Windsor Kestrels were grateful to a Debra Found hat-trick to guide them to an important 6-4 win over Nomads Jaguars in their battle to avoid relegation from Division Two of the Clacton & District League.

Found (pictured above, photo by Roger Hance) was the unlikely heroine of the hour, striking top form to chalk up her first treble of the season with notable wins, all in three-straight, against Chris Petrou, Dave Miller and Kevin Hume, and sharing an 11-6 in the fifth doubles win with Graham Bunce against Miller and Hume.

Kestrels’ skipper Graham Bunce contributed a vital couple and just failed to take a maximum himself, losing 12-10 in the fifth to Miller, while Jackie Bunce will feel disappointed not to have got on the scoresheet, losing 11-9 in the decider to Hume. Miller picked up a couple for the Jaguars, with Hume and Petrou winning one each.  

Elsewhere, Brotherhood B moved into top spot over Windsor Buzzards, who were without a game this week, thanks to an impressive 9-1 win against Lawford, winning all four matches which went to five. Mark Salter and Barry Allen remained unbeaten, Allen defeating Ian Sherwood 11-5 in the fifth and John Colvin 11-7 in the fifth, with the pair taking the doubles 11-9 in the fifth against Colvin and Richard Spence. Paul Alden’s couple for the winners included an 11-6 in the decider victory over Spence.

Walton D defeated Windsor Harriers 6-4 and, although there were trebles for Clive Allenby and Andy Foster, they will feel frustrated they didn’t score more heavily against one of the Division’s weaker teams.  

So, in one of the closest promotion battles for some years, just three points now separate Brotherhood B, Windsor Buzzards and Walton D at the top, with the Buzzards having a vital match in hand.

In Division Three, four of the individual matches in the Windsor Penguins v Walton E fixture went the distance but the Penguins won three of them and ran out 8-2 winners. Neil Chegwidden and Annabelle Stallwood both stayed inbeaten, Stallwood defeating both Paul Woolnough and Lynette Sparks in five, the latter 11-7 in the fifth. Sharon Gowlett added an 11-8 in the decider victory over Maggie Earle but went down to Sparks 12-10 in the decider.

Windsor Merlins were predictable 9-1 winners over Nomads Bobcats, John Harvey and Joe Plummer taking three each and Ruby Gallagher a couple. It was good to see John Morley back in League action for the Bobcats and he marked the occasion by winning the Bobcats’ sole point and taking Harvey to five.

Bob Jillins was in good nick for Nomads Leopards against Brotherhood F, his hat-trick including a hard-fought 3-2 (11-6, 12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 12-10) win over Fred Gallone. There were a couple for Stuart Wilkinson and Dominic Joannou, as there was for Brotherhood’s Gallone.

In an all-Nomads clash, trebles for Arthur Wells-Garrett and Chris Wilmotte were the bedrock of the Ocelots’ 8-2 victory over the Lynx. Each player had a hard five-setter, Wells-Garrett beating Ann Peart 11-6 in the decider and Wilmotte getting the better of Pam Cousins 11-9 in the decider.

In an all-Windsor clash in Division One, the Eagles enjoyed a 7-3 victory over the Hawks, a reverse score of their early-season result, and one which keeps them in second place. Every player picked up a point but it was Gary Cattermole who took the honours with an unbeaten three. Phil Smith took two and John Patrick one, whilst there was one each for Andy Vincent, John Barton and Ian Fielder of the Hawks. Fielder was involved in the two closest games of the match, beating Pattrick 12-10 in the decider but losing out 11-3 in the decider to Smith.   

Walton A recorded a convincing 10-0 success against club-mates Walton B, Kevin James, Colin Dearman and Derek Willis all winning three. Dearman’s 11-8 in the fifth win against Graham Buxton was the only match which went the distance.

But, in their second match, Walton A went down 6-4 to Nomads Lions. There was a pair apiece for Nomads’ Sam Hume and Adam Cuthbert but Walton’s Kevin James had the satisfaction of taking a maximum which included a fine 3-2 (6-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8, 11-5) win against Hume, Hume’s first League defeat in over a year.

Nevertheless, these two results propel Walton A into third place, only four points behind Windsor Eagles in second spot, and just three points ahead of Windsor Hawks and Nomads Lions – all four teams will still harbour hopes of finishing runners-up.

* The League’s Closed Championships, sponsored by Gary Cattermole and The Survey Initiative, will be held over the weekend of 1st and 2nd April at the Clacton Coastal Academy. Details and entry forms have been sent to all players. Entries can be sent on-line to Peter White or by post to Tony Oswick. The closing date for entry is Friday 10th March.

RESULTS

Division 1
Nomads Lions 6 Walton A 4
Windsor Eagles 7 Windsor Hawks 3
Walton B 0 Walton A 10

Division 2
Windsor Kestrels 6 Nomads Jaguars 4
Walton D 6 Windsor Harriers 4
Lawford 1 Brotherhood B 9

Division 3
Brotherhood F 2 Nomads Leopards 8
Windsor Merlins 9 Nomads Bobcats 1
Windsor Penguins 8 Walton E 2
Nomads Lynx 2 Nomads Ocelots 8