Finals Night Results (winners in red)
7:30pm - Handicap Singles Final
Trevor Cottee (+12) 15-25, 25-24 Kieran Brady (+10)
7:50pm - Under 18 Singles Final
Nathan Lamb 6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11 James Briddon
8:10pm - Over 50âs Singles Final
Francis Webb 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10 Chris Jones
8:30pm - Over 18 / Under 40 Singles Final
James Skilleter 6-11, 11-2, 11-4, 14-12 Kieran Brady
8:50pm - Division 1 Singles Final
Nathan Lamb 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7 Alan Worthington
9:10pm - Over 40âs Singles Final
David Mortlock 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 11-2 Trevor Cottee
9:30pm - Division 1 Doubles Final
James Briddon / 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3 Tom Bailey /
Nathan Lamb David Leeder
9:50pm - Open Doubles Final
James Skilleter / 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 6-11, 9-11 David Mortlock /
Peter Maybury Chris Jones
10:10pm - Over 60âs Singles Final
Adrian Key 14-12, 11-7, 11-9 Alan Worthington
10:30pm - Open Singles Final
James Skilleter
11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6 Chris Jones
Finals Night brings good end to Table Tennis championships
The Diss and District Table Tennis League, sponsored by Leisure Sport Diss and Speedy Bat Sports, held its league championships finals night at Weybread Village Hall last Saturday in front of 25 players and spectators.
Due to injury Jason Evans had to withdraw from the Open Singles and Over 18 / Under 40 Singles events meaning his semi-final opponents stepped up to the final.
The evening began with the handicap final with Trevor Cottee (+12) having a 3 point start over Kieran Brady (+10). However Brady gained the advantage from the start and easily won the first leg 25-15. Although Cottee fought back in the second to take the leg 25-24, Brady won by winning more points over the two games.
In the Under 18 Singles singles, James Briddon beat Nathan Lamb 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8 with some attacking shots which seem to surprise Lamb and he could never get into his rhythm.
The Over 50âs Singles was a very tight and close match with Francis Webb squeezing past Chris Jones 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10. Both players attacked and defended and some good points were played.
Once James Skilleter got into his rhythm in the Over 18 / Under 40 Singles, he beat Kieran Brady in four legs. Brady took the first catching Skilleter cold 11-6, but could not hold losing the next three legs 2-11, 4-11, 12-14.
The Division One Singles also went the distance. Young Nathan Lamb attacked the experience Alan Worthington and eventually won 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7. Lamb played some exceptional attacking shots and picked himself up well after the earlier defeat.
The leagueâs chairman, David Mortlock, took the Over 40âs Singles honour at his first attempt beating Trevor Cottee 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 11-2. The early exchanges were close but Mortlock ran away in the forth to the take the title.
The Division One Doubles saw the young pairing James Briddon and Nathan Lamb beat Tom Bailey and David Leeder in five legs. Their attacking shots saw them win through 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3.
Another
five leg final took place in the Open Doubles between the eventual winners,
David Mortlock and Chris Jones over James Skilleter and Peter Maybury. The
latter led 2-1 but Mortlock/Jones dug in well which saw them come back in the
fifth leg at 7-9 to win 11-9.
The Over 60âs Singles saw Adrian Key beat Alan Worthington 14-12, 11-7, 11-9 although Key had the ârub of the greenâ with a few net and edge calls going in his favour.
The last final of the evening was the Open Singles and yet again a good final was witnessed by all. With both players in good form, James Skilleter and Chris Jones played a fast attacking match.
Skilleter took the first 11-5 but Jones fought back in the second 11-7. The third and forth legs followed the same pattern as the first to as James won 11-5 and then Chris 11-9 to set up a final leg.
Skilleter got of to a good start in the fifth and led 5-3 as the pair changed ends, Skilleter continued to attack making Jones play some unforced errors which saw Skilleter win 11-6 to take the title he last won 10 years ago.
Special mention to David Mortlock and his troops for collecting and returning the table tennis tables to/from the main event at Hartismere High School as without his help the tournament would not have taken place.
The day began with the Handicap event which was played on a knock-out basis. James Briddon (+14) met Kieran Brady (+10) in the first semi-final but the start of 6 points was not enough as the improving Brady won 25-16, 25-16. In the other semi-final, David Leeder (+15) lost to Trevor Cottee (+12) 25-19, 25-24 after having a 5 point start.
The Open Singles was played in groups with winners and runner-ups progressing to round 2. In the build up to the semi-finals the quarter-final match between Francis Webb and Peter Maybury was very exciting and ended up a close affair as Webb pinched it 11-13, 13-11, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9. As time allowed, the semi-finals were also played and James Skilleter will meet Jason Evans in the final. Skilleter had the easier game beating Webb 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-2 whereas Evans was made to work hard to earn his place in final after coming back from two legs down to Chris Jones before winning 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7.
In the Division One singles Alan Worthington will play the in-form Nathan Lamb. Both semi-finals went the distance with Lamb beating Billy Howe 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 and Worthington overcame Tom Bailey 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9.
The Division One Doubles consisted of 2 matches only. The young Diss Table Tennis pairing of Nathan Lamb and James Briddon overcame the experience pair of Alan Worthington and Bill Pursehouse 11-9, 11-9, 11-9. They will face Tom Bailey & David Leeder in the final who bear Pat West and Peter Evans after winning 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9.
In the Open Doubles the top two pairs made it to the final fairly easily. James Skilleter and Peter Maybury dispatched John Bryant and Dave Barnard in their semi-final 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 and David Mortlock and Chris Jones beat Paul and Phil Mortlock 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9.
The Under 18 singles was not played due a player withdrawal meaning Nathan Lamb and James Briddon play in next weeks final.
The remaining events had their formats changed as time allowed groups to be played rather than on a knock-out basis.
The Over 18 / Under 40 Singles saw James Skilleter emerged as winner of his group to play the runner-up of the other group, Paul Mortlock. After losing the first leg 6-11, Skilleter eventually won 11-8, 11-7, 11-7. The other group winner was Jason Evans who played runner-up Kieran Brady. Evans also lost the first leg 10-12, but picked up his play to dominate the next 3 legs winning 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.
The Over 40s Singles was played in a group of 4 players. David Mortlock and Trevor Cottee came through victorious and will play each other in the final.
The Over 50s Singles was played in two groups. Francis Webb won his group and met Peter Maybury and won 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5. Webb will play Chris Jones in the final who beat John Bryant in his semi-final 11-3, 11-7, 11-6.
The Over 60s Singles was played in a group of 4 players with Adrian Key taking the honours and will play Alan Worthington in the final. When the two met in the group, Key narrowly won 5-11, 11-5, 7-11, 15-13 11-8 so the final looks to be another tight game.
All finals will be contested at Weybread Village Hall on Saturday evening starting at 7pm. Everyone is welcome and there is a bar available.