A. Three of their games were won at deuce in the fifth so they were lucky to emerge the 5-4 winners. Mike Griffiths and Brian Spencer won two games each for the victors while Garry Hartgrove was Forum’s most successful player.
Customs A won by a similar score-line against Selbourne in spite of the latter fielding Michael Piper who won all his games. Dave Morgan and Brian Rackham both bagged a brace for Customs with Roger Woolley contributing the all important one.
In Division 2, Hadleigh Forum are still in contention for honours following their 5-4 defeat of Basildon Hospital. David Woolmer led the way with a hat trick and he was supported by Brian Nicholson who won two of his games before losing to the Hospital’s Sid Hills.
In a derby match the top team Hullbridge D overcame the Club’s C team who are struggling at the bottom of the Division. Andy Seaman, who is topping the Div. 2 averages, put in yet another good performance to lead his side to a 5-4 win. Barry Bronson backed him up by winning two of his games losing only to the C team’s two game winner Janet Finch.
In Division 3a, there were two 5-4 results. A hat trick for Steve Wynn led Legra C to a good win over Wakering. He was supported by Miles Milner and Simon Chesher who each banked a point.
Invicta B were the winners over RESSC B. John Golding and Derek North bagged a brace each while Norman Cregor added one to give them the 5-4 win. Sarah Mapes was RESSC’s best player with two wins.
In Division 3b, Rawreth Juniors A were in action against Customs C. David Nunn, Robert Reed and Jack Chinn were all in good form to win the match 9-0. Try as they might, Customs were unable to bag a point although Gaye Deane came close with one of her games going the full distance.
Rawreth Juniors B put in a 6-3 winning performance against Hullbridge F. Sam Langton won all his games, brother Ben added two and Mitchell Nunn one. Neil Klyman banked two wins for Hullbridge.
24th March 2008
In the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League a hat trick for Lee Prentice, playing in only his second match of the season for Rawreth A, led the table-toppers to a 7-2 win over Lentern A. Kevin Read and Charles Sweeny supported him with two wins each. Lentern got off to a good start by winning the first two games but from then on it all went downhill for them with Rawreth moving up a gear to take the next seven.
Keith Phillips, Andrew Halling and Babul McLeod made sure that Rawreth B stay in contention for the runners-up spot by winning two games each in their match against Hullbridge A. Their 6-3 win puts them securely in third place, hot on the heels of Legra A.
In Division 1, Canvey A and B were both in action with mixed results. The A team, led by a maximum from Ray Wilson, had a 6-3 win over Lentern C to keep them firmly in the driving seat at the top of the Division...
The B team were on the losing end of a 6-3 score-line when they lost to Selbourne who are pulling out all the stops in an effort to avoid relegation. Dave Newton, Roger Nutbrown and Vince Gurney comprised the successful team winning two games each with Vince being denied his hat trick at deuce in the fifth by Tony Reed.
In Division 2, the two top teams met resulting in a 7-2 win for Warehouse B who went all out to show the leaders Hullbridge D that they haven’t got it in the bag yet. Berti Makolli was unbeaten for the Warehouse with Kim Shead and Oliver Podd bagging a brace each. Andy Seaman won the first and last games for Hullbridge.
Lentern D were in top form when they played at home to St Peters and won 8-1. Graeme Dale and Bill Wall both registered hat tricks with John Gard contributing two wins, losing only to Ray Elsdon.
In Division 3a, hat tricks from Tony Wright and Mark Doxey led Warehouse C to a 7-2 win over Legra C who fought hard but only managed a win each for Ed Willson and Miles Milner.
Legra’s fortunes changed when they played Hadleigh Forum C. Miles Milner and Steve Wynn were both unbeaten with Simon Chesher adding one to give them the 7-2 victory.
In Division 3b, there were no results received.
17th March 2008
There was a very close encounter between Runnymede A and Legra A in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. Legra went 3-1 up before the home side staged a come-back to win the next four games. Runnymede’s Stuart Gibbs and Dave Bowles both banked a pair with Gary Baker contributing one to give them the 5-4 win. Paul Whatton was the best player for the away side with two wins.
Rayleigh Mill had a good result against Rawreth C. Duncan Taylor and Hamish Innes both registered hat tricks but they had to work hard for them while Colin Chatfield added two to the tally, losing only to Paul Churn, to give the Mill an 8-1 win.
In Division 1, a maximum for Roy Thomas led Customs A to a 5-4 win over the Divisional leaders Canvey A who suffered only their second defeat of the season. Roy was supported by Brian Rackham who bagged a brace but was denied his hat trick by Gavin Warner.
Bottom side Selbourne had a welcome win over the team lying third in the table, Rawreth E. Roger Nutbrown and Carolyn Cole were both in top form for Selbourne winning all their games to steer them to a 6-3 victory.
In Division 2, there were two 5-4 results. Dave Kirston was responsible for leading Invicta A to the win over Basildon Hospital. He was unbeaten on the night with his team-mates Grahame Cornish and David Barnes each adding one win to see them home. Adrian Atkinson was the Hospital’s best player with two wins.
