Cup semi-finalists for South Devon Table Tennis

It was handicap cup week in the Torbay and South Devon Table Tennis League, with the competition now entering its final stages.

The four semi-finalists in the handicap singles cup have now been determined. The Brixham Sharks team of Clive Banham, Chris Harper and Joseph Edwards comfortably saw off the challenge from NA Hawks last week and they will meet Torre Vikings in one semi- final.

The Vikings had to wait until the very last game to squeeze past a battling Dawlish Renegades team 19-17, Chris Garner, Bill Keywood and Steve Russell holding their nerve in an excellent close encounter.

Also very tight was the contest between two Newton Abbot teams, the NA Falcons just defeating NA Condors 19-17. The Falcons, who had to draft in Ken Ramsden at the last minute to join Keith Haslam and Tomo Thompson, got in front at the halfway stage and hung on to their lead, as the final four sets were all drawn 2-2.

The last semi-finalists are NA Parrots, Rhys Lush, Dan Webster-Hall and Curtis Sage started poorly and found themselves six points in arrears against Torbay Academy 4, but several excellent sets from Dan Webster-Hall and Rhys Lush turned things around with the NA Parrots eventually winning 20-16.

The doubles handicap competition already has a finalist decided, as NA Harriers played both their quarter and semi-final matches this week. Firstly, they overcame a strong challenge at Torre against the Gladiators winning 20-16.

The Gladiators started well, leading 12-8 after set five, but a strong finish by the Harriers’ team of Dale Fabian, Chris Baron and Ivor Copley won the match in the final set to progress to the semi-final 20-16.

Their semi-final opponents, Brixham Trawlers, had fought their way past NA Kestrels earlier in the week, Alan Maynard, Allen Pack and Joseph Edwards coming from behind to win through 19-13.

In the semi-final, Brixham Trawlers again started poorly, letting NA Harriers get off to a good start and although they fought back they never caught up, eventually losing out 20-16 to a buoyant NA Harriers.

The other side of the doubles draw is further behind. The NA Condors team of Jim McIvor, Mike Kiff and Bob Parkins defeated club colleagues NA Hawks 20-16 and will meet Torre Vikings, going well in both competitions, who defeated Dawlish Doubtfuls 20-16 in their quarter-final.

The winners of that match will play Brixham Sharks in the semi-final, who had no trouble getting past Dawlish Renegades in their quarter-final 25-11. The Sharks’ doubles team of Clive Banham, Chris Harper and Issy Brown winning the match without losing a set.

A few rearranged league matches also took place: The top two Newton Abbot sides, both challenging at the top of the first division, met at Teign School in a top quality encounter with the NA Buzzards just getting the better of NA Batmen 6-4, despite an excellent maximum from the Batmen’s Rory Harries.

In the Second Division, Halwell B suffered a blow to their challenge for the top when they lost out 6-4 to Grove Guerrillas. Colin Butterworth with another fine maximum for the Grove outfit.

A Neville Cregan maximum for Torbay Academy 2 was not enough for victory, as the Academy 2 side shared the points with NA Falcons. In the Fourth Division, Torbay Academy 5 were held to a 5-5 draw by NA Merlins.

RESULTS

Singles Handicap Cup, Quarter Final

NA Falcons beat NA Condors 19-17

NA Parrots beat Torbay Academy (4) 20-16

Dawlish Renegades lost to Torre Vikings 17-19

Doubles Handicap Cup

NA Hawks lost to NA Condors 16-20

Torre Gladiators lost to NA Harriers 16-20

NA Kestrels lost to Brixham Trawlers 13-19

Dawlish Renegades lost to Brixham Sharks 11-25

NA Harriers beat Brixham Trawlers 20-16

Division One

NA Buzzards 6 (H Sage 2, James 2, Nicholls 1, Dbls) NA Batmen 4 (Harries 3, D Gibbs 1, S Gibbs 0)

Division Two

Torbay Academy (2) 5 (Cregan 3, Perry 1, Gandev 1) NA Falcons 5 (Haslam 2, Guy 2, Wilshire 0, Dbls)

Halwell B 4 (Mercer 2, Dunn 2, Smith 0) Grove Guerrillas 6 (Butterworth 3, Gilhespy 1, Pearson 1, Dbls)

Division Four

Torbay Academy (5) 5 (Neafcy 2, Gibbs 2, James 1) NA Merlins 5 (Stratton 2, Davies 2, Olver 0, Dbls)