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Advertiser & Weighill cups

2008-2009

Final results

Advertiser Cup                    Test Valley 'E' 0-9 South Wonston Rowan

Weighill Cup                        Test Valley 'A' 2-7 John Hanson 'A'

            John Hanson ‘A’ have won the Weighill Cup after a 7-2 victory over Test Valley ‘A’, with the Advertiser Cup has going to South Wonston Rowan who beat Test Valley ‘E’ 9-0. In both matches the scoreline does not reflect the true nature of the games, with many going right down to the wire in the deciding sets.

Peter Henderson, Dan Geary & Steve Rollason (Hanson A) are masters of this type of game where steady play is called for, but when Stephen Biles used his 9 points advantage to defeat Henderson 21-12, 20-21, 21-19 in the first game of the evening, the ‘Valley side must have had hopes of repeating last season’s result over the same team. Despite some hard hitting by the division two side, it was Hanson ‘A’ all the way, until Richard Biles defeated Geary in the sixth game to give his side a faint hope. The match was decided in the next game when Rollason, at 20-20 in the final set against Ralph Oakes, threw caution to the wind and hit a tremendous winner which few players would have returned.

The Advertiser Cup was slightly less dramatic with Smith, Grimshaw & Murray slowly but surely dominating play, in spite of giving away leads of between nine and twelve points to their less experienced opponents. Jamie Bile, Joe Bainbridge & Will Osmond gave it their best shots, but in the end they were no match for the Rowan team.

 Semi-finals report

    The two Team Handicap events reached the semi-final stage and the four finalists are now known. In the Weighill Cup Test Valley ‘A’ & John Hanson ‘A’ are through to the final, with Test Valley ‘E’ & South Wonston Rowan due to meet each other in the final of the Advertiser Cup. At Enham on Monday, the home team began well with wins for both Patrick Baker & Peter Farmer over Ralph Oakes & Stephen Biles. Richard Biles, conceding a nine point start to Dave Pizzey easily took the third game 21-12, 21-12, before going on to win the match for the School side when he beat Farmer 21-17, 19-21, 21-16 in the seventh game of the evening. The other semi once again saw the ‘old firm’ of Hanson ‘A’ go through at the expense of Hanson Modern. As with the previous match the sides were two games all at one stage, but it was Peter Handerson’s tricky services and considerable skill which swung the match in the ‘A’ teams favour. With Steve Rollason & Dan Geary both contributing useful wins the team ran out 7-2 winners.

     In the Advertiser Cup. The Rowan team predictably got through in their match against fellow division three side, Test Valley ‘B’. Murray, Smith & Grimshaw met some very worthy opposition however, especially from the hard hitting Rob Macey, with many of the games being decided on those little pieces of luck that every player needs. Nevertheless, it was a fine performance from a team who are not only favourites to win the final, but have also won the division three title in very convincing style. Their opponents will be Test Valley ‘E’, who met Hanson ‘C’ in the classic ‘div. one vs. div. three’ match, where the better players found themselves conceding starts of up to 18 points against their younger opponents. Joe Bainbridge, Jamie Biles & Will Osmond were soon three games to love in the lead and although Gerry Vaughan pulled on back, Bainbridge & Osmond wrapped it up with another couple of wins. It was mother vs. son when Helen Frost took on Joe in the fifth game and what a game that proved to be! Conceding 13 points, Helen took the first set 21-18, but Joe came back to win the second 21-12. The deciding set consisted of huge forehand shots from Joe with counter hitting and skilful defending from his mother. With her son at 20-19 up, he served off the end to make it 20-20. Helen served, but Joe returned well and after a tremendous rally, Joe hit a huge forehand down the centre of the table which his mother could not control to give him the game. The deciding game of the match featured Osmond against the very steady Nick George. But with a +18  -1 start it was always going to require a superb performance, or a fair slice of luck from the division one player. As it was, the ‘luck’ went to the younger opponent who won the match for Test Valley with an unreturnable edge to take the game 21-11, 21-8.

The quarter-final report

The draw for round two.

To be played in the week beginning February 2nd.

The draw & results for the first round of the Advertiser Cup.

To be played week beginning December 15th 2008

No player may take part in this competition unless they have played 3 or more matches in this or the previous season

News from the 1st round

            Joe Bainbridge was the driving force as Test Valley ‘E’ beat Enham 6-3 and it was Rob Macey who saw the School’s ‘B’ trio home 5-3 against Depot Bulldogs. The crucial game here featured Macey vs. Braden Hams. The two players have the same handicap and similar styles, so it was no surprise when the game went all the way to the deciding set. Trading shot for shot, these two exciting young players gave a fine demonstration of fearless attacking and steady defence, with Macey coming from behind at 14-19 to win it 21-20. Test Valley ‘C’ dumped div. one side, Hanson ‘A’ out of the competition thanks to three from Adam Baxter, while maximums from both Trevor Whitelock & Steve Harris saw off the challenge of South Wonston Beech. Will Woodman of the Walnut team proved too much for the more experienced Hanson ‘D’ players, as he put his side through with a 6-3 win, while David Binns was equally successful in the South Wonston Ash vs. Panthers encounter. John Hanson ‘B’ recorded a 7-1 victory over the Cedar team thanks to John Shepherd and finally Chris Stockdale, Helen Frost & Nick George were unstoppable in their 9-0 romp over the Hanson Mod team. The remaining three matches will be played at a later date.