In the Oldham and District
Table Tennis League Division 1 handicap cup final, Werneth A beat Glodwick
TTC by 63 points, adding 30 points to their initial 33 point start. In a tremendous
match of high quality and watched by a good crowd, the Werneth trio of Darryl
and Stuart Meredith and Peter Morris were on top form but it was Darryl making
the difference with a superb 52 point gain on the night. However, Pete Morris
played out of his skin to concede only 2 points to Mark Ramsbottom, leaving
Glodwick to pick up 33 points with 5 games to go, a deficit they never looked
likely to achieve.
Report for Week 24 ending 28th March 08
It’s the reverse position in the league with Glodwick looking certain to take the 1st Division title after an 8-2 win over Hyde YMCA. Werneth A are favourites for the runners-up position despite only drawing 5-5, also to Hyde, for whom Ken Ward (2) and Terry Taylor (3) secured the draw, the latter including a fifth game victory over Darryl Meredith.
BAE A remain in third position following wins over Rosehill A (9-1) and Hollinwood B (8-2) thanks to Tony Bates, Tony Smith and Tom Lang.
At the other end of the table, Grotton A beat bottom club Wardle 10-0 thanks to Shaun Ellis, Philip Schofield and Dave Morris. Uppermill A had an important 8-2 win over BAE B with trebles from Gary Crossley and Andrew Rawnsley and a double from Pete Watson. Werneth C lost 2-8 at OTTC A, for whom Dave Griffith and Josh Boolt trebled, and with only two games left, look like being relegated with Wardle to Division 2.
Division 2 leaders First Transport had to work hard at Hollinwood D but a treble from Tommy Ryan and a double from Ken Hayes saw them through to a 6-4 win. Andy McNabb secured a double for the home team.
It was the same score when second place Unison A beat third place Hollinwood C thanks to Dave Cheetham (2) and David Hanson (2) with Phil Holmes (3) starring for the visitors. The difference between the two teams is now 3 points with two matches to go. Rosehill B are a further 7 points behind but have a game in hand.
Honeywell A had a 6-4 win at Gilders A thanks to doubles from Barrie Royle, Howard Travis and Peter Buckley. Mark Craven (2) replied for Gilders.
Coldhurst A secured an 8-2 win at Pennine with Duncan Hadfield (3) Roger Lee(2) and Simon Walsh (2) recording wins whilst Glen Chadwick won 2 for Pennine.
Failsworth A registered a 5-5 draw at Hyde YMCA B and a 7-3 win over Pennine thanks to Adam Rowbotham (3) and Steve Collins (3).
Despite being a player short, Hyde B won 6-4 at Werneth D thanks to Dennis Bradshaw (3) and Anthony Gommersall (2).
Unison B had a welcome 6-4 win over Hollinwood E, thanks mainly to a treble from Mike Brierley. Ron Mitchell (2) and John Foster (2) replied for Hollinwood. The win takes Unison B off the bottom position, but along with Gilders A, remain favourites for the drop.
Division 3 leaders Coldhurst B met resistance from Owls A before winning 6-4, Richard Tamworth (2) starring for the visitors. Second and third placed Grotton B and Uppermill B had big wins over bottom clubs Honeywell D (10-0) and Coldhurst D (9-1) respectively. The other Honeywell teams fared better, the B team registering two wins, 8-2 at Gilders B and 6-4 at home to a depleted Unison C, whilst fourth placed Honeywell C returned to form, winning 9-1 at Coldhurst C.
In the remaining matches, Gilders B beat a depleted Failsworth B by 8-2 whilst a strong Uppermill C beat Failsworth C 7-3, for whom Jake Crawley won two and should help his team stay in Division 3.
The match between the top two teams in Division 4 was postponed but in a match brought forward, Deaf Club beat Unison D 7-3 thanks to Ian Cockcroft (3) and Prakash Bhojami (2) whilst Tony Hyde (2) replied for the visitors. Deaf Club lead Saddleworth Cricket Club by 5 points with two games to go but the latter have a game in hand. It was also 7-3 when Owls B entertained Failsworth F thanks to Phil Tamworth (3) and Dinesh Gorasia (2) with Andrew Tarpey replying.
