15 December, 2012 Helen Potter
When Raleigh and Honiton met in Division 3a, both teams started the match unbeaten this season, but it was Raleigh who ended the night with their unbeaten record intact, winning a close match 5-4 with six games going to a deciding third game. Nicola Martin and Dan Graham were the stars for Raleigh with the pairings of Mandy Gurzynski & Paul Bryon and Angela Bolt & Duncan Miller each picking up a point for the team. St Leonards E and Clyst Vale B also had a close match, with St Leonards winning 5-4 in a match which saw Mary Macmullen & Mark Stanley unbeaten for St Leonards and Katie Brown & Lee Clatworthy picking up the team’s remaining two points. All three of the Clyst Vale pairs contributed to their team’s first points of the season. Jennie Edwards & James Allum were unbeaten in Clyst Vale A’s 7-2 win over an Axminster team only able to raise two pairs. Sandy Sheldon & Lester Cawley won both of Axminster’s points.
In Division 1, Cranford are celebrating 7-2 wins over both Sidmouth A and Ringswell A. Alice Feesey & Zak Phillips were unbeaten in the Sidmouth match as were Nikita Smethurst & Vernon Smeed in the match against Ringswell. Lisa Stevens & Joe Davis won two points in each match. The Exeter B team of Sue Colwell & Mark Trebble, Hannah Oxley & Jamie Samuel and Vicky Prouse & Sam Lees beat St Leonards A 9-0 although St Leonards were unlucky not to score as Anne White & Adrian Midmer lost all three of their rubbers in a deciding third end having won the first game against all of the Exeter pairs.
In Division 2a, the University beat St Leonards C 8-1. Lucy Battersby & Milo Rapacioli and Natasha Drew & Raj Ram were unbeaten for the University with St Leonards point coming from Lyn Dart & Rami Yedidi. The Ringswell B team of Sharon Strong & Steve Rice, Anne Jones & Ben Boyland and Sylvia Child & John Phillips beat St Leonards C 9-0 and now top the division just one point ahead of the University. Ringswell C beat St Leonards C 6-3 with Nicky Latham & Phil Matthews and Jeanette Allen & John Phillips unbeaten for Ringswell and Sharon May & Anthony Towl, Jess Hand & Pierre Aumjaud and Elaine Nicholson & Sylvian Pasquier each picking up a point for St Leonards.
Otter Vale remain unbeaten at the top of division 2b after a 6-3 win over Sidmouth B. Heather Rake & Brian Deem and Teresa Simic & Ray Puttick were unbeaten, but the third Otter Vale pair of Su Cotton & David Lloyd were unlucky not to add to the teams tally losing all three of their rubbers in a deciding third end. Last year’s division 3a champions Chulmleigh beat Otter Vale B 6-3. The duos of Ruth Crumby & Mat Older, Karen Parish & Ben Hamill and Hannah Hernon & John Down each won 2 points for the team.
Results
Division 1
Sidmouth A 2 Cranford 7
St Leonards A 0 Exeter B 9
Cranford 7 Ringswell A 2
Division 2a
St Leonards C 1 University 8
St Leonards C 0 Ringswell B 9
St Leonards C 3 Ringswell C 6
Division 2b
Sidmouth B 3 Otter Vale A 6
Chulmleigh 6 Otter Vale B 3
Division 3a
St Leonards E 5 Clyst Vale B 4
Clyst Vale A 7 Axminster 2
Raleigh 5 Honiton 4