Five of the ties in this week’s Group Stage of the Handicap Cup Competition organised by the Clacton and District League ended in tight 5-4 results. But none of them was tighter than the all-Second Division scrap in Group B which saw Nomads Tigers take the final three matches of the evening to edge past Brotherhood D.

In total, five of the nine matches went the distance, with Tigers’ skipper, Alex Baldock (pictured above, photo by Roger Hance), involved in four of them. In his singles, Baldock (+1) got past Lily Liu (-1) 11-8 in the fifth but (on +1) lost by the same score to Kevin Pryor (-6). In his doubles, he and Tom Wilkin (+1) shared an 11-7 in the fifth victory against Pryor and Fred Gallone (-5) but, with Sam Watling (+1), they went down 9-11, 14-12, 11-13, 11-4, 3-11 to Gallone and Liu (-3).

In Group A, an all-Division One clash saw Walton B defeat a two-player Nomads Panthers 8-1. Both Paul Newbould and John Marshall were unbeaten for the winners, with John Hatley picking up the Panthers’ consolation point.

But the second match in the Group proved far closer, Brotherhood F of Division Two clinching a 5-4 victory over their Third Division opponents Windsor Falcons by taking the final match of the evening. Mark Salter and Paul Alden each won two singles for the winners and also shared a doubles success, but it was Alden’s (-8) 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 12-10 victory against Matt Thomas (+1) which proved the pivotal match.

In Group C, Holland Hurricanes of Division Three took the final two matches of the evening against current Second Division leaders Brotherhood G to record an impressive 6-3 victory. Ian Gwillim was Holland’s most successful player, staying unbeaten in both singles and doubles, one of his singles’ victories (on +2) a fighting 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 comeback win against Paul Metcalf (-8) Significantly, the Hurricanes won all three doubles matches.

In Group D, Division One Windsor Eagles led Division Two Windsor Penguins 4-0 at one point but had to settle for an eventual 5-4 victory. Phil Smith was the Eagles’ best player, undefeated in his two singles which (on -6) included an important 11-8, 4-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 success over Paul Woolnough (+1).

Top-flight flight Brotherhood B found themselves 4-2 down against Division Three Holland Vulcans in Group E but fought back to take the tie 5-4. In an encounter where all the matches were played as best-of-three sets, Brotherhood enjoyed the two closest victories, Joe Plummer (-17) beating James Horsler (+2) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, and Simon Smith-Daye and Sam Plummer (-13) edging past Horsler and Bob Keefe (+2) 7-11, 11-6, 11-9.

In an all-Third Division Group E match, Nomads Ocelots defeated Windsor Magpies 8-1. The Magpies were unfortunate in having to concede two matches through player injury but the Ocelots were, nevertheless, worthy winners, Anne Bonny and Dominic Joannou remaining unbeaten.

All the matches in the Group F encounter between Brotherhood A and Brotherhood E were best-of-three matches, but the current Division One leaders, Brotherhood A, proved too good for their Third Division opponents, winning 7-2. Daniel Young and Gary Young were unbeaten for the victors, Jack Hillier and Joe Hillier taking a win each for the losers.

Walton C and Lawford only played six matches in their tie but it was First Division Walton who emerged 5-1 victors over their Second Division opponents. It was good to see Paul Hewitt back in action for Lawford and he was involved in one of two close encounters on the night, Hewitt and Ian Sherwood (+1) going down 11-8 in the fifth to Mark Gale and Paul Meikle (-3), while Sherwood (+1) went down by an even closer 11-9 in the fifth to Mark Ratcliffe (-6).

The only match in the three-team Group G saw First Division Brotherhood C edge past Second Division Windsor Harriers 5-4. John Cleasby and Tim Leung won both their singles, while Dave Miller (-5) secured an ultimately crucial 11-9 in the fifth win over Isabel Barton (+1). The Harriers won all three doubles matches.

Finally in Group H, Cup-holders Nomads Lions got off to a winning start in the second of the three-team Groups, defeating Third Division Walton C 7-2, Ethan Lloyd the only player to stay unbeaten.

* Entries are now open for the League’s annual Handicapped Singles Tournament. This takes place on Saturday 7 February at Windsor’s St James’ Hall venue, with play starting at 9.30am. Entries can be made online to Isabel Barton or by post to Tony Oswick. Entry is limited to 32 so players are encouraged to get their entries in early.

RESULTS: HANDICAP CUP

Group A
Brotherhood F 5 Windsor Falcons 4
Walton B 8 Nomads Panthers 1
Group B
Windsor Buzzards 9 Brotherhood H 0 (w/o)
Nomads Tigers 5 Brotherhood D 4
Group C
Nomads Ocelots 9 Holland Lancasters 0 (w/o)
Holland Hurricanes 6 Brotherhood G 3
Group D
Windsor Hawks 9 Windsor Kestrels (w/o)
Windsor Penguins 4 Windsor Eagles 5
Group E
Nomads Leopards 8 Windsor Magpies 1
Brotherhood B 5 Holland Vulcans 4
Group F
Lawford 1 Walton A 5
Brotherhood A 7 Brotherhood E 2
Group G
Brotherhood C 5 Windsor Harriers 4
Group H
Walton C 2 Nomads Lions 7