Honeywell E had a good 9-1 win over Failsworth D thanks to John Ganley (3) Pete Ganley (3) and Pete Sharples (2). A treble from James Collins was the highlight of Failsworth E’s 8-2 win over Werneth F, the latter now back into bottom position following OTTC B gaining 3 points in their defeat by Coldhurst E for whom Phil Mellor (3) and Dave England (2) starred. John Rutland doubled for OTTC.
The Semi Finals of the Divisional Handicap cups were played last week in
the Oldham & District Table Tennis League.
The top two teams in Division One both proved victorious, setting up a Glodwick
TTC v Werneth A final which has been brought forward to Thursday 27th
March at Werneth’s request with Glodwick’s kind consent.
Glodwick conceded a 55 point start to Hollinwood B but with gains by Mark
Ramsbottom (42) Maj Tubasum (27) and Khamal Hussain (23) they went on to win
by 34 points. Tristran Swann (-15) played well for the losers.
Werneth A conceded a 116 point start to their C team but a massive 78 point
gain by Darryl Meredith, backed by Stewart Meredith (54) & Pete Morris
(18) ensured a 42 point victory.
The leaders of Division 2, First Transport, are through to the final after
overcoming Hollinwood C. It took them 6 games to claw back the 47 point handicap
deficit, but after the seventh game they found themselves behind again by
6 points. Ken Hayes (56) then hit a ruthless streak, gaining 24 points in
his last game. With just the doubles to play and 17 points in front, First
Transport went on to win by 38 points. Phil Holmes played well for the losers
gaining 5 points overall.
Failsworth A, last season’s beaten finalist, are there again following their
victory against Unison B. Unfortunately no details are available for this
match, since the match card has not been received.
In Division 3, Uppermill B overcame a massive 141 point handicap deficit
to beat Honeywell D by 43 points with Peter Watson (71), Keith Moores (68)
& Howard Meadham (27) all being in ‘mean moods’.
Coldhurst D made a mockery of the handicapping, as, with an 82 point start
against Gilders B, they actually gained points to win by a ridiculous 113
points. Dave Varney (3) Neil Chapman (11) & Neil England (10) all doing
the business against an ‘ under the weather’, but sporting Gilders B, who
acknowledged they had been well beaten by their deserving opponents.
In Division 4 Owls B are through to the final beating Werneth E in the closest
of the semi final matches in all the divisions. They took full advantage of
the 34 point start, losing just 9 points to hold on for a 25 point victory.
Dinesh Gorasia starred gaining 15 points, backed by sustainable losses from
Philip Tamworth (-11) & John Tanner (-14). Phil Coombe (36) and Darren
Mitzi (level) played well for the losers.
The other semi final between Saddleworth CC and Failsworth E has not yet
taken place.
Newspaper Article
W/c 17th March 2008
Report for Week 23 ending 14th March 08
In Division 2 of the Oldham Table Tennis League leaders First Transport beat second placed Unison A 7-3 to give them a 17 point lead with just 3 games remaining. Ken Hayes was unbeaten for Transports backed by a Steve Barber double, which was matched by Les Evans for Unison.
Hollinwood C & Rosehill B remain in contention for second spot.
Unison B picked up 2 points thanks to an Andy Hey double at Honeywell A, but they remain in deep trouble, second to Gilders B at the bottom.
In Division 1, Uppermill A, with a maximum from Andy Rawnsley, just shaded the game 6-4 at Werneth C. Vitally this keeps them above Werneth C who occupy a relegation spot.
A Kevin Hill maximum for BAE B against Hollinwood B keeps them just above Uppermill.
In Division 3 Coldhurst B, moved 25 points clear at the top after beating fourth placed Honeywell C 9-1.
Second placed Grotton B went down 7-3 at home to third placed Uppermill B, but have a useful 13 points in hand.
Coldhurst D picked up 3 points against Failsworth B, but they remain 11 points from safety.
