After a 2023/24 season blighted by injury and illness, super-veteran Peter Aumord has bounced back to form in Division Two of the Clacton League.

This week, he recorded his second hat-trick of the current campaign in Windsor Kestrels’ 8-2 victory over Windsor Magpies. Employing his usual uncompromising aggressive play, Aumord, one of the League’s more senior citizens, was the only player to remain unbeaten on the night.

Graham Bunce and Debra Found each won a couple, the pair completing the scoring for the Kestrels with an 11-8 in the decider doubles win against John Plummer and Alan Rutledge.

Plummer’s two points for the Magpies included a surprise 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 12-10) victory over Bunce.  

Another of the League’s senior players, Tony Edmonds of Brotherhood E, also produced the goods, undefeated in his side’s 7-3 success over Brotherhood G. But it was a hard-fought treble, with wins in five over both Dan Grindrod and Danny Still. Kevin Pryor also stayed unbeaten for the winners, while there was a point each for the ‘G’ team’s Grindrod, Still and Gary Simpson.

The battle of the top two teams ended with leaders Windsor Buzzards edging out Brotherhood C 6-4. Scott Cambell won all his three for the Buzzards, while there were two each for Brotherhood’s Mark Boyland and Mark Beckham.

The Buzzards enjoyed a second 6-4 victory, this over Windsor Harriers. Campbell again won three, with Ray Chillingworth winning two and Andy Cawley one. For the Harriers, Barry Allen won two and shared a close 11-9 in the fifth doubles victory, the first Buzzards’ doubles defeat of the season. Harriers’ reserve Kelvin Olano had a narrow 11-9 in the fifth win over Cawley.

The Nomads Jaguars v Brotherhood C encounter ended with honours even. Jonathan Hockley took three for the Jaguars and Chris Petrou two. Mark Boyland won a couple for Brotherhood and shared a crucial 3-2 (11-9, 11-13, 11-4, 12-14, 13-11) doubles win with Mark Beckham against Jonathan and John Hockley.

A Mark Salter maximum was central in Brotherhood D’s 6-4 success over Windsor Penguins. Neil Chegwidden and Paul Woolnough won two each for the Penguins, Woolnough beating Tricia Salter 11-5 in the decider in the only match which went the distance.

In Division Three, the impressive youngsters of Brotherhood F approach the half-way mark of the League season 10 points clear at the top, this week defeating Nomads Ocelots 10-0. Tom Bryden, Ruby Gallagher and Joe Sherwin were the winning trio.

The Hurricanes, the most experienced of the four Holland teams, notched up a 9-1 win over club-mates, the Vulcans, who were forced to play with a guest. But Derek Foxley is proving a useful player for the Vulcans, beating Gerry Widnell to take his side’s consolation point and going close against John Smith-Daye before going down 11-5 in the fifth.

In the first of three matches which ended 8-2, Windsor Falcons beat Holland Lancasters, Ferdy Rodriguez unbeaten. Dave Wright took the two Lancasters’ points.

A Matt Sage maximum, and two each for Alex Baldock and Sam Watling, gave Nomads Bobcats victory over Walton D. Walton won the last two matches of the evening, Sexton defeating Watling, and Earle, who’d taken Sage close before losing 11-6 in the fifth, defeating Baldock.

And it was 8-2 for Nomads Leopards against a Holland Mosquitos’ side fielding a guest. Dominic Joannou stayed undefeated for the winners, while Brian Abram took the Holland sides’ two points with wins over Anne Bonny and Mark Taylor.

In Division One, Nomads Panthers, playing with a reserve, were still good enough to win 8-2 against Walton B. Greg Green and John Hatley took trebles, with Panthers’ reserve Dave Miller having a hard-fought scrap with Paul Meikle before emerging as a narrow 3-2 (2-11, 13-15, 11-6, 13-11, 11-9) winner.

Adam Cuthbert was the star player for Nomads Lions as they beat Windsor Hawks 7-3. Cuthbert overcame Gary Young, Andy Vincent and Felipe Rodriguez, his closest match an 11-7 in the decider win against Rodriguez. Jason Lloyd’s two for the Lions included a tight 11-9 in the decider victory over Vincent. Young won a couple for the Hawks. The result moves the Lions two points behind second-placed Hawks but with a match in hand.  

A Gavin Price hat-trick was the highlight of Walton A’s 6-4 success against Brotherhood B. Derek Willis won two for Walton, as did Sam Plummer for Brotherhood.

Finally, Brotherhood A proved too good for Lawford, Russell Hillier, Kevin Gowlett and reserve Martin Edwards unbeaten in the 10-0 victory. Edwards’ 3-2 (9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4) win over Charlie Denholm was the only match which went to five.

* The Handicap Cup Group stage begins in week commencing 9th December. Full details of the draw and players’ grades can be viewed on the League’s website. During the Cup weeks, results and tables will be up-dated on-line each Wednesday and Saturday.  

RESULTS
Division 1
Nomads Panthers 8 Walton B 2
Brotherhood B 4 Walton A 6
Brotherhood A 10 Lawford 0
Windsor Hawks 3 Nomads Lions 7
Division 2
Brotherhood E 7 Brotherhood G 3
Windsor Harriers 4 Windsor Buzzards 6
Brotherhood C 4 Windsor Buzzards 6
Brotherhood D 6 Windsor Penguins 4
Nomads Jaguars 5 Brotherhood C 5
Windsor Magpies 2 Windsor Kestrels 8
Division 3
Holland Vulcans 1 Holland Hurricanes 9
Windsor Falcons 8 Holland Lancasters 2
Nomads Bobcats 8 Walton D 2
Nomads Ocelots 0 Brotherhood F 10
Holland Mosquitos 2 Nomads Leopards 8