The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Last week saw the Spalding and District Table Tennis League hold its annual competition for the Roy Gibson Rose Bowl.
This event is played as a round robin with individuals playing off a handicap up to 31 over the best of three legs.
Some 17 members took part and were divided into four groups – with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals.
Some close matches ensued, with 25 per cent of the ends coming down to the last two points.
Group A had four players on handicaps from 5 to 21 who produced a very close contest, with just one of the six games not going to the third end.
At the conclusion Richard Matthews (20 handicap) and Carlos Caneiro (21) both won 2/3 with Matthews coming top as he won the game between the pair.
Group B also had four, handicapped from 17 to 21, but only half their games reached the third.
Jack Sawyer (21) made good use of his handicap to win 3/3, while Reece Kerry (17) came second on 2/3.
Group C also had four players, handicapped from six to 22 – and just two games went all the way.
Tom Chesworth (6) did well on his first outing with such a low handicap, winning 2/3. He tied with Matt Cole (21) with Cole, but won the head-to-head to go through in top spot.
Group D had five players with handicaps ranging from two to 23.
Again, just two games went to the third, but a third of their ends went to the final two points.
George Wallis (21), while not receiving the highest handicap, used it well to score 4/4 with Kelvin Preville (2) showing his class to come second on 3/4.
In the quarter-finals Cole lost out to Kerry 29-31, 25-31 and Sawyer won through against Chesworth 29-31, 31-27, 31-23.
The other quarters were not played but see Matthews face Preville and Wallis meet Caneiro. In the semis, Sawyer will play the winner of the Preville/Matthews match, while Kerry plays Wallis or Caneiro.
