Monsters Take Division Two Title

DTH Redlands Monsters have this week been crowned Division Two Champions. The Monsters side of Orestas, Martynas and Valentinas Riauba who have lost only one league game all season clinched the title by thumping their nearest rivals, 2nd placed Worksop Miners Welfare 'B' 9-1. Both Orestas and Valentinas beat all three Welfare players in Jim Westwood, Erlands Skels and Glyn Payne but Martynas couldn't repeat his brothers exploits as he lost to Skels in a real battle that went to 5 sets. Orestas and Valentinas then went on to beat Skels and Westwood in the doubles in straight sets to put the icing on the cake.
Elsewhere in Division Two Manton Sports staved off relegation for at least another week by beating bottom side Stanley Street Cypriots 8-2. In some close games both James Weston and Alan Wilson remained unbeaten with John Lowde adding two wins over Graham Stent and Mitchell Radford before losing to George Makrakis in straight sets. Radford and Makrakis then added another win for their side by beating Lowde and Westwood in the doubles.
DTH Redlands Joggers who can still mathematically get promoted to Division One had a good win over Stanley Street 'B' this week despite coming up against and in form Jack Kirkland. Despite none of the Joggers trio of Kyle McIntosh, Lewis Comley and Matthew Mudd being able to beat Kirkland they did all manage to beat both his team mates in Glyn Williams and Paul Linfield and also take the doubles to seal a 7-3 victory.
The race for the second promotion place in Division Three came to a conclusion this week with both sides in the hunt playing on the same night at the same venue against different sides. Ryton Park Cougars were at home to DTH Redlands Liver Birds and had little trouble in beating the bottom side in the division 9-1 to keep the pressure on second placed On-Line Elks. There were hat tricks for both Ivan Stallworthy and Dave Lee with Dave Rix adding a double losing out to Paul Jordan but it wasn't enough as the Elks weren't going to be denied the last promotion place as they whitewashed Ryton Park Falcons 10-0. Jonno Blood, Neil Houghton and Glen Gillgrass all remained unbeaten with Blood and Gillgrass winning the doubles to seal the win and promotion to Division Two.
Other Division Three Result: DTH Redlands Rookies 9 DTH Redlands Tarr Babies 1.
In Division One both Ryton Park Adders and Ryton Park Eagles were relegated this week with both sides suffering defeats. The Adders slipped to a 7-3 home defeat to Worksop Miners Welfare 'A' who had Richard Element in top form winning all his three and he was well supported by Dave Marsh who had good wins over Harry Tomlinson and Ivan Guilliatt before losing to Andy Lee. Andrew Cave chipped in with a solo win for the Welfare side when he beat Guilliatt before he teamed up with Element to take the doubles match and to send the Adders into Division Two.
The Adders club colleagues The Eagles also suffered the same fate but nearly managed to stave off relegation for at least another week in a really close match against Stanley Street 'A' who had Peter Eyre to thank for their win. Eyre remained unbeaten as he defeated all three of the Eagles players in Helmuth Osborne, John Hallgarth and Brian Allen with Matthew Williams and Dave Hodgkin chipping in with a win each over Hallgarth. Hodgkin and Eyre teamed up in the doubles and they had no trouble in beating Hallgarth and Osborne in straight sets which all meant they ran out 6-4 winners and sent the Eagles down.
Other Division One Results: Manton Misfits 3 Manton Nomads 7, DTH Redlands Fluffy Toys 4 DTH Redlands Roosters 6.
Mike Tunningley Shield Semi Final: DTH Redlands Monsters 378 Ryton Park Cougars 374