WOLFERSTANS MANNAMEAD WINTER TENNIS LEAGUE by David Williams.

IN THE top match in men’s Division A, the leading pair of Phil Harbottle and Phil Ruse dropped two points in defeating Dave Gale and Neil Hunt. Harbottle and Ruse went two sets up but Gale and Hunt played well to win the third set with Harbottle and Ruse winners 6-1, 6-4, 4-6. It was easier for third placed Chris Williams and Paul Wardle who beat Zack Bowen and Ollie Fletcher 6-1, 6-0, 6-3. Andrew Leigh and Phil Whitby had little trouble in winning two matches in straight sets. After a 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 win over Chris Janes and Mark Jackson, they overcame Neil Pearce and Ian Bollard 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.

Patrick Poon and John Jacobs consolidated second spot in Division B, beating Chris Shorter and Phil Ticehurst 6-3, 6-5,

6-3. Accurate serving by Dave Graham was a big factor in the win by Graham and Jake Daykin over Shorter and Ticehurst

(6-4, 2-6, 6-3). Ron Cole and Rob Thomas were on top throughout in beating Lee Horton and Julian Pascoe 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. In Division C, Jason Gent and Chris Desmond beat Harry Bird and Declan O'Connell 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Linda Trebilcock and Alison Diver played three matches in ladies’ Division A. The pair started with an excellent performance win against higher placed Paula Baldock and Hannah Robinson (6-5, 6-3, 5-6). In their next match, with all four players contributing to closely contested rallies, Trebilcock and Diver met Michelle Cooke and Liz Morley, who gave few points away in winning 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. Trebilcock and Diver then found Sue Peers-Jones and Joy Pellow playing consistently to win the first two sets 6-5, 6-3. In a complete turnaround Trebilcock and Diver made the score more respectable by taking the third set 6-0, leaving Peers-Jones and Pellow 6-5,

6-3, 0-6 winners. Baldock and Robinson had a comfortable

6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win against Ann Short and Liz Parks, but Peers-Jones and Pellow found it harder to defeat Anna Tickle and Esther Pettit (6-3, 6-3, 6-5).

Linda Haston, after a lay off through injury, was back to partner Janet Butler in Division B. After being beaten 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 by Jane Poon and Jane Trahair, Butler and Haston had a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win over Chris Bunney and Heather Gynn. Libby Allman and Fiona Murphy held off an improved second set display from Maggie Lintell and sub Sarah Brett to win 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. However, like every other pair to date, Allman and Murphy had to give second best to Sandra O’Sullivan and Luisa Warring who won 6-0, 6-2, 6-1. Julia Whetton and Wendy Sharland warmed up as the match progressed in their 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 win over Carol Carter and Jill Cansfield.

Mixed doubles results: R Avent/J Snell beat B Lien/L Chapman 6-1, 6-0, 6-3; H Helliwell/L Helliwell beat S Dusting/L Rutt 5-6, 6-2, 6-3

PLYMOUTH TROPHYMAN PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT TABLE TENNIS by David Williams

WOOLWELL I dented the chances of Railway D winning Division Two by beating them 7-3 to take over the top spot. Railway appeared on course for another win when they led 2-0 and 3-2. However, Woolwell took over completely and won the remaining five sets. All the Woolwell team won two sets with Krysten Coombs inflicting only a third defeat on Jan Walaszkowski (3-11, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3) and then, with Steve Hugh, defeated Walaszkowski and Bryn Ford (13-11,

11-13, 11-8, 11-7). Astor C (Geoff Boobier 3) stay in contention, but only beat bottom team Astor D 6-4. With a full team Woolwell H won 6-4 against Inter City A. Helen Lambert scored a straight game maximum and won the doubles with Beth Wilson. Colin Poyntz, also with a straight game maximum, was back to play for Woodland Fort A. With Brian Luscombe (3), Astor B were defeated 7-3. Poyntz and Luscombe, however, were beaten 5-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 by Tony Bray and Martin Fowler.

Unbeaten Astor E go back to the top of Division Three after comprehensively overcoming Railway E 9-1. Siblyback also won 9-1 against Inter City B to take second place. David Wills (3) and Tiago Lima (3) continued their good form for University in their 8-2 win over Woolwell J and the pair combined to beat Laurie Harrison and Josh Payn 11-5, 11-8, 11-7. There were no maximums as Inter City C beat Woodland Fort C 7-3, with the best sets seeing Martin Joy (City) beat Graham Pearson 11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 14-12, 11-5 and Pearson winning 5-11, 12-10,

11-5, 12-10 against Graham Cooksley.

The top match in Division Four ended with Spar Saltash (James Lock 3) beating Molyneux Associates (Pete Andrews 2) 6-4 with Lock and Steve Marley securing the sixth set with a 11-8, 12-10, 7-11, 11-13, 11-9 win over Andrews and John Dodd. Astor H remain bottom as from 2-2 they lost 8-2 at Woodland Fort E (seven sets from Mike Wakley and Norman Hall). Woodland Fort F (Rob Moss 3) won the last two sets in their 6-4 win at Woolwell L.

In Division One with Woolwell D not playing, Woolwell B and Woolwell A took advantage to fill the top two positions after wins over Woolwell G (9-1) and Woolwell F (10-0) respectively. Railway B fought hard at Woolwell C but still lost 9-1. Two each from Glyn Price, Shirley Luckhurst and Phil Greenwood earned Crafthole A a 7-3 win at Railway C with each of the Railway players beating a different Crafthole opponent. Railway A went 4-0 down at Woolwell E (Kevin Buddell 3) but recovered slightly, finally losing 7-3.

Woodland Fort G stretched their lead in Division Five with wins over their H team (7-3) and Woolwell M (8-2) with the unbeaten Ralph Stone recording a double maximum. In the Woolwell match, Stella Williams (Woolwell) beat Rob Batten 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6. Inter City E and Woodland Fort H drew 5-5, with John Dean recording a maximum for City and Dave Griffiths beating Bern Collings and Dave Backholer (11-5, 6-11; 11-6, 3-11, 11-9).