There was a repeat of last season’s Cup final in the deciding match in Group G of the Clacton League’s Knock-Out Cup, Brotherhood A repeating their success of April 2023 with a 5-2 win over Nomads Leopards, a win that sees them top the Group.

Gary Young (pictured above, photo by Roger Hance) was unbeaten in his two singles and one doubles for Brotherhood, with Russell Hillier (-8) sealing the victory with an 11-7 in the decider win over Stuart Wilkinson (+2). Despite this, the Leopards qualify alongside Brotherhood for the knockout stages.

Windsor Harriers finished third in the Group, thanks to a 5-3 success against Walton B, Isabel Barton unbeaten. Walton fielded three left-handers in this match, and it was good to see Paul Newbould back in table tennis action after eighteen months away from the game through illness and injury.

In Group A Nomads Jaguars were unable to cope with the generous grades of the much-improved Nomads Bobcats trio, the Bobcats winning 5-1 to top the Group. Lawford, who had a walk-over against Brotherhood G, finished second.

Nomads Lions played with a guest in their Group B tie against Windsor Kestrels and needed to take all five individual matches in order to win. And they so nearly did, Jason Lloyd and Ethan Lloyd each winning their two singles before Debra Found and Allen Denyer (+1) defeated the two Lloyds (-8) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8.

So the Kestrels finished second and go through to the next stage alongside Brotherhood C who beat Walton A 5-1 to maintain an impressive unbeaten Cup record.

Brotherhood D also completed their programme in Group C undefeated, beating Brotherhood B 5-3 in a tie where all but two of the matches were played off scratch. The ‘D’ team took all three matches which went the distance, Joe Plummer and Kevin Pryor (0) defeating Paul Alden and Barry Allen (0) 11-6 in the fifth, Sam Plummer (0) defeating Mark Salter (0) 11-8 in the fifth, and Pryor and Sam Plummer (0) defeating Salter and Allen (0) 11-8 in the fifth. Pryor remained unbeaten on the night.

Windsor Penguins took second place in the Group after a crucial 5-4 win against Windsor Hawks, this after being 3-0 and 4-2 down. During the match, the Hawks’ Felipe Rodriguez (on -8) beat sister Annabelle Stallwood (+1) 11-8 in the decider but lost (on -8) to wife Kayley (+2) in three-straight.

Despite this defeat, the Hawks go through to the next round as one of the best third-placed teams.

Brotherhood E topped Group D following two 5-2 victories over teams from Walton. First it was against Walton E, Duncan Dunne, Tony Edmonds and Rodney Betts the successful trio, whilst Dunne was joined by Fred Gallone and Tricia Salter against Walton D. Dunne stayed unbeaten in the latter match.

The defeat mattered not for Walton D who, having won their first two Group matches, also qualify for the knockout stage.

Group E always looked as though it would be a two-horse race and that’s how it turned out, Division One Walton C and Nomads Tigers from Division Two confirming their positions as the top sides, Walton C this week beating a two-player Nomads Ocelots 5-0 and the Tigers defeating Nomads Lynx 5-1.

Nomads Panthers made it three wins out of three in Group F, James Denyer unbeaten in the 5-3 success against Third Division Brotherhood F who, at the halfway stage, led 3-1. Although the Panthers took the next four matches, it was by no means easy, Denyer and John Hatley (-18) beating Joe Sherwin and JJ Barry (+4) 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 in the middle doubles, and the Panther’s skipper Hatley (-18) wrapping up the match with a 7-11, 11-6, 13-11 win against Barry (+4).

In the other Group F tie, Windsor Magpies defeated a two-man Windsor Eagles 5-3, a result which meant the Eagles, the Magpies and Brotherhood F all finished equal on four points. The Eagles and Brotherhood F both had better win-lose match ratios than the Magpies, with the Eagles placed second behind the Panthers by virtue of having defeated Brotherhood F in their opening Group game.

However, Brotherhood F still qualify for the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams.

The 16 teams who go through to the knockout stage are : Windsor Hawks, Walton C, Nomads Panthers, Windsor Eagles, Brotherhood A (Division One); Lawford, Brotherhood C, Windsor Kestrels, Brotherhood D, Windsor Penguins, Walton D, Nomads Tigers (Division Two); Nomads Bobcats, Brotherhood E, Brotherhood F, Nomads Leopards (Division Three).

That’s five teams from Brotherhood, four each from Windsor and Nomads, two from Walton and one from Lawford.

The final Group tables can be viewed on the League’s website – ‘KO Cup Results & Tables’.

The draw for Round One of the knockout stage will be circulated, and available on the League’s website, by Saturday 13th January at the latest. Matches are to be played during week commencing 22nd January.

RESULTS
Knock-Out Cup, Group stage
Group A
Lawford (w/o) v Brotherhood G
Nomads Bobcats (w/o) v Brotherhood G
Nomads Jaguars 1 Nomads Bobcats 5
Group B
Walton A 1 Brotherhood C 5
Nomads Lions 4 Windsor Kestrels 5
Group C
Windsor Penguins 5 Windsor Hawks 4
Brotherhood B 3 Brotherhood D 5
Group D
Walton E 5 Windsor Buzzards 2
Brotherhood E 5 Walton E 2
Brotherhood E 5 Walton D 2
Group E
Nomads Ocelots 0 Walton C 5
Nomads Tigers 5 Nomads Lynx 1
Group F
Windsor Magpies 5 Windsor Eagles 3
Nomads Panthers 5 Brotherhood F 3
Group G
Brotherhood A 5 Nomads Leopards 2
Windsor Harriers 5 Walton B 3