Round four table tennis action

Week four of Mount Gambier Table Tennis Autumn Season tossed up some decisive results, the cream starting to rise to the crop when it matters most.

Travis Sweet led his Villains into battle in against Chandler Jantosh’s Trotters in the first A Grade contest of the night. Sweet was at his dynamic best, remaining undefeated and well supported by his mother Sirinat. Jantosh also put in a strong showing for the Trotters, including an epic 5-game marathon win over Sirinat, but in the end the Sweets proved to be the difference as the Villains triumphed by 7 rubbers to 4. The second A Grade match of the evening saw Leigh Barry’s Toffees dominate Ben Newman’s Rovers from start to finish, recording a 9-2 demolition. Barry and Kevin Patzel both posted clean sheets for the victors.

B Grade also produced some one-sided affairs, Sarah Thomson’s Hammers smashing Gary Hocking’s Spurs to the tune of 8 rubbers to 3. Thomson kept her singles record clean on the night, while Nathan Schubert also performed strongly, his only blemish was a loss to Hocking who was the Spurs’ strongest player on the night. The second match was even more lopsided, Gui Ros-Smith’s Red Devils emphatically sweeping aside Alex McGregor’s Seasiders without raising a sweat. Ros-Smith and Allan Withers both posted clean sheets for the Devils, while the only bright moment for the Seasiders was a win for Marga Steele over Will Parker. The Devils recorded a near whitewash, a 10-1 victory. The third B Grade match was the closest of the night, Alastair Earl’s Baggies locking horns with Rob Halleday’s Cottagers.

Halleday posted a thrilling victory in 5 pulsating games over Baggies player Andrew Telford to kick off proceedings, before Earl equalised with a comfortable win over Cottagers player Jedda Hardcastle. The match continued to seesaw throughout the night, the final result not decided until Earl and Halleday stepped into the area to face off against each other. Sadly it was an anticlimactic event, Earl asserting himself early and never letting Halleday into the contest, winning easily and giving the Baggies a 6-5 overall victory.

Deakin Lofthouse once again showed the form that has eared him a reputation for being one of C Grade’s strongest players, keeping his sheet clean on the night and in doing so guiding his Canaries team to a 9-2 trouncing of Tracey Rawlings’ Wolves.

Lorraine Halleday and John Malicdem also went through undefeated for the victors, while Rawlings’ win over Jarrah Schaefer was the only highlight for the Wolves. The final C Grade match of the night saw a closer tussle between Lenny Van Der Linde’s Rams and Aravind Bablu’s Blades.

Teams went tit for tat throughout most of the night, an inspiring come-from-behind triumph to Rams player Heather McGregor over her Blades counterpart Ezekiel Coutts, who had the encounter in his keeping when leading by 2 games to nil, breaking the deadlock and igniting the Rams to a 6-5 victory. Bablu kept his sheet clean, but that was of little consolation as his Blades team fell agonisingly short.

Mount Gambier Table Tennis Club is always welcoming of new players of all ages, experience, and capability. Practice is held at 7pm on Monday nights, and competition is at 7pm on Wednesday nights at the Mount Gambier Showgrounds Hall. To register your interest, please contact the club at [email protected] or find the club’s Facebook page, or just come along on a Monday night and speak to a friendly welcoming committee member.

3-Rubber winners

A Grade: Travis Sweet (Villains); Leigh Barry, Kevin Patzel (Toffees).

B Grade: Alastair Earl (Baggies), Gui Ros-Smith, Allan Withers (Red Devils); Sarah Thomson (Hammers)

C Grade: Aravind Bablu (Blades), Deakin Lofthouse (Canaries).