The outcome of the match between Hullbridge C and Canvey C was decided in the last game when Les Rider banked his second win for Canvey with a good win over Paul Ogden. Les was backed by Lee McGonagle with two wins and Geoff Banthorpe with one. Paul banked a pair for the losers as did Bob Shingleton-Smith.
In Division 3a, Norman Cregor, Shelley Woolley and Derek North put in a team performance for Invicta B winning two games each to take them to a 6-3 victory over Wakering. Dave Accleton played well for Wakering but his night was spoiled when he lost in a close 5-setter to Shelley.
In Division 3b, Alex Leigh starred for Hullbridge E when they hosted the game against their Club’s F side. He completed his hat trick in the last game of the match to take his side to a 5-4 win. Bill Hoy and Neal Klyman banked two wins each for the F team both of them losing only to Alex.
10th March 2008
Legra A’s 9-0 win over Rayleigh Mill has put them in with a good chance of finishing second in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. John Poysden, Jamie Willson and Paul Whatton comprised the successful team but they have very little chance of catching the leaders Rawreth A.
There was a derby match at Rawreth when the C team hosted a match against the B side with the latter emerging the 7-2 winners. Keith Phillips was unbeaten and he was supported by Dave Calleja and Eric Green who banked a pair each, both of them losing to the C team’s Paul Churn.
In Division 1, Gary Hartgrove completed his hat trick in the last game of the match to take Hadleigh Forum A to a 7-2 win over Lentern C. Mark Everard and Graham Farmer supported him by bagging a brace each but both of them fell victim to Lentern’s Steve Appleby.
The Divisional leaders Canvey A are thirty points clear at the top of the table following their 9-0 win over their Club’s B side. Tony Giddens, Ray Wilson and Gavin Warner were unbeaten but the B team were unlucky when Terry Giddens had to retire hurt after the first leg of his first game thus reducing his team to two players.
In Division 2, Rawreth F notched up a hard earned 5-4 win over St Peters despite Ray Elsdon scoring a hat trick for the Saints. The score was 4-4 going into the last game which was won by Colin Barham to take his tally to two and give his side the win. Andy Nunn also banked two wins with Melanie Jones adding one.
Oliver Podd led the way with a hat trick for The Warehouse B team in their 6-3 win over Canvey C. Berti Makolli backed him with two wins and Ray Balchin, in his first game of the season following injury, won one. Canvey had started the match in winning mode by taking the first two games but then hit a losing streak until the last game when Geoff Banthorpe won his second game to make it three.
In Division 3a, Chris Liu and Bob Gabe were both unbeaten for Hadleigh Forum C to take them to a 6-3 win over Invicta B.
Wakering scraped home 5-4 against Runnymede. In a very closely contested match Cliff Noakes and Dave Accleton won two games each for the winning team with Jenny Butler contributing one and denying Tony Millward his hat trick.
In Division 3b, Runnymede C got off to a flying start by beating Customs C 8-1. Phil Mardle and Nathan Ram were both unbeaten while John Radenhurst dropped the one game to Eddie Huen.
Rawreth Juniors A and B teams played against each other with the B side winning 8-1. Mitchell Nunn and Sam Langton both notched up hat tricks while Rob Reed stopped the rot for the A side with a win over Matt Swain.
3rd March 2008
With six matches left to play, Runnymede A are pulling out all the stops in an effort to reach the runners-up spot in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. Gary Baker, Stuart Gibbs and Dave Bowles were unbeaten in their match against Rayleigh Mill to give them the 9-0 win.
Meanwhile, the leaders Rawreth A went marching on and are looking unstoppable at the top of the table following their 9-0 victory over the bottom side Warehouse A. George Reeves, Charles Sweeny and Chris Jacob comprised the successful team. Warehouse gave it their all but have yet to win a match in their first season in the Premier Division.
In Division 1, there was a very close match between Customs A and Hadleigh Forum A which stood and 4-4 before Brian Rackham won his second game of the match in the fifth leg of the last game to give Customs the 5-4 win. He was backed by Roy Thomas with two wins and Dave Morgan with one. Gary Hartgrove’s hat trick could not prevent his finishing on the losing side.
Craig Harris was also a hat trick man who finished on the losing side. His three wins were the only points banked for Whittingham when they hosted the game against Hullbridge B. Richard Hiskey, Bill Smith and Andrew Seabrook won all their other games for the away side to give them a 6-3 victory.
In Division 2, the top team Hadleigh Forum B met the bottom team Hullbridge C but only managed to scrape home 5-4 by winning the last game of the match. Paul Ogden was in top form for the struggling Hullbridge side winning all his games in five legs. He was supported by Bob Shingleton-Smith who won one game but was unlucky to lose the other two in five legs. For the top team Dave Woolmer and Brian Nicholson each bagged a brace with Colin Napper contributing one.
Warehouse B had a 5-4 win over Basildon Hospital. Kim Shead was the leading scorer for the victors with a maximum while Berti Makolli and Oliver Podd added a win each. Mike Smith played well for the Hospital side losing just the one game to Kim.
