Exeter A off to a strong start
10 November, 2013 Helen Potter
Defending champions, Exeter A have started strongly in Division 1. The team of Suzanne Owens & Dan Harris, Sue Colwill & Sam Owens and Julia Melling & Gareth Pearse defeated the clubs B team 9-0 although 3 rubbers did go to a deciding third end. Ross Comber replaced Dan Harris in the teams match against St Leonards A which saw them win 6-3 although no Exeter pair could beat the St Leonards duo of Anne Stanley & Ben Wijay. The Cranford team of Sandra Lear & Mark Trebble, Rowan Despard & Jamie Roberton and Nikita Smethurst & Zac Phillips beat Exeter B 9-0 all in straight ends. Ringswell A secured wins over both St Leonards A and last year’s Division 2a champions the University. Claire Harrison and Nigel Osborne were unbeaten in both the 5-4 win over St Leonards A and the 6-3 win over the University. The St Leonards A team of Anne Stanley & Adrian Midmer, Louise Gubbin & Tim Wardale and Sue Banks & Guy Sweetman beat the University 5-4 despite the University pairing of Lucy Manley & Harry Hacking being unbeaten. Vicky Prouse & Jamie Samuel led the way with an unbeaten performance in Exeter B’s 6-3 defeat of the University.
Just two matches have been played in Division 2a, both featuring St Leonards B. The team of Astrid Janssens & Mark Newson, Kay Brewer & Adrian Wijay and Jess Hand & Andy Rowe beat St Leonards C 8-1 with Jill McCord & Antony Towl picking up the C teams point. Leo Robbins took Adrian’s place in the match against Ringswell B. It was a close match with 5 rubbers going to a deciding third end which saw St Leonards B secure a 7-2 win. Kay Brewer & Leo Robbins were unbeaten for St Leonards with both of Ringswell’s points coming from Sylvia Child & Guy Rollisson.
Honiton A hit the ground running having already played four matches in Division 2b. They beat Raleigh 5-4 despite Nicola Martin & Dan Graham being unbeaten for Raleigh and went on to beat Otter Vale B 6-3 with Honiton’s Janet Ingram & Ethan Leach unbeaten and in a 5-4 win over Ringswell C, Janet was unbeaten once again, this time partnered by Paul Merchant. Their only defeat so far was at the hands of Sidmouth B whose team of Ann Price & Paul Carter, Linda McCracken & Steve Pritchard and Hilary Herd & James Newcombe beat Honiton A 7-2 with Ann and Paul unbeaten. Otter Vale B beat Raleigh 6-3 with Anne Drury & Andy O’Brien winning all three of their rubbers . The Chulmleigh duo of Ruth Crumby & Mat Older were unbeaten in their teams 5-4 win, also against Raleigh.
Clyst Vale A top the Division 3a table following wins over Clyst Vale B, Honiton B and St Leonards D. Ann Bromage & James Allum and Lucy Ferrier & Dan Cordey were unbeaten in the team’s 7-2 win over Clyst Vale B. A close encounter against Honiton B led to a 5-4 win for Clyst Vale A, although none of their pairs could beat the Honiton duo of Sue Fallows and Mark Stanley. Clyst Vale’s 7-2 win over St Leonards D could have been very different as St Leonards D had to concede four rubbers, due to one player failing to arrive and another sustaining an injury. St Leonards D put the Clyst Vale fixture behind them when the team of Ann Trevenna & Mike Lamboll, Liz Goodwin & Lee Clatworthy and Katie Brown & Ali Rehemi beat Cranford B 9-0. Axminster got their campaign underway with a 7-2 win over Honiton B with Sandy Sheldon & Lester Cawley and Sari Brice & Jay Sweetman unbeaten for Axminster. Honiton B bounced back with a 6-3 win over Clyst Vale B in a match which saw Sue Fallows & Mark Stanley unbeaten once again. The Clyst Vale B team of Imogen Batten & Steve Hunt, Ann & David Bromage and Rachel Dare & Guy Allum beat Cranford B 8-1 with Anne Davies & Duncan O’Donnell picking up Cranford’s point.