Top v bottom this week and a straightforward 8-2 win for MK Topspin over a Newport Pagnell Vantage side weakened by the absence of cold victim Mike Howard. Fortunately div 2’s Lagondas man Glen Johnson was more than happy to fill the breach and play in 2 matches simultaneously on the night. Co-incidentally my Topspin team, with Russell Penn indisposed, were forced into a change ourselves (for the first time in 30 matches) but div 2’s Masoud Nassor is a strong substitute at this level and joined me on a hat-trick. Vantage’s only singles win came from big hitting Tony Ardis who beat Mervyn Kelly, but as usual, the Tony/Sue Lewis doubles partnership won through to register, remarkably, their side's 8th 8-2 score-line of the season. Despite their bottom position in the table no pairing has won more doubles than Tony/Sue.
 

As both MK Phoenix and MK Powers won by 6-4 margins they remain locked together in joint 2nd place with identical records. Phoenix star man Ioan Constantin never dropped a game against Greenleys Eagles and also took the doubles set with Alan Bolding. Alan chipped in with 2 wins to clinch victory, going down to Barry Bishop over 5 games after just pipping Iain Lindsay 11-9 in the decider. Terry Lau drew a blank this week which meant another win for the ever improving Dave Plumb.
 

Powers’ Minesh Pitamber is in blistering form right now and, despite struggling to a 5 game victory over Keith Carrington, hit both Andy Smith and Julie Snowdon off the table in straight games in his side’s win. Sarah Hudson also hit a great maximum, starting with a 4-game victory over Andy in the opening set before winning the ‘battle of the Bedford belles’ with Julie over 5 games. Then, in the final set of the night  she clinched her team’s victory by thrashing Keith 3-straight. Clare Styles made up the Powers’ compliment and, although winless, did well to take ace defender Andy to a deciding game.
 

St.Christopher Van Hire visited Greenleys Glory to find their hosts, not only a man short but the two ‘on duty’ simultaneously playing in a Premier match on the next table, which made for a hectic night for the Glory boys Ian Brown and Scott Dixon. Glory lost this match 6-4 but Ian was the star with a great hat-trick that took in the division’s top player Biao Wang. Scott manged to beat Fabrice Spelta deuce in the 5th for Glory’s other point. David Broome made up visitor’s side and teamed up with Biao for his team’s first doubles win of the season, which was also Ian/Scott’s first defeat.
 

Player of the week is Minesh Pitamber.

DIVISION 2 (courtesy of Martin Johnson)

Tornadoes & Classics move up.

Milton Keynes Tornadoes did some damage on their visit to Newport Pagnell Lagondas, as they came away with a big 9-1 win, to move them up to 3rd place in the division. Nicolas Wong lead the way, with a fine maximum, matched by Charlie Gray, with just the one loss for Tanmay Tijare versus Chris Horn, although Charlie only just squeaked home, at 13-11 in the fifth, against Chris. Nicolas and Charlie also took the Doubles against Glen Davison and Roy Read, to complete the scoreline.

Similarly moving upwards, into 4th spot, seven points behind Tornadoes but with a match in hand, were Milton Keynes Classics, who scored an 8-2 win over Mursley Swallows.  Both Dylan Cox and Masoud Nassor won maximums, although Masoud needed the full five games against both John Paul and Martin Johnson, and they also teamed up to take the Doubles against Martin and Peter Sear. Nick Markham picked up one singles with a fifth game win over Martin, whilst Peter and John each won one set for Swallows, who drop the 5th place, behind both Tornadoes and Classics.

 

Back at the top of the table, there seems to be no stopping Open University Primes, who racked up their 10th consecutive win, comfortably beating 9th placed Milton Keynes Blades 9-1, as Patrick Wong and Charity Wong each won all their games, including the Doubles versus Mark Thomas and Bill Tyler, whilst Charles Tien won twice, only losing out to Brian Evans.  The Primes lead at the top has now extended to 21 points, although Chackmore Hasbeens have a match in hand against MK Hit 'n' Hope. Patric extended his run of wins to an impressive 24 in a row, whilst the Doubles was the team's 10th win in succession.

 

Mursley Hawks picked up a useful 8-2 win against Greenleys Cardinals, which takes them back into 7th spot, above Lagondas. Andy King collected a maximum, alongside regular maximum man, Mervyn Phillips, with Richard Hare adding one win against Dwight Edwards, whilst the two Cardinals wins came one each from Gary Viner and Dan Englander. Hawks took the Doubles, as Andy/Mervyn beat Gary/Dwight, to round off the score.

 

Player of the Week : Dylan Cox