With the leaders Drumchapel Glasgow II not eligible for promotion to the Premier Division the battle for the minor places has taken on a new significance. Elgre Nottingham I and Barrow both have 14 points but it is Barrow who appear to be finishing the stronger. They dented the leaders Drumchapel Glasgow’s 100 % record, winning 5-3 in round nine. New signing Jakov Krivić played a major part in this success winning twice and England no. 45 Brad Evans followed suit. Barrow stalwart Jonathan Crawford had the honour (extreme pressure might be a better description) of winning the crucial game and he was up to the task. Crawford beat Terry McLernon Junior 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 to make the score 5-2. Glasgow’s Craig Hardie, who had only lost three of his 16 singles felt the full force of the Barrow push for promotion. He missed out 11-6, 5-11, 4-11, 8-11 to Brad Evans and 16-18,5-11, 4-11 against Jakov Krivić.
Barrow turned in another accomplished performance in round 10, beating fourth-placed Ormesby II 6-2. Jakov Krivić was again undefeated although Andrew Wilson’s five game win over Bradley Evans stood out from Ormesby’s perspective. Wilson triumphed 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7. Barrow no.4 Tristran Swan also impressed and he scored two notable victories. He beat Karina Le Fevre 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 and Karen Shepherd 11-5, 11-8, 11-8.
ELGRE Nottingham added four points to their score as well. Chris Rogers was undefeated as they beat Northfield I 5-3. Rogers looked sharp as he defeated Keith Rodger 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 and Bryn Drinkhall 11-7, 11-8, 4-11, 11-9 and he received solid support from his team-mates. Emma Vickers scored a fine 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-3 win over Danny Welsh and David Arrowsmith a last gasp 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 victory over Keith Rodger. Mark Green clinched the victory for the Nottingham side by beating Danny Welsh 11-5, 11-7, 11-8. Steve Bailey, returning to action after a break from the Sport fared best of the Northfield players. He marked a successful return to British League action by beating David Arrowsmith 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 12-10 and Emma Vickers 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 13-11.
ELGRE were more comfortable 7-1 winners over bottom-side Sheffield. The score flattered them slightly as they won the two tightly contested five setters. David Arrowsmith who seems to specialise in playing five-enders was again involved in both of these battles. This time he beat Liam Carson 3-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 12-10 and then Bill Grant 12-14, 11-5, 14-12, 2-11, 11-7. England no.52 Veteran Simon Pugh was Sheffield’s sole winner, and he scored a fine 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 success over Mark Green.
At the lower end of the table Northfield I beat Halton I 6-2 to jump above them. Bryn Drinkhall and Keith Rodger were both undefeated for Northfield whilst Danny Welsh did well to beat Chris Ford in five ends, fighting back strongly to win 2-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4. Keith Rodger clinched the Northfield victory by getting the better of Michael Moir 11-5, 14-12, 11-9 and Steve Bailey wrapped up proceedings by beating Mark Ramsbottom 11-6, 11-8, 12-10. A very good performance from Northfield.
British League Division 1 North Third Weekend Table
British League Division 1 North Results
British League Division 1 North Barrow Player Averages
British League Division 1 North First Weekend Table
British League Division 1 North Results
British League Division 1 North Barrow Player Averages
Drumchapel Glasgow, favourites to retain their Premier Division crown have made a very strong start to the season and on this showing it will be a major surprise if they don‘t win this division as well. In Liu Kuan they have the best player in this division and one who would surely relish playing in the Premier Division. Kuan was only tested twice, both times in the match against Barrow Fast Bats (which they won 6-2). The hard-hitting Jonathan Crawford pushed him all the way before succumbing 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 5-11 and Bradley Evans also went down fighting. Brad missed out 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 7-11, 7-11. The big surprise here was the very impressive display by Drumchapel no. two Craig Hardie and he produced a truly faultless performance as he beat England no. 37 Evans decisively 11-5, 11-8, 11-3. Hardie faced something of a reality check in his second singles, but, he again came up trumps, with an altogether different 13-15, 11-9, 12-10, 11-5 win over a battling Tristran Swan.
Drumchapel had it all their own way as they beat a more than reasonable Grantham side 8-0 with Liu Kuan, Craig Hardie, Terry McLernon and Richard Main all playing well. Richard Main made his presence felt, getting the better of Andrew Leighton 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 and most impressively Eddie Roofe 11-7, 11-6, 11-6. Terry McLernon Junior came up trumps in the closest game of the match, seeing off former Premier Division player Andy Wignall 10-12, 11-5, 13-11, 3-11, 12-10.
Drumchapel’s win over Halton I, saw the Scots tested for the only time of the weekend. England no. eight Veteran Richard Lightowler scored an excellent 13-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-13, 13-11 win over Craig Hardie but he was made to pay for it in his second singles. Liu Kuan took no prisoners as he blasted his way past Lightowler 11-6, 11-3, 11-4. Chris Ford did well to beat Terry McLernon Junior 11-9, 5-11, 2-11, 11-6, 16-14 and Michael Moir did even better as he made the scoreline 3-4 by getting the better of Craig Hardie 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6. However, it didn’t lead to them picking up a point. Richard Main won his second singles by getting the better of Mark Ramsbottom over four ends.
