Windsor Penguins were involved in one of the closest contests in the first round of ties in the Group stage of the Clacton League’s Knock-Out Cup, beating fellow-Division Two side Brotherhood B 5-4 but forced to take the final two matches of the evening to secure the victory.

At the halfway mark of their Group C tie, the Penguins looked comfortable at 3-1, but Brotherhood fought back to lead 4-3, needing just one win to take the tie. But Sharon Gowlett (+1) beat Barry Allen (-5) 11-5, 11-1, 6-11, 11-4 in match eight, before Scott Campbell and Annabelle Stallwood (+1) sealed the deal by beating Mark Salter and Paul Alden (-1) 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10 in the final doubles.

Acting captain Gowlett (pictured above, photo by Roger Hance) won her two singles and one doubles, with Stallwood taking one singles and two doubles.

Group C looks as though it could turn out to be the hardest-fought of the seven groups, with Brotherhood D and Windsor Hawks involved in a tie in which no less than five of the seven matches went the distance. But it was Brotherhood who took the honours 5-2, Kevin Pryor staying unbeaten and Sam Plummer (+2) delivering the coup de grace, beating Andy Vincent (-6) 12-10, 12-14, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11 in match seven.

Elsewhere, just one result from Group A saw Nomads Bobcats from Division Three defeat Second Division Lawford 5-2, this after Lawford led 2-1. Jack Riddleston stayed unbeaten for the Bobcats.

In Group B Windsor Kestrels of Division Two dispatched their higher-ranked opposition, Walton A, 5-0 without a great deal of fuss, the closest match seeing Allen Denyer (+2) defeat Colin Dearman (-8) 11-2, 11-0, 11-13, 11-9.

The other match in this group was a walk-over win for Brotherhood C against Nomads Lions.

Division One Windsor Buzzards defeated Division Three Brotherhood E 5-4 in Group D, but they were forced to take the final three matches of the evening to secure the victory. Dave Martin’s (-5) 11-8, 5-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 win in match seven against Tricia Salter (+1) turned the tide in the Buzzards’ favour.

The all-Walton clash between Walton D and Walton E ended in a 5-2 victory for the Division Two ‘D’ outfit over their Division Three club-mates, Paul Woolnough and Mo Hardy (-6) beating Lynette Sparks and Deborah Pallett (+2) 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6 in a hard-fought doubles.

Group E looks like being a straight fight between Walton C and Nomads Tigers after both teams enjoyed victories over the two teams currently at the bottom of Division Three.

Walton C had a comfortable 5-0 victory over Nomads Lynx whilst, in an all-Nomads clash, the Tigers defeated the Lynx 5-2, Arthur Wells-Garrett of the Ocelots recording a singles win and sharing a doubles success with James Horsler.

In Group F Tom Bryden and JJ Barry (+2) of Brotherhood F surprised Phil Smith and John Hobson (-13) of Windsor Eagles at the very start, winning the first set of the opening match 11-0. But the Eagles’ pair got into gear, eventually winning 0-11, 11-8, 11-6 and, thereafter, the Windsor side took control to take it 5-0.

It was also 5-0 in another Division One v Division Three clash, Nomads Panthers beating Windsor Magpies. But the Panthers were made to fight, with three of the individual matches going the distance, the closest being in match five where James Denyer and John Hatley (-13) edged past Dave Sweetland and Alan Rutledge (+3) 11-7, 1-11, 12-10.

There were two competitive matches in Group G, with pride of place going to last season’s beaten finalists, Nomads Leopards, who took their tie 5-4 against top-flight Walton B. Chris Wilmotte was their best player on the night, taking his two singles and, with Stu Wilkinson (+2) taking the doubles 11-0, 11-2, 11-7 against Graham Buxton and John Marshall (-8).

Russell Hillier of Brotherhood A also took two singles and one doubles as, in another meeting of Division One and Division Three teams, Brotherhood A defeated Windsor Harriers 5-3. The closest match of the contest saw Hillier and Kevin Gowlett (-8) beat Ferdy Rodriguez and Jenny Higgins (+2) 2-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6.

* Updated results and tables for all Cup matches can be viewed on the League’s website.

RESULTS
Knock-out Cup Group stage
Group A
Nomads Bobcats 5 Lawford 2
Group B
Windsor Kestrels 5 Walton A 0
Brotherhood C 5 (w/o) v Nomads Lions
Group C
Brotherhood D 5 Windsor Hawks 2
Brotherhood B 4 Windsor Penguins 5
Group D
Walton E 2 Walton D 5
Windsor Buzzards 5 Brotherhood E 4
Group E
Nomads Lynx 0 Walton C 5
Nomads Ocelots 2 Nomads Tigers 5
Group F
Nomads Panthers 5; Windsor Magpies 0
Brotherhood F 0 Windsor Eagles 5
Group G
Walton B 4 Nomads Leopards 5
Windsor Harriers 3 Brotherhood A 5