Woodham C clinched the Burnham & District Table Tennis League Division 2 title early in the week without playing a rally as Maldon B relaxed too soon and dropped a single point against Blackwater B. Woodham then went onto to record a 7-3 victory against pre-season favourites Mapledene C for an anti-climatical victory party.
Woodham C have been the most consistent team in Division 2 all season. They remain unbeaten with one game to go and have now clinched the championship early allowing them to relax in their final match against an ‘up-for-it’ resurgent Woodham D side – sparks will fly for sure in that one. The week started well for Woodham when Blackwater’s Neil Thompson looped his way to victory over Dawn Baldry of Maldon B – that was the single point Blackwater achieved but it was enough to mathematically crown the Woodham C team. So a 9-1 victory to Maldon B with hat-tricks for Colin Napper and a notable performance from Chris Ravenhill playing up from the D side for his first Division 2 hat-trick of the season. So come Thursday and what had been billed as the crunch tie of the run-in, Woodham were champions and then Mapledene C only had 2 players so it was all a bit of an anti-climax for the crowds that had paid to see this one. Woodham ran out 7-3 winners with Bill Smith and Sue Body putting up more than a spirited fight for Mapledene. Woodham’s hard hitting Chris Hancox won all of his matches and Dave Meah edged a 5 setter against Body, but it was the tricky play of Bill Smith and his spinny serves that caused the most problems as he scored wins over Meah and Adi Kamma. So congratulations to Woodham C on a job very well done.
