Cippenham's second team miss promotion by the narrowest of margins

Hari Gehlot

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Cippenham’s second team came mightily close to securing promotion from their division in the second weekend of the Veterans British Clubs League in Derby.

In Division 3, Cippenham’s second team missed out on one of the two promotion places by a whisker after an unbeaten weekend.

By the end, just three points separated the top team from the highest of the relegated teams. At the top, three teams finished on 12 points, but Cippenham’s slightly inferior sets aggregate saw them pushed back into third place.

Nevertheless, their performances were hugely encouraging as they climbed from fifth to third with three wins and two draws from their five matches.

Bottom of the table St Georges 2nds were the first opponents to suffer as Steve Joel and Hari Gehlot won both of their matches to seal a 4-2 win. Gehlot was then named player of the match after wins over Mark Evans and Paul Malkin as they drew 3-3 with the Noron Commandos. Those three losses, all in the deciding game, meant Cippenham missed out on becoming champions

Saturday evening’s game against Foresters D resulted in a 6-0 romp for Cippenham. Gehlot again was named player of the match, but it could easily have gone to Joel or Samson Bekele.

On Sunday, Cippenham were again held to a 3-3 draw by Topspin Fusion 2.

This time three of the four very tight games which went the distance were won by Cippenham. The final match of the weekend brought more good form for Gehlot and Joel who both won twice in a 4-2 victory over Foresters F. Joel’s 3-0 win against Philip Nicholls saw him named player of the match.

The men’s first team, hampered by the absence of Dave Barr, were able to comfortably maintain their status as a Division 1 side, finishing third overall.

This they achieved with one win, one loss and three draws.

Their only defeat came early on against Forester A team, despite a fine brace of victories from Robert Hansell who got the better of Ritchie Venner – ranked 11th in the country – and Lewis Mayhew. Unfortunately, neither Martin Adams nor Paul Baker – who came into the side as a reserve – could add to that tally and earn the side another point.

They next faced relegation-threatened Moberly where a point from a 3-3 draw was good enough to secure their safety in the division.

Andy Trott was able to join the squad for their evening fixture against struggling Wensum but was beaten by the talented Wayne Mason after Martin Adams had pipped Serafim Melo in the opening encounter.

Hansell continued his good form to thrash James Skilleter before Mason evened things up by defeating Adams. But Hansell and Trott took care of business in their final matches to ensure a 4-2 victory and Hansell was named player of the match.

Sunday morning’s match was against leaders Hurricane, and Andy Trott seized his moment to claim victories over Michael O’Driscoll, ranked fourth in England, and Pawel Orzechowski. With Hansell also getting the better of Orzechowski, Cippenham were closing in on a memorable victory. Unfortunately, he lost out in an epic battle with Richard Jermyn, ranked fourteenth in the country, losing the deciding game 10-12.

Cippenham’s final match was effectively a dead rubber from their perspective. Stockbridge needed a point to ensure their own survival and that’s how things played out, with the game finishing 3-3

Cippenham’s women’s team were also in action in Derby, and their sixth placed finish was just enough to secure their Division 2 status next season.

They began the weekend with two outstanding matches from the first weekend, with Billwood claiming a one-sided 6-0 win. The team bounced back well to draw 3-3 with Drumchapel Glasgow in their next game though with Mary Heffernan, Julie Dean and Denise Weller each contributing one win apiece.

The division was then split into two halves with Cippenham competing in the bottom section to avoid relegation. Julie Dean was player of the match as they picked up a hugely important 4-2 win over Northern Belles. And they maintained their momentum on Sunday morning with a 4-2 win over Drumchapel Glasgow. Denise Weller was the hero with two wins over Catherine O’Neill and Senga Thomson.

The weekend concluded with a 4-2 defeat to Irish side Colleens, where Heffernan and Weller one once each but Dean was unable to add to her tally of wins.