Ormesby II impressed, taking seven points out of eight. They beat Northfield 6-2 in a well contested local Derby in which five games were decided in a fifth end, and they won four of them. It was a case of three of the four Ormesby players excelling in the same match. Patrick Thomas beat both Danny Welsh (3-2) and Bryn Drinkhall (3-0), whilst Andrew Wilson scored superb wins over Drinkhall (3-2) and Mark Simon (3-2) and Karen Shepherd excelled by getting the better of Mark Simon (3-1) and Tony Wilson (3-2). Ormesby’s dropped point came against Grantham in round four, further proof if any is needed of just how strong Drumchapel Glasgow II are. Patrick Thomas (eight wins out of eight for the weekend) was blameless and he powered his way past Andy Wignall (11-7, 11-8, 11-4) as well as Dave Harvey (11-3, 11-2, 7-11, 11-6) but, Grantham hit back well elsewhere. Andrew Leighton and Eddie Roofe were both 3-0 winners against Karen Shepherd and Dave Harvey secured a vital 11-9, 2-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 opening game victory over Andy Wilson. Wignall played his part with an all guns-blazing 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 victory against Steven Brunskill.
Patrick Thomas produced another top-draw performance in Ormesby II’s 5-3 victory over Barrow I. He beat both Jonathan Crawford (11-8, 11-8, 11-9) and Bradley Evans (11-8, 11-8, 11-7). England no. 74 Andy Wilson who looks to have added a new level to his game over the summer months also excelled. He showed tenacity to stop Bradley Evans 12-10, 11-4, 16-14 as well as grit and determination as he just saw off Tristran Swan 6-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 12-10.
English Table Tennis Association
If the competition is as fiercely fought as it was last year, then the matches should be very exciting indeed. The three teams who were crowned Champions in their respective Divisions were: Derwent in Division One North, Urban Progress in Division One South and Sycamore in Division One South and Midlands. These will undoubtedly be amongst the teams to watch out for, but don’t write off the three other sides either.
Division One South runners-up Brighton cannot be discounted. They have real depth in their team with the fast-improving Cadets Zak Zilesnick and Reece Tan in the numbers three and four positions. Similarly, you can’t discount Elgre Nottingham either. They may have finished a massive ten points behind an outstanding Sycamore side of Kevin Dolder, Sam Perry, Adam Frost, Jason Ramage, Sean Cullen and Danny Lowe but their team has a nice blend of experience and youthful promise. The Elgre squad of Chris Rogers, Lee Neil, Stewart Mudie, Mark Green, David Arrowsmith and Emma Vickers will relish the prospect of going into this weekend as under-dogs.
Barrow’s fortunes will depend to a great extent whether Scottish number one Gavin Rumgay is available. However, this looks extremely doubtful because of the clash with the Commonwealth Championships in Glasgow. However, the hard-hitting and improving brothers Jonathan and Scott Crawford will still be a force to be reckoned with and with former English number one Denis Neale in their squad, as well as England no. 36 Bradley Evans no one will take them too lightly.
Likely squads are as follows:
Derwent: Simon Noutch, Mark Simpson, Stephen Horsfield, Richard Smith, Trevor Williams, Richard Moss.
Barrow: Gavin Rumgay, Bradley Evans, Jonathan Crawford, Scott Crawford, Denis Neale, Tristran Swan, Steve Dixon.
Urban Progress: Tibor Kadar, William Maybanks, Costas Papantoniou, Laszlo Varga, Zoltan Hosszu.
Brighton: Alexander Ioannou, Dov Katz, Jack Boult, Zak Zilesnick, Reece Tan.
Sycamore: Kevin Dolder, Sam Perry, Adam Frost, Jason Ramage, Sean Cullen, Danny Lowe.
Elgre Nottingham: Chris Rogers, Lee Neil, Stewart Mudie, Mark Green, David Arrowsmith, Emma Vickers.
Click here to see the British League Play-Off results.
This season was Barrow Table Tennis Clubs first in the 1st Division of the British League, and in typical Barrow style, we didn’t make things easy for ourselves!
Going into the first weekend, Barrow had a motley crew of just three players (Steve Dixon, Tristran Swan and Scott Crawford). Given the “step up” in quality from the 2nd Division to the 1st, there was little surprise when the team came away scoring exactly 0 points. It was a tough weekend, things were looking bleak and all thoughts were on survival.
The second weekend saw the return of much needed Jonathan Crawford (England top 90 player – though should be much higher) and new signing Bradley Evans (England top 20 player) joining Tristran Swan and Scott Crawford. There was little surprise when things proved to be much better than the first weekend with the team notching up two wins (Halton and Fastbats) and two draws (including high flying Ormesby II and Rotherham Scorpions). The team had caught the eye of some, but what was to follow was to surprise all, Barrow included.
Coming into the third weekend (which only includes two matches as opposed to the normal four), Barrow secured the signings of Gavin Rumgay (Scotland number 1) and the controversial legend that is Denis Neale (former World top 15 player). So with, Gavin Rumgay, Bradley Evans, Jonathan Crawford and Denis Neale, Barrow led out the strongest team ever to play for Barrow Table Tennis Club. Needless to say, with Gavin and Denis untested, the team won comfortably securing maximum points (against Grantham and Drumchapel Glasgow II). This meant going into the final weekend to quote the ETTA website, “They (Barrow Table Tennis Club) won’t be able to make the play-offs as they only have 10 points, but expect them to cause the leading teams all kinds of problems”.
Well, with Gavin Rumgay, Jonathan Crawford, Bradley Evans, Denis Neale, Tristran Swan and Scott Crawford turning out for Barrow the final weekend. They did indeed “cause the leading teams all kinds of problems”. On top of that, they secured a maximum 8 points (against Halton, Derwent, Rotherham and Fastbats) and managed the seemingly impossible by gaining a place in the play-offs to be held at Draycott on the 23rd and 24th of May. So, congratulations to all those that represented Barrow Table Tennis Club and a big thank you to club coach and manager, Duncan Crawford.
