ISLAND LEAGUE
A RECORD number of draws were played out in Division One — all except for Newport Vics B, victims of a whitewash at the hands of league leaders Ryde A.
Third placed Shanklin Warriors met Ryde Raiders in a tight match, despite Ryde’s Alex Rorke winning his three games.
Shanklin’s Don Hobbs had to fight hard in all his games, losing to Rorke in four sets and Timothy Giles in five, but then beating Mike Prior in five.
The Raiders won the doubles comfortably, to earn a draw.
The Ryde Royals, in second, met Newport Vics A in an exciting, closely fought match, with Vics’s Dave Hilliam player of the match after winning his three games.
Vics’s John Cornforth was also on form, winning two games, although the Royals’ Ricky Lock took him to the final set.
Lock also won two, with a victory over Vics’s Paul Freeborn.
Vics went into the doubles match leading 5-4 and, after a thrilling five-setter, the Royals’ Lock and Tim Giles took the final set with ease to earn a draw.
Ryde A are firm favourites to take the title, with a commanding nine-point lead at the top, but the battle for second place remains tight between the Ryde Royals, Shanklin Warriors and Ryde Raiders.
In Division Two, the Shanklin Skuas are creeping up on Havenstreet Locos’s lead at the top, with only four points separating them.
Both teams had a good week, with Havenstreet beating the Undercliff Belters 7-3 and Shanklin winning 8-2 against the Ryde Rangers.
Havenstreet’s Graham Evans and Shanklin’s Spike Hughes were the top players in their respective matches, boasting win averages of 94 per cent and 85 per cent respectively.
Meanwhile, in Division Three, only two matches were played, with top of the table Newport Vics C taking on Ryde Rookies, beating them 7-3.
The Rookies’ unstoppable Ryan Cates continued his excellent form, winning all his matches in style — although Vics’s new signing, Paul Lewi,s took him to five sets and pushed him all the way.
Shorwell A and Ryde Rustics now tie in second after Shorwell’s 7-3 win over Ryde Rockets.
ISLAND LEAGUE RESULTS
Division 1: Wroxall A 5, Ryde Rivals 5; Newport Vics A 5, Ryde Royals 5; Ryde A 10, Newport Vics B 0; Ryde Raiders 5, Shanklin Warriors 5.
Division 2: Havenstreet Locos 7, Undercliff Belters 3; Ryde Red Kites 7, St Lawrence Lizards 3; Ryde Rascals 8, Ryde Relics 2; Shanklin Skuas 8, Ryde Rangers 2.
Division 3: Ryde Rockets 3, Shorwell A 7; Ryde Rookies 3, Newport Vics C 7.
HANDICAPPED PAIRS TOURNAMENT
The annual Handicapped Pairs Tournament at the Island Table Tennis Centre at Smallbrook, attracted 20 pairs.
The two semi-finals were exciting, with both decided after five sets.
Nicky Dando and Bryce Wilson were just beaten by the father and son team of Martin and Lewis Johnstone.
In the other semi-final, there was also a closely-fought match — Derek Pittard and Tom Flood narrowly beating Lee Orton and Ethan Millward.
The final will be played on the IW Table Tennis Association’s Finals Night, at Smallbrook, on April 17.
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