Greek Tragedy As Cypriots Slip Up In Title Race

Worksop Welfare Cypriots ‘A’ slipped to only their second defeat of the season and what a time to do it as it was their last match of the league season and knowing that a sizeable win would have put them in the driving seat to take the Division Three title. After dispatching Real North Notts ‘B’ 10-0 the previous week to put themselves at the top of the division on sets difference from Sparken Hill Blue Jays the Cypriot knew that a good win would put the pressure back on the Blue Jays. The Cypriots were up against Sparken Hill Falcons with home advantage and having Farhad Saiepour who hasn’t lost a game all season in their line-up they must have gone into the match full of confidence and fully expecting to win. Saiepour did his bit by beating all three Falcons in Mick Potter, Jordan Potter and Neil Penny but the Falcons weren’t going to lie down and be steam rollered into submission and hit back when both Neil Penny and Mick Potter both beat Nigel Stent and Kay Wilson in some tight games before Jordan Potter also contributed by beating Wilson. The doubles game was somewhat of a surprise as the Cypriots decided not to play their best player in Saiepour and instead opted to play Wilson and Stent and it was a decision that backfired on them as they lost to Mick and Jordan Potter in 4 sets which in the end proved vital as the Falcons ran out 6-4 winners.
The true gravity of the Cypriots loss didn’t fully dawn on the Cypriots until they heard that the Blue Jays had beaten DTH Redlands Tarr Babies by the smallest of margins 6-4 which meant that the Cypriots had missed the chance to push home their sets difference advantage going into the final week of the season.
The Blue Jays who are without their number one player for the last 2 weeks of the season had a tough night of it against an ever improving Tarr Babies side who could quite possibly be the team to watch next season in Division Three and only just scraped the win. The Blue Jays mainly had Connor Bettley to thank for their 6-4 win as he beat Keith Bloomfield, Roman Rosser and Adam Pinches to set the Blue Jays up for victory and he also had a hand in the doubles as he and Dave Rix teamed up to beat Pinches and Rosser. Dave Rix and Dave Lee also added a win each with Lee defeating Rosser and Rix enjoying a good win over Bloomfield.
All the above now means that the Cypriots lead the division by virtue of having a better sets difference than the Blue Jays with the Blue Jays having one more game to play against Worksop Owls knowing that a draw in that match will ensure they take the title.
Elsewhere in Division Three Sparken Hill Hawks had a comfortable win over bottom side DTH Redlands Red Devils who despite being in their first ever season and being bottom have battled away admirably. Justin Flear and Sam McFarland both remained unbeaten for the Hawks with Scott Lee losing out to both Phil Daly and Jacob Hodkinson before finally getting in on the action by defeating Harry Clarke in straight sets. Lee then teamed up with McFarland to beat Daly and Hodkinson in the doubles to seal an 8-2 win.
Division One Results: Stanley Street ‘A’ 0 DTH Redlands Roosters 10, Sparken Hill Starlings 2 DTH Redlands Monsters 8, DTH Redlands Fluffy Toys 6 Worksop Miners Welfare 4 (5-5 after rule 7f applied), Manton Misfits 5 Stanley Street ‘A’ 5.
Division Two Results: Ryton Park Eagles 7 Manton Sports 3, Worksop Welfare Snipers ‘B’ 10 DTH Redlands Joggers 0 (Match awarded, Joggers failed to turn up)