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Press Report #1 Alan Gustar returned to the top flight of Basingstoke Table Tennis in style as the league kicked off it’s new winter league season. The Minitec Powerlocks star , who is a former great from the Basingstoke league and who took many seasons out of the sport ,fought hard to hit a maximum winning all his 3 matches in 5 sets to help the new team to a 7-3 victory over Hannington “A”. Gustar was joined by a new signing for the team, League Chairman George White who had a more comfortable time winning his treble. Mark Pickin , Paul Robinson and John Cosgrove all notched a win on their first outing beating Mike Dinmore. Title contenders Winklebury started the season with an 8-2 win over Cannons who are without one of Basingstoke’s top players , Kevin Macken who is taking a season out from the sport. Winklebury’s Malcolm Cummins enjoyed a maximum beating Paul Rattue in 4 sets. Rattue recorded the 2 points for Cannons with wins over Colin Wilkes and Peter Bradley. Last seasons champions St Peters “A” got off to a winning start with 8-2 win over KG “A”. It was Tony Amies that broke into St Peters with a brace with wins over Richard Mole and James Wright. Pete Matthews was the rock for St Peters with a maximum. In Division 2 there were 2 great battles. Ashley Pither had a super night with a fine treble leading Minitec Profiles to a narrow 6-4 result over Hannington “B”. Pither was unbeaten with a 5 set win over Steve Ricks coming back from 2-0 down. Phil Cook denied Ian Short of his 3 wins with a 11-7 win in the 5th set. Chaz Smith was then hero of the contest between Oakley “A” and RAF Odiham . Smith beat Andy Pipe 11-8 in the 5th after coming back from a 2-0 deficit and also hit an emphatic 3 set win over Roger Barnacle. However the Oakley side lost 6-4 and there was no joy for Steve Morris returning to the league after many years out , but he fought well losing narrowly in 5 sets in 2 matches. KG “B” recorded an 8-2 win over Hannington “C” with unbeaten displays from Duncan Sibbick and Brian Edwards, whereas Roger Bielby fell to Pete Blunden and Avril Waters on the night. In Division 3 title favourites Coaching Lions got of to winning ways with a 9-1 win over Queens “D”. Graham Quinn and Patrick Garlick were untroubled and Lorraine Mortimer averted the whitewash with a 13-11 win in the 5th set in the last match of the night over Sue Tompsett. John McLarty was once again the thorn in side of Queens “C” winning all his matches in 3 straight sets but his AWE side lost 7-3 with Ron Cleave playing out of his skin recording 2 wins. The new team Queens “E” featuring Simon Searle , Pete Coppins and young Matthew Palaczky contested well with 2 man KG “C” and both Coppins and Palaczky took their opposition Mike Wood and Dave Partridge close in 5 sets respectively . The match finished 7-3 to KG “C”. Another new team RAF Odiham “B” played Oakley “B” but were without a win. Terri Allison and Ian Warner hit trebles but there was no joy for Mick Ogle, Graham Peacock and Al Carle on their first outings. ** Basingstoke Mens Inter Town team narrowly lost to Aldershot in the first match of the Hampshire League with a 6-4 loss. Alex Garlick hit 2 wins for Basingstoke but along with Steve Murgatroyd and George White found Adam Laws too strong. |
