Guildford Table Tennis News Week 19

Published on: 1 Mar, 2020
Updated on: 1 Mar, 2020

By John Diggens

A truly amazing encounter in the Guildford Table Tennis League was enacted between College Hill A and Ash A.

In adjacent positions in the Premier and relatively free from relegation, Ash took it at 8-2 but six matches went to five sets.

All were won by Ash, statistically very rare!

A look at the scorecard available on the Guildford Table Tennis League website shows what a tense affair this really was.

Richard Tanner.

There was further mayhem, in a similar vein, when Merrow B lost to Burymead B 7-3. Again, six matches went the distance with four of them going to the Burymead side. Richard Tanner and Tim Goodship were unbeaten in this match.

In Division One, promotion contenders Merrow E were held to a draw by Aftermath A. Steve Woodgate, second in the averages, sailed through in imperious style taking all his singles plus the doubles for the Village side.

Steve Pearce.

However, Steve Pearce and Albert Cheung steadied the ship for Aftermath with braces.

In Division Two, contenders for promotion Ash B and Aftermath C scored whitewashes over Godalming J and College Hill D, respectively.

They sit at table top with Bramley A playing catch up with, surprisingly, three games in hand at this stage of the season.

Division Three saw the outstanding performance of the week with lowly placed Challoner’s, Chris Ray, taking a maximum out of champions in waiting, Bramley D, who lost their unbeaten record 6-4. Richard Penton provided good back up with a couple.

In the Fourth Division Kim Farminer, coming back from a long lay-off, turned out for an injury hit Bramley G taking three plus the doubles in a 4-6 reverse against a good Woking E.

Mark Feiszt, Slavico Ivanovic and Tim Hartles got braces. Meanwhile a young Merrow G side continue to power ahead in their quest for the title with a 7-3 victory over Woking C. Henry Evens was undefeated in a masterly display, although he was taken to five sets by Simon Reed.

It is with deep regret that we report the sudden death of Bill Matlock who was an Aftermath stalwart for very many years.

His awkward style, enhanced by a combination bat, gave many players problems enabling him to always maintain a good average at a good level throughout his playing career and into his eighties.