25th February 2008
Keith Phillips snatched victory for Rawreth B in the last game of the match against Runnymede A in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. Things were looking good for Runnymede with Stuart Gibbs having banked a hat trick and Gary Baker one win but then Jason Gibbs had to retire and Keith won his second game to give Rawreth the 5-4 win. Eric Green also bagged a brace for Rawreth.
Nigel Lamb and Ray Murray of Hullbridge A were both unbeaten in their game against Lentern B. Kevin Smart completed the line-up with one win to give them a 7-2 victory.
In Division 1, top team Canvey A notched up another win when they overcame Hullbridge B 6-3. Tony Giddens was their star player with three wins while Gavin Warner contributed two, losing only to Richard Hiskey, and Talbot Wiseman one.
Rawreth D and Rawreth E are currently in second and third places on equal points following the D team’s 5-4 win over the E side but the former have a game in hand. Brian Spencer and Cliff Firth both banked a pair for the winners with Alan Wood adding one win and losing in a very close game against Gus Heath who went on to earn a hat trick for the losers.
In Division 2, there were two 5-4 results. Andy Nunn was in great form and emerged unbeaten for Rawreth F in their match against Lentern D but he finished on the losing side. Peter Pond and Graeme Dale each won two games for the victors with Vic Roberts adding one to give them the 5-4 win.
Canvey C had a 5-2 lead over Legra B and looked to be heading for a comfortable win. Paul Lawrence and Les Rider had banked a pair each for the home side and Geoff Banthorpe one but then Legra rallied and took the last two games. Sam Chesher won his third game to complete his hat trick and Owen Warren won the last game but it was too little too late.
11th February 2008
The two top teams in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League played each other with the leaders Rawreth A emerging the comfortable 8-1 winners. Kevin Read and Aaron Fennell both scored maximums but Legra’s John Monk stopped the whitewash when he overcame George Reeves in the last game of the match.
Rawreth’s B side also got the better of their opponents. Eric Green and Babul McLeod earned well deserved hat tricks while Dave Calleja contributed one to give them a 7-2 win over Rayleigh Mill.
In Division 1, Michael Piper returned to the scene after a long absence and won two of his games for Selbourne. Vince Gurney and Carolyn Cole also bagged a brace to give them a 6-3 win over Hullbridge B. Could this be the start of a late surge to save Selbourne from relegation?
Peter Lucraft and Ian Rattray were both unbeaten for Lentern C in their match against Canvey B. Their hat tricks, together with two wins for Steve Appleby who was denied his maximum by Terry Giddens, led them to an 8-1 victory.
In Division 2, Geoff Banthorpe was in great form for Canvey C when they played away to Lentern D. He cruised his way to a hat trick to lead his team to a 5-4 win. John Gard and Vic Roberts banked a pair each for the home side.
Dave Woolmer, Colin Napper and Brian Nicholson put in a team performance for Hadleigh Forum B winning two games each to take their team to a 6-3 victory and third place in the table. Ray Elsdon suffered a rare defeat for their opponents St Peters when he fell victim to Dave Woolmer.
In Division 3, John Golding’s maximum was crucial for Invicta B when they scraped home 5-4 against Runnymede C. He was supported by Shelley Woolley with two wins. Andrea Alleyne played well for Runnymede losing just the one game to John.
There was another 5-4 score-line when Rawreth Juniors B played host to Hadleigh Forum C. Matt Swain and Paul Simms banked two wins each while Mitchell Nunn supplied the all important one and was unlucky not to win more with all his games going the full distance.
4th February 2008
Rawreth A consolidated their position at the top of the table in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League when they beat Runnymede A 7-2. Aaaron Fennell led the way with a hat trick and he was supported by two wins each from Kevin Read and Charles Sweeney who overcame some stiff opposition along the way.
At the other end of the spectrum, Lentern B met their relegation rivals Warehouse A and emerged the 6-3 winners. Les Tayler was their hat trick man while John Lott backed him up with two wins and Chris Crooks contributed one. Martin West played well to bank two points for the losers.
In Division 1, there was a close tussle between Canvey B and Customs A in which Roy Thomas was unbeaten for Customs but he finished on the losing side. Tony Westwell and Terry Giddens won both their other games for Canvey and the score was 4-4 going into the last game which Steve Mundy won for the home side to take Canvey to victory.
Whittingham won their match against Hadleigh Forum A 5-4 despite being a two-man team. John Blackman scored a maximum while Craig Harris bagged a brace, losing only to Mark Everard.
In Division 2, Hullbridge D have taken over the top spot following their 8-1 defeat of Canvey C. Andy Seaman and Jim McKechnie were both unbeaten while Denis Warren dropped the one game to Peter Cray. Les Rider was unlucky for Canvey, losing two of his games in five legs suffering net points at vital moments.
Warehouse B drop to second place as a result of their 4-5 loss against Invicta A. Barrie Murphy and David Barnes each banked two wins with Graham Cornish adding one to take Invicta to a narrow win
In Division 3, the leaders Warehouse C overcame the struggling Hullbridge F side 8-1. Oliver Podd and Mark Doxey did most of the damage while Jonathan Allen was denied his maximum by Neal Klyman.
