161119 | bsmttc

News Release - BSMTTC News 52

Dateline: 19 November 2016

More Cup Action

This week has seen the 2nd round of the respective Divisional Cup competitions of the Liverpool & District Table Tennis League. And 6 of the Club's teams were in action, competing in all but one of the 5 Divisional Cup competitions. It was only The Stamp Cup (Division 5) in which the club had lost both of its places in Round 1.

For some of the teams this was to be their first match in the competition, courtesy of a bye in Round 1. A brief report on each team is below and there may just be some surprises.

The Hyde Cup (Division 3)

The week began and ended with the teams from Division 3 in action.Monday was the turn of Dave Noden's BSM D Team who had a home draw against Arriva North West. Dave's team have been enjoying a good run in the League in recent weeks and were therefore looking forward to this home match. But on the night it just all went wrong! Captain Dave reported, "We got beat! At least we can concentrate now on the league. We were beaten by a better side on the night. It should be interesting in a fortnights time when the teams become 're-acquainted' in the league, and we can hopefully blindfold the opposition!" The scoreline 1:5 with just the home No.1 Darren Taylor registering a success, which meant the teams were at least still even after 2 sets!

The week ended with Brian Crolley's C Team visiting Sefton Park, always a difficult place to play. Brian was also forced to make a last minute change with No.1 Andy Cheung having to pull out. Miguel Monteiro was brought in as a substitute having already played the night before in the Division 4 cup. And what an inspired choice this proved to be. Brian decided to put the substitute on first set of the night against the weaker of the 3 home players which Miguel won with ease. Strangely the home team called Miguel back to the table in set 4 and he won again! So impressed was captain Brian that in set 6 he asked Miguel to play his third set of the night against the home No.1, and Miguel triumphed again. A brilliant outing adding to wins from Brian & Mal to give the visitors a comfortable 1:5 scoreline and away win. At least we still have a team in the Division 3 cup.

Bath Street C Team in Cup action this week. Captain Brian Crolley (centre) had to call up a substitute for this match, a tall order you might say? And so it proved bringing in Miguel Monteiro (to Brian's right) from Division 4 to join himself and Mal Kent.

The Readman Cup (Division 1)

Tuesday was the turn of the 1st Team to visit Crosby High in the Division 1 cup. Realistically one wouldn't have expected success against a team that last season were competing for the top of the 1st Division. And with Captain Dave Roberts finding at the last minute that he would be without his No.1 Clare Peers, out with a back injury, the odds didn't look great. Ian McElwee was however able to fill in, and on the night the visitors found that the home side were also forced to field two substitutes, considerably evening up the odds. Dave, assisted by Dermot Tierney and Ian, took full advantage of the weakened home side. Dave took all three of his singles and Dermot added another two to give the visitors a 3:5 victory and a place in the semi-finals.

The Rumjahn Cup (Division 2)

Another Division in which the club had two teams in action was in the Division 2 cup, with both the A & B Teams in action on Thursday evening. And if you were a gambling man you would have bet on the A Team progressing with an each way bet on the B Team. Just proves that gambling is for mugs! The A Team faced a visit to East Wavertree, who all too often seem to be a 'bogey' side for the club. To be fair, the visitors were at one stage 2:3 up and things were looking good. But somehow the next 3 sets all fell to East Wavertree with the home No.3 winning two of them. It just wasn't a great night for Ricky Brown, Fred Bainbridge and Ian McElwee with sets 7 & 8 both being narrow defeats deep in the fifth end, in sets that the visitors should have won. But that's the way it goes sometimes.

Contrast this with Dave Stoddern's B Team, with a home draw against Cadwa A. It was great to see Rob Peat back in the line up for this clash and combining with Dave and Barry Davis gave the team a very strong look. But when the match score reached 3:3 the nerves started to twitch just a little. But captain Dave stepped up to the plate with an excellent 5 end win in the 7th set to give the home team the edge and Rob then took his second win of the night in the next set to give the home side an excellent 5:3 victory.

The Forrest Cup (Division 4)

The third team in action on Thursday evening was Keith Dudley's E Team. Although currently riding high in the Division 4 table the team faced a potentially difficult visit to a very strong Wavertree Labour D side. The key to this match turned on the rather strange tactical choices of the home captain. With the match finely poised at 2:3 in favour of the visitors the home captain called on the doubles, usually taken as a decider in the 4 a-side match, after a real struggle the visitors took the doubles deep in the 5th end and were then able to call on a more favourable singles to give the Marine team a 2:5 victory. Man of the match for Marine was certainly Les Dodd who overcame a 11:0 first end defeat to win his first singles 9:11 in the 5th and then went on to comfortably take his second singles. Miguel Monteiro also remained unbeaten with a singles win and a share in the doubles with Graham Turner. A very good win.

So, not a bad return of 4 wins out of 6 matches played leaving the Club with teams in 4 out of 5 of the respective Divisional Cup competitions.

What a 'selfie'! Members of the Bath Street E team in Divisional Cup action on Thursday 17 November at Wavertree Labour. Miguel Monteiro, Captain Keith Dudley, Graham Turner and Les Dodd. Not quite sure though what has happened to all of the Club T shirts?