Ryde Royals claimed the win of the week in Division 1 of the Isle of Wight Table Tennis League with a 9-1 victory over the siblings of Newport Vics B. Despite the result there were some excellent close games.
Ricky Lock started the match off with a four-set win against Island Games competitor Anna Joyce. The game started with some long rallies and the first three sets going to tiebreaks but in the fourth set Lock slowed the playdown and took the set 11-7 to win the match.
The match between Lock and Newport’s 15-year-old Sean Joyce was a fast, thrilling five-setter with attacking play from both players, looping shots from Joyce and defensive chop returns from Lock. Joyce ultimately took the fifth set for a fine win.
Ryde’s Hugh Idle and Conal Howells won all their three matches, with Howells best win being against Anna Joyce in four sets, with Joyce attacking and Howells using brilliant defensive play and counter-attacking. Idle’s best win was against Sean Joyce which he won in 3 sets with fast attacking loops and an excellent serving game.
Match of the night was between Howells and Sean Joyce, a five-set match play with both players producing their best shots.
It was a bad night for Newport Vics as their A team lost 9-1 to league leaders Ryde A, with only Newport’s Dave Hilliam scoring a victory over Ryde’s Glenn Morley.
Title contenders Shanklin Sharks followed on from last week’s 10-0 demolition of Havenstreet Hooters with a 7-3 victory over Ryde Raiders, with only the Raiders Tim Giles getting on the score sheet with victories over Shanklin’s Jim Hall and Tom Johnson, but was unable to overcome experienced Don Hobbs in a five set thriller. Shanklin are now five points behind Ryde A at the top of the table.
Division 2
Havenstreet Locos head the Division Two table after their 10-0 pasting of newly promoted Newport Vics D. However, Newport Vics C had a fine victory over Freshwater A to lie just two points behind in second place. Newport’s Dave Newnham was player of the match with three fine wins, including a great five setter over Freshwater’s ex Division One player Rob Warren.
Another newly promoted team – Ryde Rookies – had a notable win over Shanklin B, although the teenagers did have the help of their super sub Pat Thorley this week. However, the Rookies 14 year old Joseph Chapman had two fine victories, including one against his grandad Ted Purvey, and Ross Holme had a great win over Garry Thorp, with Chapman and Thorley joining up to take the doubles against Shanklin’s Tom Waddell and Purvey, to end the match in a 7-3 victory to the Rookies.
Division 3
Performance of the week was by teenager Gideon Flack, playing in his first season in the league, for newcomers Newport Vics E, who won all his games against the second placed Ryde Rackets in a thrilling match which ended in a draw.
Two teams with years of experience between them, Ryde Rustics and Ryde Rockets met in a long and exciting match which ended 6-4 to the Rockets, with the Rockets Harry Tucker player of the match.
RESULTS
Division 1
| Havenstreet Sleepers | 7 | Havestreet Hooters | 3 |
| Ryde A | 9 | Newport Vics A | 1 |
| Ryde Royals | 9 | Newport Vics B | 1 |
| Ryde Raiders | 3 | Shanklin Sharks | 7 |
Division 2
| Ryde Red Kites | 1 | Rookley A | 9 |
| Newport Vics C | 8 | Freshwater A | 2 |
| Newport Vics D | 0 | Havenstreet Locos | 10 |
| Ryde Rascals | 7 | Ryde Raptors | 3 |
| Shanklin B | 3 | Ryde Rookies | 7 |
Division 3
| Newport Vics E | 5 | Ryde Rackets | 5 |
| Ryde Regals | 1 | Ryde Rebels | 9 |
| Wootton Wombles | 0 | St Lawrence Lizards | 10 |
| Ryde Rustics | 4 | Ryde Rockets | 6 |