Legra C fielded a strong team against Canvey D and have Neil Warren and Steve Wynn to thank for taking them to victory. Their hat tricks together with a win for Nick Spillett resulted in a 7-2 win.
28th January 2008
Rawreth A have leap-frogged over their nearest rivals, Legra C, to take top spot in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. In a derby match they overcame their Club’s B team 8-1 with just the single win for Keith Phillips over Chris Jacob saving the whitewash. George Reeves and Kevin Read were both unbeaten for the A side.
Lentern B beat Rawreth C 7-2 in a match which was much closer than the score suggests with six of the games going the full distance. Les Tayler secure a hard earned hat trick for Lentern with three long five-set games while John Lott and Russell Mills contributed two wins each to enable them to reverse the score-line they suffered at the hands of Rawreth at the start of the season.
In Division 1, Roger Nutbrown was the star of the night for Selbourne winning all his games in their match against Rawreth D. In his last game he came back from 2-9 down in the fifth to win 11-9 but his efforts were not enough to give his team the win. Cliff Firth and Brian Spencer both bagged a brace for the opposition and John Stubbington contributed one to give Rawreth a 5-4 victory.
Steve Appleby was unbeaten for Lentern C when they met Rawreth E. However, Gus Heath, Linda Murray and Mike Nunn put in a team performance winning all their other games to take Rawreth to a 6-3 win.
In Division 2, Hullbridge D are just one point behind the Divisional leaders Warehouse C following their 6-3 win over Basildon Hospital. Andy Seaman led the way with a hat trick and he was supported by Barry Bronson with two wins and Dennis Warren with one.
St Peters have slipped down to third place after suffering defeat at the hands of Invicta A. Dave Kirston did most of the damage earning his hat trick with ease. He was backed up by a brace from Barrie Murphy to give Invicta a 5-4 win.
In Division 3, things are looking up for Customs C who were delighted to secure their first win of the season. Charles Praim-Singh and Richard Kidd banked a pair each and Eddie Huen won one to give them the narrow 5-4 win over Hullbridge F. Bill Hoy was unbeaten on the night and was unlucky to finish on the losing side.
Experience got the better of youth when Invicta B played host to Rawreth Juniors B. John Golding and Derek North were both unbeaten while Norman Cregor fell victim to Paul Sims in a five-setter in the last game of the match.
21st January 2008
Legra A are leading the way in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League following their 9-0 win over Lentern B but Rawreth A are hot on their heels with just two points separating them. Lentern put up a good fight with three of the games going the full distance but John Poysden, Jamie Willson and Pete Saunders made it a clean sweep.
Glen Johnson and Peter Saunders (not to be confused with Pete) were both unbeaten for Hullbridge A when they overcame Rawreth C 6-3 but they had to work hard for some of those wins particularly Glen who survived some deuce games along the way.
In Division 1, Rawreth E were given a little help from Canvey B who had to concede three games when one of their players failed to put in an appearance due to a misunderstanding. Linda Murray and Gus Heath went on to win both their other games while Lou Hopkins, playing up from Division 2, contributed one win to take them to an 8-1 victory
Selbourne are still languishing at the bottom of the table following their 3-6 loss to Hadleigh Forum A despite the valiant efforts of Roger Nutbrown who was unbeaten for them. However, Dave Sibley, Gary Hartgrove and Graham Farmer put in a team performance for the victors by winning all their other games.
In Division 2, Owen Warren was the star of the Legra B team when they overcame Invicta A. His hat trick together with a win each for Sam Chesher and Dan Sanderson led them to a narrow 5-4 win. Barrie Murphy and Graham Cornish banked two wins each for the losers.
St Peters are breathing down the necks of Warehouse B at the top of the table following their 7-2 win over Hullbridge C. Ray Elsdon and Brian Parker were the maximum men.
In Division 3, the Rawreth Junior teams met. Sam Langton was unbeaten for the B side, his team mate Matt Swain was unlucky not to do the same being denied his hat trick by David Nunn in a five-setter and Mitchell Nunn banked one win to give them a 6-3 victory over the A team.
Title contenders Warehouse C enhanced their chances with a 9-0 win over Invicta B. The match was closer than the score suggests with some close encounters and games going the full distance but Tony Wright, Oliver Podd and Mark Doxey emerged triumphant.
14th January 2008
The New Year got off to a good start for Rayleigh Mill when they narrowly overcame Lentern A 5-4 in a mid-table clash in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League. Hamish Innes was their match winner with a hat trick and he was supported by Colin Chatfield who won two of his games before losing to Lentern’s Richard Brown in the last game of the night.
Stuart Gibbs was unbeaten for Runnymede A in their win over Lentern B. Gary Baker backed him up with two wins before falling victim to Les Tayler and Jason Gibbs supplied one to give Runnymede a 6-3 victory.
In Division 1, Canvey A opened up an even wider gap at the top of the table when they overcame their nearest rivals Rawreth D 7-2. Ray Wilson, who has lost only two games all season, banked yet another hat trick while Gavin Warner and Tony Giddens bagged a brace each.
Whittingham lost the first three games in their match against Customs A but the home side staged a come back to level the score at 4-4. John Beddow then won the last game for Customs to take them to a narrow 5-4 victory.
