The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
MatDuf were crowned Spalding and District Table Tennis League’s Division Two champions after edging a winner-takes-all tussle with Hurricane Brothers last week.
The duo had finished the regular season level on points at the top of the second tier table – and traditional methods were unable to separate them.
It was thought that the title would have to be shared – but the Hurricanes issued a challenge to their rivals the previous week, which was accepted.
As might be expected, a match between two teams who could not be separated even to the third level was going to be close.
The first game between Stewart Duffill and George Wallis was nip and tuck to five ends with Wallis taking the lead twice and Duffill pulling back both times.
The deciding end saw Duffill take the game – and the lead for MatDuf in the match – 9-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-1, 13-11.
Jonathan Matthews took the first end against Sam Wallis, but then the latter won the next three to level the match 13-15, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7. The doubles also went the way of the Brothers in three ends, though there was another deuce end, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9.
Matthews levelled the match again, defeating George Wallis 11-8, 11-3, 7-11, 11-9, leaving everything to play for between the two number ones.
Continuing the theme of close games, Duffill took the first two ends 17-15, 12-10 before Sam Wallis levelled by taking the next two 13-11, 11-7.
In the final end Wallis took an early lead to change ends ahead and then reached 10-6 before Duffill managed to fight back.
Despite his best efforts, Wallis found himself unable to prevent Duffill from taking not only the next four points, but also the final two to settle the game and match with a 12-10 score.
Want to know more about the league? Visit www.spaldingtabletennisleague.co.uk
