Division 2 Roundup - Week 2

Published 29/09/2023 at 12:03:29 by Martin Johnson; edited 1 times, last on 08/10/2023 at 09:26:28 by Martin Johnson.

Spitfires Shoot Down Lagondas

Week 2 of the season saw the only two winners from week 1 playing each other, and it was leaders, Leighton Buzzard Spitfires, who took the honours - extending their lead at the top of the Division to three points, with a 7-3 win at home against second placed Newport Pagnell Lagondas.  Graham Silversides set the scene with a straight games win over Glen Davison, however Chris Horn equalled things up by beating Andy King in four.  Syed Ali put Spitfires back ahead with a four game win over Tony Ardis, only for Lagondas to take the doubles in straight games, with Glen / Chris combining to beat Syed / Graham, to make it 2-2.   From there on, however,, it was one-way traffic on the scoresheet, and it was soon 7-2, despite some close sets, with Syed going unbeaten in the singles, and Graham and Andy each winning twice.  Chris took the final set against Graham, to narrow the scoreline, but it leaves Spitfires top, whilst Lagondas drop to third spot.

Behind the top of the table clash, equal third placed Mursley Hawks also enjoyed a 7-3 success, at the expense of bottom placed Milton Keynes Powers.  Mick O'Mahony took the individual honours, with three singles wins, plus a share of the doubles win with Martin Johnson against Paul Tompkins and Bill Tyler.  Martin also won twice, but lost out in the final set of the night to Keith Carrington, who had also pushed Mick close in five.  David Bartlett also won one for Hawks to complete their scoring, but lost out to both reserve, Bill, and to Paul in a close five gamer.  The win takes Hawks second, but leaves Powers four points adrift at the foot of the table.  Mick's 'maximum' (all three singles, plus the doubles) is the only one, so far, albeit at this early stage of the season, whilst Hawks and Lagondas are the only two teams to have won both their doubles sets, after two matches.

Mid-table Milton Keynes Pioneers and Woburn Sands Mosquitoes, who'd each drawn in week 1, played each other and it was again honours even, in another 5-5 draw.  The individual plaudits went to John Simms of Pioneers, although it took five games against Andy Jenkins, and also against Rob McPheat, who lost out to John at 12-10 in the decider.  Andy Frearson picked up a pair of wins to add to the Pioneers point tally, against Andy Jenkins and Glenn Barcham, although both of these managed a win against Terry Lau, to add to two wins by Rob, to complete the 5-5 scoreline, to leave both teams in a three-way share of third position.

The final match of the week saw a Greenleys derby, with Greenleys Valiants edging it 6-4 against Greenleys Sultans of Spin, thanks to triples from both Lewis Copp and Peter Carr of Valiants, making it a perfect six out of six for Lewis this season, however, he and Slava Volokha lost out in the doubles to Robert Anderson and Ricky Jackson.  Robert and Ricky were joined by reserve, Ian Grainger, with each of them winning one singles, to complete the scoring.  The result leaves both teams equal in sixth place, but just one point behind the three joint third placed teams.

The coming week will see equal third placed Lagondas take on second placed Hawks, whilst leaders, Spitfires, visit Sultans of Spin.  The two Milton Keynes teams are both at home, with Pioneers taking on Valiants, whilst Powers entertain Mosquitoes.

Player of the Week : Mick O'Mahony.