In Division 2, St Peters inflicted a rare defeat on the Divisional leaders Warehouse B. Ray Elsdon and Paul Reed won two games each for the Saints with Brian Parker contributing one. The Warehouse had to concede a game which resulted in a 6-3 win for St Peters.
Sue Reece earned her first maximum of the season for Hullbridge C in their 7-2 win over Legra B. Sam Chesher won the first game of the match for Legra against Paul Ogden who then went on to win both his other games. Bob Shingleton-Smith also banked two wins for Hullbridge before being forced to concede his last game due to injury.
In Division 3, Runnymede B have widened the gap at the top of the table following their 8-1 win over Canvey D. Tony Millward and Gordon Child both went unbeaten but Rob McDonald stopped the rot for Canvey with a deuce in the fifth win over Anne Adlington.
A mid-table clash between RESSC B and Hullbridge E resulted in a 6-3 win for RESSC. Sarah Mapes was on top form with a hat trick while Pam Swan looked set to follow suit before losing in the last game to Hullbridge’s two game winner Alex Leigh.
17th December 2007
Duncan Taylor stormed his way to a hat trick for Rayleigh Mill to lead his team to a 5-4 win over Hullbridge A in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League. His efforts were backed up by Colin Chatfield who fought his way to two wins
but fell in the fifth leg in a close encounter with Ray Murray.
The combined talents of Runnymede A’s Stuart Gibbs and Josh Lovett steered them to a 7-2 win over Warehouse A who are finding life hard in the top Division. Malcolm Henstock and Martin West did well to bank a win each for the losers.
In Division 1, Whittingham enjoyed a 6-3 win over Canvey B. The match was closer than the score suggests with five of the games going the full distance but John Blackman and Craig Harris went unbeaten to lead their team to victory.
Roy Thomas and Brian Rackham both registered maximum for Customs A in their 8-1 victory over Selbourne who are struggling to win games in this Division. Vince Gurney stopped the whitewash with an 11-8 in the fifth win over Roger Woolley.
In Division 2, the two Hullbridge sides had mixed fortunes. The C team went down 2-7 against Lentern D for whom Reg Innes went unbeaten. He was backed up by Bill Wall and John Gard who each bagged a brace but both of them fell victim to Bob Shingleton-Smith who beat them both before falling at the last hurdle at deuce in the fifth to Reg Innes.
The D side fared better with a 6-3 win. Andy Seaman earned a hat trick and he was supported by Barry Bronson with two wins and Jim McKechnie with one. Invicta’s best player on the night was Dave Kirston who banked a pair.
In Division 3, Warehouse C are sharing top spot with Runnymede B following their 8-1 win over Runnymede C. Tony Wright and Graham Back were the hat trick men while Mark Doxey almost joined them but he lost to Tony Coeshall 17-19 in the fourth leg.
There was a very close match between Hadleigh Forum C and Hullbridge E. However, Bob Gabe was in top form winning all his games to lead Forum to a 5-4 win. Stacey Smith was the best player for Hullbridge with two wins.
9th December 2007
A fine hat trick from Andrew Halling led the way for Rawreth B when they overcame Lentern B 7-2 in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. In the last game of the evening Lentern’s Les Tayler won a titanic match against Babul McLeod before finally winning 12-10 in the fifth leg. Russell Mills beat Dave Calleja for Lentern’s other success.
Pete Saunders and John Poysden were both unbeaten for Legra A in their 8-1 win over Rawreth C. Jamie Willson completed the line-up winning two of his games before suffering a surprising defeat by Colin Clements.
In Division 1, the table toppers Canvey A banked another decisive win when they got the better of RESSC A 8-1. Ray Wilson and Gavin Warner both earned hat tricks while Tony Giddens contributed two wins before falling in the last game of the match to Mike Worship.
Rawreth D overcame Hadleigh Forum A 7-2. A hat trick from Brian Spencer was backed up by a brace each from Mike Griffiths and Cliff Firth in a match that was closer than the score suggests. Gary Hartgrove & Colin Napper banked one win each for the losers.
In Division 2, Warehouse B are now sharing the top spot with Hullbridge D following their 2-7 defeat by Lentern D. Graeme Dale was unbeaten for the victors while Bill Wall and Reg Innes both had their hat trick hopes dashed by Graham Back.
The match between Rawreth F and Invicta A was closely contested with five of the games going the full distance but it must have been Invicta’s lucky night as they all went their way. Dave Kirston was unbeaten while Derek North and Grahame Cornish each won two of their games both of them falling victim to Keith Cullen.
In Division 3, Wakering are leading the way following their narrow 5-4 defeat of Invicta B. A John Golding hat trick for Invicta wasn’t enough to take them to victory as Dave Accleton and Dick Gilbert beat both his team-mates and Jenny Butler won one of her games to give Wakering the win.
Sarah Mapes and Rick Hall were both on top form for RESSC B when they came up against Canvey D. There were some close games but their maximums together with one win for Maureen Cooper took them to a 7-2 win.