In Division 4 the promotion places appear settled but who will emerge as champions is still unclear. Deaf Club whitewashed Werneth F to put them just two points behind leaders Saddleworth. The crunch comes on 24th March when they both meet at the Deaf Club.
Report for Week 22 ending 7th March 08
REENA DISPLAYS CLASS
Reena Ardeshana provided the performance of the week in brushing aside the newly crowned Oldham singles champion Darryl Meredith. The top-ten England under 18 teenager displayed maturity and shot selection beyond her years to triumph in a 5 game decider. Her double for OTTC A was matched by Dave Griffith with Darryl and Stuart Meredith responding likewise for Werneth A in the 5-5 draw. A depleted Glodwick tasted defeat for the first time this season at the hands of Grotton A. The Huddersfield contingent of Sean Ellis (2) and a Phil Schofield (1) dented the unbeaten record of the champions elect with a 6-4 win. Eddie Darlington was in fine form for Werneth B in the 6-4 win over Rosehill A. His treble was backed by a Phil Myers double with Richard Sarre replying likewise.
In Div 2 First Transport are closing in on promotion after a close 6-4 win at Rosehill B. The unbeaten stint of Simon Collins was to no avail as doubles from Steve Barber, Ken Hayes and Tommy Ryan edged proceedings for the leaders. Unison A cashed in against bottom side Gilders A. Les Evans, Dave Cheetham and Paul Whyatt were all unbeaten in the 10-0 romp. An Anthony Gomersall treble was in vain since doubles from John Hannah and John Foster gave Hollinwood D a 6-4 win at Hyde YM B. The talented Adam Rowbotham was unbeaten for Failsworth A in the 8-2 win over Hollinwood E. He was ably backed by doubles from Matt Evans and Steve Collins.
In Div 3 the promotion credentials of Grotton B were fully examined at Failsworth B. A Richard Hinchcliffe maximum was not quite enough since doubles from Alf Barker and Neil Tomlinson edged a 6-4 scoreline. Unbeaten stints from Terry Cooper and Dave Watts helped Honeywell B to an 8-2 win over Coldhurst D. A Gerry Lees treble backed by a Ged Lennox double helped Gilders B to a 6-4 win at Uppermill C for whom Stuart Hanson notched a double. The relentless charge of Coldhurst B continued with a 10-0 win over their C team, Simon King, Simon Walsh and Gary Keylock being responsible for the rout.
In Div 4 Deaf Club are possibly suffering from promotion jitters after a surprise 7-3 reverse at the hands of Failsworth E. Paul King was unbeaten backed by doubles from Andrew Tarpey and James Collins. A Phil Coombe treble was backed by a double from Brian Mickelthwaite in the 6-4 win for Werneth E at OTTC B for whom George Jervis posted two. Owls B and Unison D shared the points in an entertaining game. Phil Tamworth was unbeaten backed by a Dinesh Gorasia double for Owls with Tony Hyde responding likewise. An Alex Leach double paved the way for Failsworth F in a 7-3 win over their D team.
The Oldham Vets team have reached the final of the Inter – League trophy with a convincing 5-1 win over Mid Cheshire. Dave Griffith and Dave Buckley each posted two wins backed by an Ian McLean single.
In the Deckers Restauraunt sponsored Oldham Table Tennis Championships, from an entry of 54 players, Darryl Meredith emerged as Town champion for the fourth time beating Dave Griffith, also a previous winner, in the final.
In the semi- final Darryl overcame Khamal Hussain, whilst Andy Jackson, sustaining a back injury, conceded to Dave Griffith to concentrate on the Veterans Final, which he had reached.
The Veterans semi - final had paired Andy against Jon DePledge, and Dave Griffith against Mark Ramsbottom, with Dave Griffith becoming the Veterans Champion for his second time.
Previous Doubles winners and last years runners up, Darryl Meredith & Ian McLean, went one better this year to lift the title, beating Mark Ramsbottom & Majid Tubasum, in a close final which went the full distance, game 11 in the fifth.
