Division 2 Roundup - Week 17
Published 19/02/2024 at 00:47:59 by Martin Johnson.
Top Two Win Again but Mosquitoes Move UpLeague action returned this week, with the 17th round of fixtures (out of 21 in total) taking place. Unlike Week 16’s close results, this week saw four big wins in the four matches.
Pride of place has to go to third-placed Woburn Sands Mosquitoes, who took away all the spoils from their visit to Milton Keynes Powers, scoring just the third 10-0 win in D2 of this season. Despite the one-sided scoreline, the match was much closer than 10-0 suggests, with four of the ten sets going to a final leg and a further four needing four legs, but all went the way of the Mosquitoes trio of Glenn Barcham, Andy Jenkins and James Molloy, with Glenn and Andy teaming up to take the doubles against Keith Carrington and Paul Tompkins. For Powers, both of Peter Tillotson and Paul got as far as a deciding leg, twice, but couldn’t convert into a win; Peter going the closest in a 10-12 loss in a decider to Andy and a loss at 8-11 in the fifth against Glenn. Whilst neither team changed position in the League Table, Mosquitoes have closed to within four points of second place and the chance of a promotion spot.
A place above Mosquitoes, second-placed Leighton Buzzard Spitfires were visiting equal-sixth placed Greenleys Sultans of Spin, and it was Spitfires who came away with a 7-3 win. Again, the overall scoreline does not perhaps represent how close sets were, with five of the ten being decided in a final leg. The Spitfires threesome of Barry Hammond, Andy King and Graham Silversides each won twice in singles, with Barry and Graham also taking a close doubles against Ricky Jackson and Robert Anderson, with Barry going the full five legs in all four of the sets in which he played! However, the individual plaudits go to Sultan of Spin’s Ricky Jackson, who collected a fine treble in singles, but teammates Robert and D5 reserve, Andrea Crotti, were unable to add to Ricky’s wins, despite each twice pushing their opponents to a fifth leg. Spitfires are now eight points off the leaders in the Division, but are now just four points clear of the chasing Mosquitoes, whilst Sultans of Spin’s three points has left them in seventh spot, but only two points behind sixth.
Leaders, Mursley Hawks, were the visitors at Newport Pagnell Lagondas, and they extended their current run of wins to eleven in a row with their 8-2 victory, although once again the final scoreline does not reflect what was another close match. For Hawks, both Martin Johnson and Mick O’Mahony won all their sets, and also claimed the doubles against Tony Ardis and Chris Horn, with David Bartlett adding the final set for them against Michael Howard, but losing out to both Tony and Chris. Tony went closest to adding another for Lagondas, in a see-saw encounter against Mick, but he just went down 13-15 in the decider. The result leaves Hawks as the only remaining team in the League to still be unbeaten this season, whilst they also still have a 100% record in doubles. Hawks have extended their lead at the top of the D2 table to eight points, whilst Lagondas stay fourth, but are now 13 points adrift of the team above them.
The final match of the week saw a basement battle between equal-sixth-placed Milton Keynes Pioneers and eighth-placed Greenley Valiants. Things did not start well for Pioneers, as John Simms had to retire in his first leg of the night against Peter Carr, and, unable to play his sets, it gave Valiants a 3-0 start. Slava Volokha and Lewis Copp then beat Andy Frearson and Kareem Omar, respectively, to make it 5-0, although Andy and Kareem then combined to beat Slava and Lewis in doubles, to get on the board. Kareem grabbed a second win for Pioneers against Andy, but Peter and Lewis each won both their available singles, to give Valiants a big 8-2 win. The result moves Valiants two points above the relegation zone, into sixth place, but drops Pioneers back to the foot of the table, although only one point behind Sultans of Spin.
Next week sees Hawks entertaining Sultans of Spin, Spitfires taking on Valiants, Mosquitoes hosting Lagondas and Powers facing clubmates Pioneers.
Player of the Week : Glenn Barcham.