3rd December 2007
Paul Grant produced a fine hat trick for Hullbridge A when his team came up against Rawreth B in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League but he finished on the losing end of a 5-4 scoreline. His games against Keith Phillips and Eric Green, who won their other games, both went to five sets before he edged them out by playing some great shots. Rawreth B have moved up to second place in the League table.
Stuart Gibbs was the hat trick man for Runnymede A which led them to a 5-4 win over Rawreth C. Gary Baker supported him with two wins but was denied his maximum by Alby Warner in a very close game that went to deuce in the fifth.
In Division 1, Hullbridge B won their match against Customs A 5-4 in the last game of the night. Richard Hiskey was unbeaten while Bill Smith backed him with two wins before falling victim to Dave Morgan.
Canvey B versus Selbourne also went down to the wire before Tony Reed won his second game to give the 5-4 win to Canvey. Steve Mundy also banked two wins for the home side. The struggling Selbourne team have Vince Gurney to thank for the close result. He was in top form to win his first hat trick in this Division.
In Division 2, a team performance by David Barnes, John Golding and Dave Kirston took them to a 6-3 win over Canvey C. They won two games each but hat trick hero Les Rider was in great form for Canvey to stop them in their tracks.
Ray Elsdon led the way for St Peters in their 6-3 win over Lentern D. Brian Parker backed him up with two wins but was denied his maximum by Bill Wall who was Lentern’s best player on the night.
In Division 3, the Divisional leaders Warehouse C overcame Rawreth Juniors B 8-1 thanks to hat tricks from Graham Back and Mark Doxey. Lawrie Neville supported them with two wins but youth was on Mitchell Nunn’s side when he got the better of Lawrie in a close five-setter.
Runnymede B continued their good form with a 7-2 win over Hadleigh Forum C to take them to within one point of the Divisional leaders. Tony Millward and Gordon Child were both unbeaten for the victors.
19th November 2007
Rawreth A are steaming ahead at the top of the Premier Division in the Southend & District Table Tennis League. George Reeves, Chris Jacob and Kevin Read were responsible for the 9-0 defeat of Lentern B winning all their games in three straight sets.
Their nearest rivals are Legra B who, led by a hat trick from John Monk, registered a 7-2 win over Runnymede A. Pete Saunders and John Poysden supported John with a brace each.
In Division 1, there was a very close encounter between Hadleigh Forum A and RESSC A. Mike Worship’s good run continued for RESSC with his hat trick being the decisive factor in taking his team to a 5-4 win. Mark Everard banked a pair for the losers.
Andy Seabrook, who was playing in Division 2 last season, won his first hat trick in this Division to lead his team to a 6-3 win over Canvey B in a tight contest in which several of the games could have gone either way. Peter Chasmer backed Andy with two wins while Jean Chasmer contributed one. Terry Giddens was Canvey’s best player losing only to Andy.
In Division 2, Warehouse B have opened up a six point gap at the top of the table over their nearest rivals St Peters. They had Berti Makolli to thank for their win over Rawreth F. His hat trick together with two wins from Graham Back and one from Oliver Podd took them to a 6-3 victory.
Lentern D overcame Legra B 7-2 with Vic Roberts and Reg Innes both earning maximums. Sam Chesher and Dan Sanderson did well to win a game each against the vastly more experienced side.
In Division 3, both the Rawreth Junior teams have been in action. The A team’s Phil Smith and Jack Chinn did well to go unbeaten against a good Canvey D side to steer their team to a 7-2 win. The team was in action again against Hullbridge E this time with Jack Chinn and David Nunn both going unbeaten to give them a 6-3 victory.
The B team was not so fortunate when it went down 1-8 against the up and coming players of Legra C for whom Eddie Willson and Steve Wynn were both unbeaten. Miles Milner backed them by winning two of his games but was denied his maximum by Sam Langton.
12th November 2007
Rawreth B proved their superiority over their Club’s C team when they beat them 8-1 in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League. Keith Phillips cruised his way to a hat trick while Babul McLeod also went unbeaten albeit not quite so comfortably. Their third player, Andrew Halling, won two of his games in three straight sets but was denied his maximum by Paul Churn in a close game that went the full distance.
Legra A were lucky to register a 6-3 win over Rayleigh Mill when one of the Mill’s players failed to put in an appearance. Duncan Taylor was unbeaten for the depleted side.
In Division 1, Craig Harris’s hat trick was not enough to save Whittingham from a 4-5 defeat at the hands of Selbourne. Carolyn Cole and Roger Nutbrown both bagged a brace for the opposition while Vince Gurney contributed the all important one to give them their first win.
Steve Appleby, Ray Farmer and Peter Lucraft put in a team performance for Lentern C to take them to a 6-3 win over RESSC A. Mike Worship was unbeaten for the losing side.
In Division 2, there were two 6-3 results. Hadleigh Forum B, led by a maximum from Brian Nicholson, got the better of Invicta A. He was backed by Dave Woolmer who won two of his games before losing to Dave Kirston, and Colin Napper who added the sixth win.
Paul Reed was the maximum man for St Peters when they overcame Rawreth F. Dave de Coster added two wins, losing only to John Shirley, while Brian Parker took the score to 6-3.
