Saturday 03 November 2007

The first round of National Junior League matches, London North Region, was held at the Ellenborough Club, Enfield on Saturday 3 November. The Chelmsford Club's problems started a week before when Bradley Hudgell and Sam Pitt, two of the A Team's squad of three, were made aware of a clash with a coaching course on the same day and informed by ETTA that they should attend the Course. With two of the B Team's squad of six nominated players not available there were only five players available for the Club's two teams. The Club invited Brandon Crouchman to help them out and he duly obliged.

This year there were fourteen teams divided into two Divisions, the First Division comprising six teams playing nine sets for each match and the Second Division playing six sets for each match. With only Adam Pitt available for the A Team the B Team players would need to help out but no B Team player could play in more than two A Team matches. The A Team's first match was against Three E's A, the team and the same players who this League last season but failed to qualify for the Junior British League in the preliminary play off matches. Matthew Skeoch and Brandon were selected to play up in what would be a tough opening match. Chelmsford lost the first six sets although both Matthew and Adam took Robbie Payne-Inglis the full distance losing 4 and 9 respectively in the fifth game and Brandon losing 10, 7, 10 to number one Thomas Danzig. Brandon put the 1 on the Chelmsford scoreboard with a very good win over Robbie, ranked 300 points above him, 8, -12, 11, 7.

In the second match against Ellenborough A Claire Austin replaced Brandon . Adam and Matthew won their opening games to put Chelmsford 2-0 up but Ellenborough squared the match when Matthew Leung beat Matthew S. 11-5 in the fifth. When Matthew lost to Miles Binns -8, 8, 8, 9 Chelmsford were 4-3 down. However after winning the first two games 5 and 7 against Matthew Leung Claire lost the next two 3, 10 but came from behind to win 12-10 in the decider to square the match. Adam beat Matthew Benge 3-1 for a 5-4 match win. For the last match against Ernest Bevin A Brandon came back in to the team and Tom Lee was promoted. The first four games were shared, Adam and Brandon both losing to George Robinson, Brandon beating George Taylor 3-1 and Tom beating Emre Ibaglic -4, 5, -9, 8,7. Thereafter five wins on the trot with Tom keeping a clean sheet by beating George T. 11-4 in the fifth and George R.-6, 0, 10,8, Brandon a 7, 8, -10, -8, 9 win over Emre and Adam a final -4, 6, 12, 10 win over George T. for a final 7-2 score line.

For their opening match the B Team gained a draw with Ernest Bevin B coming back from 2-0 and 3-1 down Tom Lee beating Kyle Hayes-Robertson 11-8 in the decider and James Austin winning 3-1 over Kuyan Patel after Claire Austin had lost 11, -12, 10, -6, 9 to Gobi Sriparan. In their match against Barnet Centre B Tom again won both his games, the first five games of the match all being won 3-0 and James winning the last 3-1 for a 4-2 win. Barnet had the only other girl player on the day, Tamsin Holland, who beat Claire 12, 7,8.

The third match was against the Division leaders Barnet Centre A. A 5-1 defeat ensued with only Brandon achieving a 3-0 win over Dang Sofelens. James had lost 6 in the fifth to Dang and Tom -8, 6, 12, -12, 9 to Charlie Byrne. In the next match against Three E's C after James's -10, 6, -9, 1, 5 opening win over Anthony Sexton the next five games were straightforward for James, Brandon and Tom for a 6-0 win. The team's last match of the day was against Three E's B and a disappointing draw the final result. James won both his games and Matthew lost to opposition number one Jamie Merison 3-1. Claire had two five setters, losing to Jamie -10, 8,5,-12, 7 and, in the last match of the day, to Frazer John 3, 7, -9, -7, 9.

The A Team are in third place on Sets difference and with Bradley and Sam due back for the second round of matches on Saturday 8 December 2007 the runners up position is achievable. They have the two Peniel Academy teams still to play to complete the first round of matches. Unless Three E's A are hit by illness or injury it looks as though they are odds on to win the Division. For the B Team in Division 2, except for Barnet Centre A who look too good for the Division, the next six teams appear very close in standard. At present the B Team are in fourth place on sets difference and with the bottom two teams to play first would hope to improve their position after every team has played one another once.

Finally the players need to thank Coach Ryan Pitt who had the thankless task of keeping an eye (he really needed three!) on three tables at once to offer advice between games and probably ended the day more tired than the players. A job well done Ryan.

Full results are to follow.

Report written by Arthur Clark