WITH the season at the half way stage in the Okehampton and District Table Tennis League there are quite a few matches to be played before the second half resumes on January 5.
This week was the start of the Bill Fogerty Trophy which is played the best of three legs of 21.
In the first match division one side Tavistock B were at home to Bridestowe, who took a 4-0 lead before Martin Fowler won the only game for Tavistock B — beating Phil Down 22-20, 19-21, 21-11 — to give Bridestowe an 8-1 win.
Okehampton A were at home to Dartmoor Fringe where they took an early lead 6-0 lead before the Fringe came to life. Andy Moppett beat Barry Vaughan in straight sets while Ian Smith made hard work of winning the next against Joe Clifford 21-17, 19-21, 17-21 — resulting in a 7-2 win for Okehampton A.
The J Team took on Anchorage A who once again only had two players resulting in a 9-0 win for the J Team.
The next match was an all division two with Milton Abbot against Okehampton B. Maureen Venton beat Michael Blatchford before ten year old Max Williams levelled at 1-1, doing well to beat Dick Randell 21-19, 26-24. Milton Abbot went 2-1 up when Ian Osborne beat June Randell in straight sets. Maureen won the next beating young Max 18-21, 21-14, 9-21.
Michael Blatchford beat June Randell to go 3-2 ahead 21-23, 21-19, 21-15 and Max won his second and Ian won the next to go 6-2, doing well to beat Maureen in straight sets. Michael lost to Dick Randell in the last for a 6-3 win to Milton Abbot.
Academy A were at home to The Young Ones in another hard fought match. Tom Pearce put the Academy ahead doing well to beat Sarah Jackson and went on to win all three of his singles.
Tom Pengelly won the other game just beating young George Haskell 23-21, 21-17, Wayne Pearce fought hard but could not beat Sarah who won 17-21, 21-16, 19-21 to lead 5-3. Tom completed his maximum beating George Haskell in straight sets but The Young Ones won 5-4.
In the last game Moretonhampstead were at home to Anchorage B in a hard and exciting match.
Ken Underhill put Moreton ahead beating Roger Gilbert before Dave Wilson levelled the match at 1-1; Peter Denman beat Jenny Hotchkiss to make it 2-1 to Moreton. Roger levelled in the next against Richard Underhill but Ken put Moreton ahead just for Dave Wilson to win a hard fought game against Peter Denman to level again. Anchorage won the next two to lead 5-3 and although Ken beat Dave in the last singles, Anchorage B won the match 5-4.
Results: Tavistock B 1 (M Fowler 1) Bridestowe 8 (M Tancock 3, M Fogerty 3, P Down 2); Okehampton A 7 (J Clifford junior 3, B Vaughan 2, J Clifford senior 2) Dartmoor Fringe 2 (A Moppett 1, I Smith 1).
The J Team 9 (N Jackson 3, J Down 3, F Cockburn 3) Anchorage A 0; Milton Abbot 6 (M Williams 2, I Osborne 3, M Blatchford 1) Okehampton B 3 (M Venton 2, D Randell 1). Academy A 4 (T Pearce 3, T Pengelly 1) The Young Ones 4 (S Jackson 2, G Haskell 2, E Haskell 1); Moretonhampstead 4 (K Underhill 3, P Denman 1) Anchorage B 5 (R Gilbert 2, D Wilson 2, J Hotchkiss 1).