In Division 3, Sarah Mapes had three good wins for RESSC B when her team came up against Hadleigh Forum C but it wasn’t enough to give them the win in a match that produced some close games. John Packer and Bob Gabe each won two of their games while Terry Faires contributed one to give Forum a narrow 5-4 victory.
Age and experience won the day for Invicta B when they beat Canvey D 6-3. Derek North led the way with a hat trick, Norman Cregor won one and John Golding banked two wins before losing to Canvey’s two game winner Steve Parker. One of Canvey’s young players, Leon Smart, banked the other win for his team.
5th November 2007
Legra A showed they are a force to be reckoned with when they overcame Rawreth B 7-2 in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. Jamie Willson led the way with a hat trick which included a tough battle against Eric Green and although he won it in three straight legs, the attacker versus the defender produced some lengthy rallies. John Poysden and Paul Whatton both won two games for Legra but fell victim to Rawreth’s sole point earner, Eric Green.
There was in in-house derby at Lentern when the A side beat the B team 6-3. Richard Brown was the maximum man while Paul Brown supported him with two wins before being denied his hat trick by Les Tayler.
In Division 1, Canvey A and B found themselves on the wrong ends of 4-5 score lines against Rawreth sides. For the A team, Talbot Wiseman and Ray Wilson each bagged a brace but both lost to hat trick winner Gus Heath who steered Rawreth E to victory.
When Canvey B played away to Rawreth D they won the first three sets deuce in the fifth but the home side fought back with Brian Spencer snatching the win in the last game.
In Division 2, Reg Innes encountered little opposition on his way to three wins for Lentern D as they overcame Hullbridge D 6-3. He was supported by John Gard who won two of his games in five legs before falling at the last hurdle to Barry Bronson who bagged a brace for Hullbridge.
St Peters suffered their first defeat in spite of a Ray Elsdon hat trick. Geoff Banthorpe, Lee McGonacle and Peter Cray produced a team performance for Canvey C by winning two games each to give their side a 6-3 win.
In Division 3, Runnymede B are top of the table following their 7-2 win over their Club’s C team. Tony Millward and Gordon Child both went unbeaten with Darren Launder completing the line-up
Hot on their heels are Warehouse C who had a tough match against Wakering before emerging the 5-4 winners. Tony Wright and Oliver Podd each won a pair for the victors with Oliver narrowly missing out on his hat trick when he lost deuce in the fifth to Dave Accleton.
29th October 2007
Stuart Gibbs snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for Runnymede A in their match against Rawreth B in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League. Honours were even before the last game but then Stuart completed his hat trick with a fine win over Eric Green who had already banked two wins for the opposition, to take his team to the winning post.
George Pavitt was in top form for Hullbridge A when they came up against Lentern A. His hat trick led his side to a 5-4 win, Paul Brown and Ian Rattray (who was playing up from Div. 1) each banked a pair for the losers.
In Division 1, RESSC A are currently topping the table following their 5-4 win over Canvey B. Gordon Swan registered a maximum and he was supported by Dale Gutteridge with two wins. For Canvey, Terry Giddens was the best player but he was denied his maximum in a close game against Gordon.
Roy Thomas starred for Customs A when he went unbeaten in their game against Lentern C to lead his side to a 6-3 win. He was backed by John Beddow who won two of his games but he fell victim to Peter Lucraft.
In Division 2, hat tricks for Richard Bryant and Adrian Atkinson of Basildon Hospital steered them to a 7-2 win over Legra B. They didn’t have an easy ride with Adrian suffering a scare along the way before winning deuce in the fifth over Dan Sanderson. Sam Chesher and Owen Warren both banked a point for Legra.
Hullbridge C have had a shaky start to the season and were relieved to notch up their first victory. They made it a good one with a 9-0 win over Customs B. Paul Ogden, Bob Shingleton-Smith and Janet Finch comprised the successful team.
In Division 3, Miles Milner and Eddie Willson showed their potential when they both went unbeaten for Legra C in their 8-1 win over Hullbridge E. Matt Bradley also played well to win two of his games but he was denied his maximum by Stacey Smith who also had a very close tussle with Eddie before losing deuce in the fifth.
There was a similar scoreline when Invicta B overcame Hullbridge F. Derek North and John Golding both earned hat tricks with Norman Cregor contributing two wins. Roy Coe was the sole point earner for Hullbridge.
15th October 2007
Ray Murray cruised his way to a hat trick for Hullbridge A in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League when his team overcame Lentern B 7-2. Glenn Johnson also banked a maximum in spite of a close tussle with Chris Crooks in his first game. Their third player, Nigel Lamb, was unlucky to lose two of his games in five sets.
Rawreth B came away with a 7-2 win over Rayleigh Mill thanks to a hat trick from Keith Phillips and a pair each for Dave Calleja and Eric Green. They were both denied their maximums by Ray Eldridge.
In Division 1, Whittingham have been in action twice. In their match against Rawreth D they finished on the losing end of a 6-3 scoreline when Rawreth’s Mike Griffiths, Brian Spencer and Cliff Firth put in a team performance to win two games each.
