Division 2 Roundup - Week 8

Published 10/12/2021 at 12:39:07 by Martin Johnson.

With just one more round of matches before the Christmas/New Year break, Milton Keynes Sharks remain top of the table, with a bit of a gap to a chasing pack of four, who are within four points of each other - although Woburn Sands Mosquitoes gap week means they have a game in hand on the others.

In top versus sixth, Milton Keynes Sharks took on Little Horwood Wooden Tops, and Sharks duly won their seventh match in a row, but Wooden Tops managed to hold it to a 6-4 result.  It was the usual maximum for Derick Rodrigues as he extended his winning run to 12 sets, although John Sharp took him to a fifth game.  Rupert Greyling won twice, but lost out in five to Andy Hooper, plus Derick / Rupert made it five from five in the doubles, but despite some close games, no wins this week for Pedro Anastacio.  For Wooden Tops, Andy won twice, plus John Sharp and John Cripps each won once.  The win extends Sharks lead at the top to nine points, whilst Wooden Tops have edged four points ahead of bottom club, Milton Keynes Shambles.

In a mid table clash, Mursley Hawks raced into a 3-0 lead against Newport Pagnell Lagondas, but at the end of the night the teams drew 5-5.  No-one could win all their sets, here, with two wins each for Tony Ardis and Sue Lewis for Lagondas, plus for David Bartlett and Martin Johnson for Hawks, with Ian Spanswick taking one win for Hawks in a tight five gamer against Roy Read, whilst the accomplished Tony / Sue pairing took the doubles against David / Martin.  Sue certainly got her money's worth on the night, going to five games in all three of her singles sets, plus four games in the doubles.  Lagondas have thus moved top of the chasing pack in second place, whilst Hawks are in fifth place, but only four points back.

In the final match of the week, it was a big 8-2 win for Leighton Buzzard Spitfires on their visit to bottom placed Milton Keynes Shambles.  Although Nick Markham and Jim Robinson won against Paul Baker, it was otherwise a fairly one-sided affair, as Andy King only dropped one game, whilst Graham Silversides dropped none, as well as winning the doubles in four games against Nick and Jim Saunders, with Paul Baker also picking up his first win of the season against Jim Saunders in a tight four gamer.  Spitfire blast up to third place, two points adrift of second place, whilst Shambles remain rooted to the bottom of the table, now four points behind their nearest rivals.

Player of the Week : Graham Silversides.