Falcons Flying High As They Retain Mike Tunningley Shield

Sparken Hill Falcons were once again crowned Mike Tunningley Handicap Shield winners on a night of some great table tennis at Sparken Hill Academy. The Falcons were up against fellow third division side and club colleagues Sparken Hill Blue Jays who are currently pushing for the third division title and perhaps started as slight favourites even though they knew that they would have to give handicap points to the Falcons at the end of the match. The Falcons started well with Mick Potter doing really well in restricting Ivan Stallworthy to only gaining 4 points on him as he won the first game 21-12 but lost the second 8-21. Jordan Potter followed his Dad's great start by only conceding 10 points to Connor Bettley (who put in a Man Of The Match performance winning all his games on the night) and when team mate Neil Penny only lost by 6 to Dave Rix the tone of the evening was set. The Blue Jays did hit back and start to stretch out a lead as Stallworthy defeated both Jordan Potter and Penny with Bettley also adding wins over Penny and Jordan Potter but when both Mick and Jordan Potter beat Dave Rix to rack up vital points for their side it meant that the score on the table before the sealed envelope with the handicap points in was opened was Blue Jays 342 Falcons 290 which never looked enough for the Blue Jays and so it proved to be as the Falcons were awarded 108 handicap points to add to their points total which gave them a 398 to 342 points win.
The Reg Wilcox semi final between DTH Redlands Rookies and DTH Redlands X-Youth was finally played a week later than scheduled due to both teams turning up at the venue the week before to only find it in darkness and firmly closed! After numerous phone calls involving what seemed to involve half the league the match went ahead and a close game ensued as the Rookies started with a 155 point lead due to the handicapping system and the X-Youth side spent the whole evening chasing down the deficit. They got off to a great start as Clive Eden beat Dilip Malkan, Matt Turner defeated Bob Atkinson with Jeff Reay and Turner winning the first doubles of the night against Malkan and Derek Piper which cut the deficit by 50 points. The next three games also went the way of the X-Youth side as Reay gave Atkinson a bit of a thumping 21-7, 21-6, Eden beat Piper 21-7, 21-9 and then Eden and Turner combined to beat Atkinson and Piper 21-8, 21-12 which meant it was only a matter of time before they wiped away the Rookies lead which they did in the last game of the night as Reay and Eden beat Malkan and Atkinson  21-11, 21-9 to eventually run out winners by 437 points to 418.
League Round Up
In Division One DTH Redlands Roosters kept on course to retain their league title with a 9-1 win over DTH Redlands Monsters whilst Manton Nomads and DTH Redlands Fluffy Toys played out a close and entertaining 5-5 draw.
The night after reaching the Reg Wilcox Trophy final DTH Redlands X-Youth were back in action but this time in the league and after giving Manton Sports a 9-1 drubbing they can almost touch the Division Two winners trophy. Sparken Hill Eagles who at one point looked as though they were going to challenge X-Youth for the title before fading away enjoyed a 7-3 win over DTH Redlands Rookies  and in the battle of the Snipers it was Worksop Welfare Snipers 'B' that took the bragging rights as they beat Snipers 'C' 6-4 in a tight match.
Manton Tigers continue to look like they will finish in mid table as they registered an 8-2 win away at Real North Notts 'A' whose fate was sealed a few weeks ago as they are doomed to play next season in Division Three once more.
The Division Three title now looks like it will be decided on sets won and Sparken Hill Blue Jays could have done with a big win to strengthen their sets won column but just managed to squeeze past Sparken Hill Falcons 6-4 in a very close match but even closer still was the match between North Notts 'B' and Sparken Hill Hawks as they fought out a 5-5 draw.