In their next match, Whittingham emerged the winners. John Blackman and David Flaum each bagged a brace while Craig Harris contributed one win to take them to a 5-4 victory. Over Hadleigh Forum A.
In Division 2, Kim Shead’s maximum led Warehouse B to a 7-2 win over Invicta A. He was aided and abetted by Ross Collins and Berti Makolli who contributed two wins each, both of them losing to David Barnes.
Barry Bronson won the last game of the match for Hullbridge D to give them a narrow 5-4 victory over Rawreth F. Andy Seaman also snatched a pair but both of them found Rawreth’s John Shirley too strong on the night. However, Denis Warren put paid to John’s hat trick hopes.
In Division 3, there was a cliffhanger between Warehouse C and Runnymede B. With the scores level, Oliver Podd managed to scrape home deuce in the fifth against Ian Tuckey to secure his hat trick and the match for the Warehouse.
The match between RESSC B and Rawreth Juniors B was also very closely contested with lady luck being on the side of the Juniors with three deuce in the fifth games all finishing in their favour. Pam Swan earned a hat trick for RESSC and was unlucky to finish on the losing side. Matt Swain and Mitchell Nunn both banked two wins for the Juniors with Sam Langton adding to the score with one win.
8th October 2007
Last season’s champions Rawreth A hosted a match against the runners-up Runnymede A in the Premier Division of The Southend & District Table Tennis League. Kevin Read was in top form for Rawreth winning all his matches but his side went down 4-5. John Holland and Stuart Gibbs both bagged a brace for Runnymede and Dave Bowles contributed one win to give their team a narrow victory.
Richard Brown’s hat trick led Lentern A to a 7-2 win over Rawreth C. He was supported by Django Fung who was denied his maximum by Colin Clements, and Mike Grout who was stopped in his tracks in a close game against Trevor Ward.
In Division 1, there was a close encounter between Rawreth E and RESSC A with four of the games going the full distance. Gordon Swan and Mike Worship both bagged a brace for the away side and Dale Gutteridge added one to give RESSC a 5-4 win.
RESSC A were in action again, this time against Whittingham who could only field two players. Gordon Swan and Whittingham’s Craig Harris fought an epic battle in the first game of the match from which Gordon emerged the winner at 18-16 in the fifth set and he went on to lead his team to a 6-3 win.
In Division 2, Graeme Dale completed his hat trick in the last game of the match to give Lentern D a 5-4 win over Basildon Hospital. His team-mate Vic Roberts came close to banking a maximum but finished on the losing end of a close five set tussle with the Hospital’s two game winner, Richard Bryant.
Customs B found themselves up against a very strong St Peters side. Paul Reed and Ray Elsdon both registered maximums for the Saints but Amar al Soufi saved the whitewash for Customs with a win over Roy Kirk.
In Division 3, Daniel Nunn turned up trumps for Rawreth Juniors A when he went unbeaten in their match against Hadleigh Forum C but he finished on the losing side. The score was 4-4 before the last game of the night when Jean Catley grabbed her second win for Forum to give them the victory.
The match between Legra C and Runnymede B also produced a 5-4 result but Tony Millward’s hat trick for Runnymede and Fred Farago’s pair meant they scraped home. Steve Wynn played well for Legra winning two of his games and narrowly losing in the fifth set to Tony Millward.
1st October 2007
Legra A got off to a great start in their first match of the season in the Premier Division of the Southend & District Table Tennis League with a 9-0 win over Lentern A. Pete Saunders and John Poysden survived a couple of close calls along the way but together with Jamie Willson they kept a clean sheet.
Warehouse A, playing in their first top division game, put in a creditable performance but went down 3-6 to Hullbridge A. Martin West was their most successful player with two wins. Nigel Lamb banked a hat trick for Hullbridge while Paul Grant won two of his games.
In Division 1, Customs A and Canvey B fought a very close battle that could have gone either way but it ended in a 5-4 win for Customs thanks to a win for Roy Thomas in the last game of the match.
Newly promoted Hullbridge B found life in the First Division tough when they played away to Canvey A, one of the best teams in the Division. Talbot Wiseman, Ray Wilson and Gavin Warner showed them no mercy to win the match 9-0 with only two of the games going beyond three straight sets.
In Division 2, there were two 5-4 results. John Shirley’s hat trick together with two wins for Colin Barham took Rawreth F to victory over Canvey C. Peter Cray played well for Canvey to win two of his games.
A pair each for Sam Chesher and Dan Sanderson and one win for Owen Sanderson gave victory to Legra B in their narrow victory over Customs B in which several of the games went the full distance. Shelley Woolley and Amar al Soufi both bagged a brace for Customs.
In Division 3, Oliver Podd led his team to victory over RESSC B. He was supported by Mark Doxey and Tony Wright who each won two of their games on their way to the 7-2 win. Sarah Mapes banked the two wins for the losers
Canvey D beat Customs C 9-0 but it wasn’t all plain sailing. Steve Parker, Dennis Beckford and Mervyn Francis comprised the winning side while Richard Kidd was very unlucky not to break the duck for his team, losing all his games 8-11 in the fifth.