The Junior event turned out to be a fourth successive win for Adam Rowbotham, who beat Rebekah Griffith in the final. Adam beat Nathan Buckley in the semi-final whilst Rebekah had beaten Matthew Evans.
Included in a full day were Divisional Handicap events with the following results:
Andrew Rawnsley beat Rob Carter in the Division 1 event.
Ade Ewenla beat Vernon Hyde in the Division 2 event.
Jake Crawley beat Neil Chapman in the Division 3 event.
Andrew Tarpey beat Paul King in the Division 4 event.
Newspaper Article
W/c 3rd March 2008
Report for Week 21 ending 29th February 08
Werneth A strengthened their positioning the battle for second place in the first division of the Oldham Table Tennis league by defeating Uppermill A 9-1, Darryl and Stewart Meredith winning all three sets, ably supported by Peter Morris, while rivals BAE A just managed to beat Werneth B by the narrowest of margins.
Hollinwood A defeated Grotton A 8-2 and Hollinwood B beat Wardle by the same score, Gary Newton starring on both occasions by recording maximum victories.
Dave Pegg proved a valuable asset to Rosehill A in helping the Ashton based team beat Uppermill A in a re-arranged match 7-3 and Hyde YMCA A 7-3, being undefeated in both matches.
Meanwhile BAE B, by beating Werneth C 9-1, continue to move steadily out of the relegation zone.
In Division 2, a closely fought match between middle of the table teams Honeyewell A and Failsworth A resulted in the points being shared, Brian Higgins & David Watts winning two sets each for Honeywell, whilst Adam Rowbotham got a treble for Failsworth against his former club.
A similar match was played between Hollinwood C & Werneth D, the former’s 6-4 victory keeping them in third place, only one point behind the present runners up, Unison A. In this match Mick Pellowe trebled for Werneth while Bob Johnson gained hid first ever victory over Alan Else.
Coldhurst A moved to joint fifth place, thanks to treble victories by Simon King & Duncan Hadfield & two wins for Roger Lee, which helped to produce a 9-1 victory over Hollinwood E, Harry Ross being the sole winner for the losers.
Unison A predictably beat their B team 9-1 to remain narrowly in second spot, Les Evans (3), Dave Cheetham (3) & Paul Whyatt (2) being the winners with Mike Brierley being the only winner for the B team.
Evenly contested matches were the order of the day in the Third Division, no fewer than five of them producing 6-4 score lines.
Grotton B, Uppermill C , Coldhurst C, Owls A and Gilders B were the narrowly successful teams, defeating Honeywell B, Coldhurst D, Honeywell D , Failsworth B & Failsworth C respectively, Alf Barker, Stuart Hanson & Richard Hinchliffe gaining maximum victories.
In complete contrast, Uppermill B defeated Honeywell C 9-1, a surprising result considering the two occupied 3rd & 4th places in the division. Peter Watson (3), Howard Meadham (3) & Keith Moores (2) were successful for Uppermill with Derek Naylor’s single victory preventing the whitewash.
Coldhurst B travelled to play Failsworth C & consolidated their prime position n Div 3 by winning 9-1, Simon King, Simon Walsh & Gary Keylock all gaining maximum singles victories, the home team recording their one win by proving victorious in a very entertaining doubles match.
In Division 4, Owls B gained psychological advantage for their Handicap Cup semi – final match against werneth by beating them 7-3 in the league match, although Phil Coombe with 3 wins for the losers played some excellent Tabl;e tennis, his match against Richard Tamworth being the highlight of the evening.
In this same division the Deaf Club maintained their strong challenge for the championship by defeating Failsworth D 8-2, Ian Cockcroft being undefeated while Dave Wilson won 2 for Failsworth.
Unison D beat Honeywell E 7-3, Tony Hyde, Dennis Heyes & Martin Haigh each winning two sets, but the ‘man of the match’ must surely have been John Ganley, who won all his sets for the gallant losers.
Coldhurst E & Failsworth F shared the points in a very competitive match, with Failsworth’s Andrew Tarpey being undefeated for the enthusiastic youngsters.